Yuyuantan Park lies west of the city center of Beijing.  Though a large park with a large lake, it is not a tourist attraction, as it has nothing particularly historic or remarkable to offer visitors.  Only the locals go here, particularly on spring days with the flowers and trees in full bloom; the place was quite crowded with families and picnickers this April weekend.  These little scarecrows were for sale at one of the park’s many vendors.

Oriental cherry trees in Yuyuantan Park were just beginning to bloom.  Spring came unusually late to Beijing this year; while the winter was not particularly bitter, the cold temperatures lasted through the end of March.  The wait for warm weather was worth it though, as the photographs on this and the following pages will show.

Forsythia, which grows in many places throughout the park along with a similar yellow-flowered plant, winter jasmine.

Magnolia blossoms - specifically, Yulan magnolias - are a major spring attraction in Beijing, and can be found at a number of parks throughout the city.  During the blossom’s short lifespan, many Beijing residents flood the parks to get a view.

Oriental cherry blossoms in front of a spray of pine needles.  Yuyuantan Park hosts an annual cherry blossom festival in early April to show off its two thousand cherry trees, gifts from Japan some thirty years ago upon establishing relations with the People’s Republic of China.

Forsythia.

Oriental cherry blossoms underneath a traditional-style pavillion at Yuyuantan Park.  Though the Summer Palace is miles away, it’s possible to travel there by boat from Yuyuantan through canals linking the two - and indeed, the following page shows the Summer Palace in all its springtime glory.