As summer vacation approaches, Beijing will enter its peak tourist season. Beijing's municipal parks have launched special activities such as lotus viewing, exhibitions and shows, science popularization, and night tours.

Diverse options for enjoying lotus and shows

At present, the lotus in Beijing's municipal parks such as Beihai Park, Yuyuantan Park and Zizhuyuan Park is coming into full blossom. Jingshan Park is planning to host a joint exhibition of bonsai art, featuring distinctive bonsai from Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, as well as South China-style bonsai from the Shanghai Botanical Garden and the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou. This exhibition will showcase the unique styles and techniques of Chinese horticulture.

Lotus in Beihai Park

Lotus in Taoranting Park

The exhibitions and shows immerse visitors in a variety of folk culture elements, including Qixi (the Double Seventh Festival, or Chinese Valentine's Day), leisurely summer activities, and depictions of flowers and birds. Highlights include the elegant music performance of ancient Chinese zithers in the Temple of Heaven Park, concerts in Zizhuyuan Park, a herb show in China National Botanical Garden (North Garden), a Chinese garden show in the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, a calligraphy show in Yuyuantan Park, among others.

Interesting science popularization events

Themed science popularization activity in the Summer Palace

Science popularization activity in the Temple of Heaven Park

The science popularization activity in the Summer Palace teaches about ancient architecture such as mortise-and-tenon joint, lost-wax process, acoustic mysteries and arched structures. The parent-children activity in the Temple of Heaven Park is centered on the features of the temple's architectural complex to probe into the connection among optics, acoustics, mathematics and ancient Chinese architecture. During the bamboo and lotus culture season, Zizhuyuan Park holds handicraft-making activities including traditional flower arrangement, drawing on lacquer fans, and artistic bamboo waving to provide visitors with an interesting experience in summer.

Wonderful night tours of parks

Beihai Park's Jingxinzhai offers park tour performances and music performances, and displays and sells cultural creative products. Every Saturday night, Fragrant Hills Park organizes a scientific observation activity, guiding parents and children into the forest to listen to singing cicadas and observe insects. The Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture organizes a "Midsummer Night's Dream" Summer Camp for elementary and middle school students, who can take part in the creation and rehearsal of a science popularization drama - A Garden Adventure - to experience the traditional "elegant garden residence" in the night tour.

(Source: Beijing Daily App)