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Dragons are one of the most well-known symbols of Chinese culture. In Beijing's Longtan Park, translated in English as "Dragon Pool Park," dragons are a constant but understated theme.
Located 1.5 kilometers east of the Temple of Heaven, Longtan Park is surprisingly young given its location. The park was constructed in 1952 as a salute to the ancient Chinese symbol of the dragon; dragons are designed into many of the park's aspects.
The park's proximity to Beijing's busy Central Business District and to other tourist attractions like the Temple of Heaven makes it a popular stop for tourists and locals alike. Despite the rainy weather on the Dragon Boat Festival (June 6), the lake was filled with rental boats.
Covering almost 50 hectares, only 19 of which are water, Longtan Park has ample green space for an afternoon stroll. Traditional style pavilions, including the namesake Dragon Pavilion, surround the lake, and several small islets are connected by old-style arched pedestrian bridges. Boat rentals are available at several docks around the park.
Elsewhere, visitors can find the Dragon Temple and the park's restaurant features a dragon-shaped dining boat for special guests.
The east side of Longtan Park is home to the Dragon Stone Tablets scenic area where more than 150 stone tablets totaling over 2,000 tons have found a home. All tablets are inscribed with calligraphy by famous scholars and officials and contain references to dragons; some tablets date back as far as the Han dynasty (206BC-220AD).
For a more modern form of entertainment, the park's west side has amusement park rides. Most are geared towards young children, but there are bumper cars for the young and the young at heart. Visitors can win a prize at the carnival games such as the ball toss or the fish pond.
During the Dragon Boat festival, a local man set up a table near carnival vendors and showed a captivated crowd how to make dolls from clay. Children and adults crowded his table as he carefully but quickly modeled a life-like head and fashioned a hairpiece.
Farther down the row of vendors, sugar sculptures and classic toys were on offer for the park's robust crowd of both local and foreign festival-goers.
A quick escape from the city, Longtan Park is a great family-friendly outing; try searching the park for all dragon references you can find. The park is open for enjoyment until 8:30 pm every day, and admission is 2 yuan.