Zizhuyuan Park

Zizhuyuan, or Purple Bamboo Park, lies in northwestern Beijing and is named for the dense stands of bamboo that shade its waterways. Several connected lakes and canals thread through the grounds, once part of a network feeding the imperial gardens to the north, and pleasure boats still ply the calm water. Willows droop over the banks, arched stone bridges cross the channels, and quiet pavilions dot the shore. Popular with amateur singers and families, its bamboo groves lend a soft green light rare in the capital.