Out & About

New entertainment includes 75-meter bungee jumping and a 67-meter parachute drop. The municipal government has invested more than 0.4 billion yuan in the newly refurbished park, according to Wang Dongbi of the park management office.

The park includes 660,000 meters of lakes and divides into three functional areas: catering and recreation, an amusement area and leisure and sightseeing.

Other sights include some very fancy fountains, the Spring Fountain, Misty Forest, Century Fountain Square, Land for the Brave Euro Village, the Bar Culture Square, European Charm and View Above the Water. Chaoyang Park claims six slightly interesting firsts among the parks of Beijing.

It's the largest urban park (320 hectares)
The highest bungee jump (75 meters)
The highest parachute tower (67 meters)
The largest number of fountain sprinklers (600 sprinkler heads of 10 types) for the new 20,000-square-meter Millennium Fountain Square
The largest green area (2,000 acres) which includes also...
The largest green square.

The 320-hectare Chaoyang Park is 20 hectares larger than its aged rival the Summer Palace, with a water area three times that of Beihai Park.

Construction of Chaoyang Park began in 1984 when it was originally known as Shuizhui Park. Before 1949, part of the lake was used as a huge rubbish dump. But after 1984, it became five lakes.

A 10,000 square-meter, 133-room Shunchengjun Palace, a typical Qing dynasty royal courtyard, was moved into the park in 1994.

Super spacecraft.	Super swing.
	The main gate of Chaoyang Park.

The area had originally been planned as a "Buds Entertainment City" for children, but due to financial and other reasons, construction was left half unfinished. Later, other investors rented the area and set up the disco and bars.

The Rock & Roll Recreation Castle and more than 20 bars and cafes opened near the south gate of the park in March. Some of Beijing's other English publications have hinted that this or an area near the park will supersede the cramped Sanlitun bar district.

"It's got a great environment and the government is investing very heavily in the area. It has lots of potential customers," says Alice Guan, manager of Ciao Bella.

Yet Wang Dongbi from the park seems to have a different view. "That area is just for temporary use."

"We have around 1,000 working staff. The park only rents out the place to make money for the workers." says Wang. " We plan to build a commercial street to the west of the area in the style of Sanlitun." Park hours: 6am-9pm. Minibus 302 passes here. Telephone 6506-5409.