Parks and open space in Beijing

Parks in Beijing are quite different than how we view parks in the States. As I've learned from my daily walking commute to work through the Purple Bamboo Park. But the scale of the difference takes on a whole new level on my visits to Beihei Park. Beihei Park is one of the oldest parks in Beijing. It's history goes back as far as the Liao Dynasty (916AD – 1125AD) when it was first built, following subsequent repairs and reconstructions since then. And it appears that parks had the function more of a place for serene contemplation. And the notions of being in the wild or in some pristine natural space is completely foreign. Every inch of this park seems to have been manicured from the trees to the stones. And an amazing thing is that people use these spaces for everything from spending a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the traffic, but of course the immense crowds here draw a hustle and bustle of merchants and people traffic as the crowds meander about here and there in the park checking out the different sites of interest.