We next visited the much livelier Beihai Park, just west of the Forbidden City. The park was built in the 11th century, and was part of the palace's gardens, until opened up to the public in the 1920's. Most of Beijing seems to visit here on the weekends, and there's plenty to keep everyone occupied. There's an 11th century Buddhist temple, an elegant waterside pavilion, and a huge lake filled with paddle boats. We participated in none of the fun.