Guanyuan Park in Beijing

Guanyuan Park (官园公园) is located at 36 Houguangping Hutong (后广平胡同), Xicheng District, Beijing. The park’s history dates back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, originally known as “Guayuan” (瓜园) and “Guancai Garden” (官菜园), reflecting its agricultural past. In 2024, the park underwent significant renovation, preserving its original 16,000 square meters of green space while enhancing its features with a science gallery, law-themed sculptures, and fitness facilities. Today, it serves as both a leisure space and an educational park focused on public law, offering a tranquil retreat amidst the bustling city. The park is open 24 hours a day and is free of charge.

Location and Accessibility

Address: 36 Houguangping Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing

Size: 1.6 hectares

Opening Hours: Open 24 hours

Admission: Free

Nearest Subway Stations: Chaogongzhuang Station (车公庄站) on Line 2/6 (615 meters walk), Xizhimen Station (西直门站) on Line 13 (754 meters walk)

Nearby Bus Routes: 107, 118, and 12 other day routes, plus the Night 21 route. The park has two bus stops: Guanyuan (官园) and Chaogongzhuang North (车公庄北).

Historical Background

The area where Guanyuan Park is located was originally known as “Guancai Garden” (官菜园) during the Ming and Qing Dynasties due to its use for vegetable cultivation. In 2000, the park underwent its first major renovation, which included expanding the lawn area and optimizing plant arrangements. The 2024 renovation preserved the park’s original green space while adding new features such as law-themed sculptures and interactive scientific exhibits, creating the park’s current layout.

Park Layout

The park is designed with a clear spatial structure known as “One Axis, Three Areas”:

Main Entrance: A white stone archway forms the visual axis, connecting three key areas:

• Law-Themed Display Area: Featuring exhibitions related to the legal system.

• Natural Leisure Area: Includes trees like phoenix trees (梧桐) and ginkgo trees (银杏), forming a natural oxygen bar.

• Fitness Activity Area: Equipped with modern fitness equipment and a 650-meter circular jogging track.

The eastern part of the park retains 16,000 square meters of green space, offering a peaceful natural retreat in the heart of the city. The western section includes the Science Gallery, which provides educational content on legal issues, as well as sculptures of historical figures like Li Kui (李悝) and Zhang Zhidong (张之洞).

Facilities and Features

Fitness Area: The park is equipped with second-generation smart fitness equipment and a 650-meter circular rubber track. On average, 1,800 fitness enthusiasts use the facilities daily (based on 2022 statistics).

Law Education Area: The park features 32 law-themed display boards and regularly holds exhibitions focused on constitutional law.

Children’s Activity Area: Includes a sandbox and swings, with safety rubber flooring to prevent falls.

Cultural Significance

As one of Beijing’s first “Rule of Law Cultural Demonstration Parks”, Guanyuan Park features significant cultural symbols like the “Chinese Legal History Wall” and a Constitutional Oath Platform. The park hosts an annual Constitution Day event on December 4, with the 2024 event attracting over 21,000 visitors. The Science Gallery updates its exhibitions monthly, with a special exhibition on “Wetland Protection” set to launch in 2025.

Visitor Information

Location: 36 Houguangping Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing

Opening Hours: Open 24 hours

Admission: Free entry

Public Transportation: Accessible by subway (Lines 2, 6, 13) and multiple bus routes (107, 118, etc.)

Nearby Parking: The park is within a 500-meter radius of several parking facilities, including Guoying Mansion Underground Parking (国英大厦地下停车场) with a total of 386 parking spaces.

Management and Operations

Managed by the Xicheng District Landscaping and Greening Bureau, the park adheres to a three-level maintenance standard, ensuring the upkeep of the facilities. On a daily basis, 12 cleaning staff are assigned to maintain the park’s cleanliness. The park also features electronic guide screens at the entrance, providing bilingual (Chinese/English) information for visitors. A 2025 visitor satisfaction survey showed that 96.3% of respondents were satisfied with the maintenance level of the park’s facilities.