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China Elevator Stories

Jingyuetan Park and Beiputuo Temple in Changchun, Jilin Province (China Travel)

This forest park in Changchun is suited for all lovers of nature.

09/05/2026

Ruth Silbermayr
Ruth Silbermayr

Author

Sunny lakeside promenade with a blue-roofed white building, boats to the right, and people walking along the path.

This park offers a cool retreat on hot summer days and allows its visitors to take a forest bath for 30 yuan (this is the entrance fee to the park).

Park scene with blue sky, tall green trees, and a large cartoon squirrel statue near a walkway, with people strolling nearby.

A walk along the crescent-shaped lake in its center can take up to a few hours, and the scent of the essential oils that evaporate from the trees smells just like a freshly opened bottle of cedar or similar tree-bark essential oils.

Dense pine forest under a bright blue sky with sunlight filtering through the trunks, creating a tranquil woodland scene.

The forests have smaller walkways, and a few entrances signal to visitors where they can enter the forest to take a forest bath.

Wooden boardwalk winds through a green forest with two people walking under a bright blue sky.

Forest baths were first made popular in Japan, where city dwellers sometimes take them to do something beneficial for their health.

Red Chinese lanterns with gold inscriptions and red ribbons hanging in front of a temple entrance, blue sky above.

For nature lovers, a walk across the lake to Beiputuo Temple is both relaxing, and visitors can catch some of the much-needed vitamin D after a long winter in Northeast China, if this is where they are located.

Sunlit forest path with tall pine trees and a pedestrian walkway lined by black-and-yellow bollards; a few people walk along the path.

Some doctors recommend taking Vitamin D against Covid-19, and though I have no idea if this is helpful or not, I believe it can’t hurt to catch a little sun and breathe in the fresh scent of tree oils evaporating right there in the forest.

Pink flowering branches with dense blossoms on a shrub in a sunny garden setting to convey springtime bloomfulness

I personally always think it’s better to get the real thing than the synthetic one, and since I have also caught Covid-19 a few times and am constantly dealing with stuff I caught from my students, I thought a little sun couldn’t hurt. If you don’t visit a park with an entrance fee, this kind of Vitamin D is also free, and it may even get you a little tan for summer.

Close-up of a woman outdoors, sunlight on face, wearing a scarf and jacket in a forest setting.

This is something most Chinese avoid at all costs, but I am not afraid of the sun and have always been a summer person who enjoys going outside into the sun (unless it is truly too hot, such as in many parts of China in summer; I am talking about normally hot Austrian summers here).

Calm lake bordered by green trees under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

The scent coming from the coniferous trees is very fragrant, and for people who love natural scents, it may well be worth the 30 yuan entrance fee.

A small kiosk by a forested lakeside with people gathered around tables and blue umbrellas under tall green trees on a sunny day.

I visited on a Friday around noon between two classes and only had about two hours time. I recommend taking at least 4–5 hours, so you won’t be in a hurry to head back to the city.

Bridge extending over calm lake to a small pagoda-roofed pavilion at its end

I didn’t initially realize the temple was located in a park; this is where I originally wanted to go, and I thought I would simply arrive at the entrance to the temple, not at the entrance of the park and then still need to walk to the temple.

Calm lake extending to distant green hills with a lighthouse on the shore under a blue sky and white clouds.Note: avoid breaking text; use as single sentence.

But it was worth it, considering that the air was really fresh and the weather was very nice—cool because of the shade of the trees and the fresh breeze coming from the lake, but not too cold, with a lot of sun.

A sunny park scene with a blossoming tree in the foreground, a curved walking path, and colorful orange-yellow buildings in the background.

For tourists, I only recommend visiting if you are truly a lover of forests, trees, and nature, but national parks located outside of cities may be more suitable, such as the Arxan Mountain Range (which is perfect to visit around the first week of October).

Bright yellow Chinese temple wall with red doors, blue decorative band, and a red-tiled roof, partially obscured by trees on a sunny day

 In May, Jingyuetan Park is still cool enough to allow for a pleasant stroll, as the weather in Northeast China can get quite hot in summer.

Chinese temple entrance with bright orange wall, red arched doors, and ornate roof, flanked by stone guardian lions against a blue sky.

Beiputuo Temple is located on a small hill in the park and had no extra entrance fee when I visited.

Traditional Chinese temple with ornate green-and-gold eaves, red columns, and a large bronze incense burner in the courtyard.

It is a lovely small temple, with a golden Buddha statue in its center.

Gold Laughing Buddha statue seated on brick plinth in a temple courtyard with an incense burner in front and a blue sky overhead.

One can only reach it by entering the park first, and can then either walk to the temple (which takes about 50 minutes from the closest park entrance) or take a golf cart for about 20 yuan each way.

Address (Jingyuetan Park): No. 5840 Jingyue Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin Province, China

Have you ever visited Jingyuetan Park in Changchun?

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