First built in the 12th century, Beihai is among the largest of all surviving Chinese gardens and contains numerous historically important structures, palaces, and temples.

As with many of Chinese imperial gardens, Beihai was designed to imitate renowned scenic spots and architecture from various regions of China, particularly Jiangnan around the Yangtze Delta.

Various aspects of the park evoke the elaborate pavilions and canals of Hangzhou and Yangzhou, the delicate gardens of Suzhou, and the natural scenery around Lake Tai with its famously porous stones.

In 1179, Emperor Zhangzong of the Jurchen Jin dynasty had a country resort built northeast of Zhongdu, his empire's central capital located in what is now southwestern Beijing.

[3] During the reign of Kublai Khan of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, the island was redesigned by various architects and officials including Liu Bingzhong, Guo Shoujing, and Amir al-Din.

These lakes formed part of an extensive royal estate within the Imperial City called the Western Garden (西苑, Xīyuàn).

The White Dagoba or Pagoda (白塔, Báitǎ) is a Tibetan-style stupa placed on the highest point on Jade Flower Island, built to honor the visit of the 5th Dalai Lama in 1651.

[1] The Five-Pavilion Bridge and Lotus Tower in Yangzhou's Slender West Lake Scenic Area were self-consciously modeled on Beihai Park's Five Dragon Pavilions and White Dagoba to curry favor with the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors during their southern tours of Jiangnan in the 18th century.