Houhai Lake & Shichahai

Houhai Lake and Shichahai: Beijing's Most Scenic Urban Waterfront

In a city often characterized by its vastness and its concrete, Shichahai is a revelation — a cluster of three interconnected lakes nestled in the heart of old Beijing, surrounded by willow trees, historic temples, princely mansions, and some of the city's best hutong neighborhoods. The area consists of three lakes: Qianhai (Front Lake), Houhai (Back Lake), and Xihai (West Lake). Together, they form what locals call Shichahai, which translates to "Lake of Ten Temples," a reference to the many Buddhist temples that once lined these shores.

For most visitors, Houhai is the star of the show. Its shoreline promenade — shaded by ancient willows, dotted with traditional pavilions, and backed by a lively strip of bars and restaurants — is one of the most pleasant walks in all of Beijing. But the real treasures of Shichahai extend well beyond the busy Houhai bar street. The quieter Xihai lake to the northwest, the historic mansion of Prince Gong on the western shore, and the maze of hutong alleys connecting it all create an area that rewards slow, curious exploration over hours or even days.

Why Visit Houhai and Shichahai

Shichahai is one of the few places in Beijing where water, history, and contemporary life intersect in a naturally beautiful way. The lakes are not artificial attractions — they have been here since the Yuan Dynasty (13th century), when they served as the terminus of the Grand Canal that brought goods from southern China to the imperial capital. The area's waterfront location made it prime real estate for the Qing Dynasty aristocracy, which is why so many princely mansions and gardens are concentrated here.

For foreign visitors, Shichahai offers remarkable variety within a small area. You can tour a lavish Qing Dynasty prince's mansion in the morning, eat lunch at a lakeside restaurant, rent a pedal boat in the afternoon, wander through hutongs as the sun sets, and end the evening at a rooftop bar overlooking the water — all without taking a single taxi or subway ride. It is one of Beijing's great walkable neighborhoods.

The area also provides a healthy counterbalance to Beijing's blockbuster attractions. After the exhausting scale of the Forbidden City or the Great Wall, spending a day at a human-paced lakeside neighborhood feels like a gift. This is where Beijing locals come to relax, and that energy is contagious.

What to See and Do

Prince Gong's Mansion (Gong Wang Fu) is the single most important historical site in the Shichahai area and one of the best-preserved aristocratic residences in all of China. Built in 1777, this sprawling complex of halls, pavilions, gardens, and rockeries covers over 60,000 square meters. It was home to Heshen, the notoriously corrupt favorite minister of Emperor Qianlong, before passing to Prince Gong of the Qing Dynasty. The gardens are exquisite, featuring a famous stone inscribed with the character "fu" (fortune) that is believed to be in the handwriting of Emperor Kangxi. The mansion gives you a vivid sense of how the imperial elite lived — it is essentially a miniature version of the Forbidden City, but more intimate and with far fewer crowds. Admission is 40 CNY (about 5.50 USD).

Houhai Lake Promenade is the area's most popular walk. The path that circles Houhai lake is approximately 3 kilometers long and takes about 45 minutes to walk at a leisurely pace. The southern and eastern shores are the liveliest, with bars, restaurants, and live music venues spilling onto the waterfront. The northern shore is quieter and more residential, with weeping willows, stone benches, and elderly locals fishing. In winter, when the lake freezes solid, the ice becomes a massive natural skating rink and playground — locals rent metal-framed ice chairs and slide across the surface, creating one of Beijing's most joyful winter scenes.

Silver Ingot Bridge (Yinding Qiao) is the small stone bridge connecting Qianhai and Houhai. It is one of the most photographed spots in the Shichahai area. On a clear day, you can stand on the bridge and see the Western Hills in the distance, framed by willow trees on either side — a view that has been famous in Beijing for centuries and is known as one of the "Eight Great Views of Yanjing" (old Beijing).

Xihai Wetland Park is the newest addition to the Shichahai area. Opened in 2018, this beautifully landscaped park surrounds the smallest and quietest of the three lakes. Wooden boardwalks wind through reed beds, and viewing pavilions dot the shore. It is free to enter and almost unknown to foreign tourists. If you want a peaceful lakeside experience without the bar-street energy of Houhai, Xihai is your answer.

Soong Ching-ling's Former Residence sits on the northern shore of Houhai. This was the home of Sun Yat-sen's wife, a revered figure in Chinese history. The grounds include a beautiful garden and a small museum. Admission is 20 CNY.

Hutong Rickshaw Tours are a Shichahai institution. Pedicab drivers offer guided tours through the surrounding hutongs, typically lasting 1-2 hours and costing 150-300 CNY per person depending on the route and your bargaining skills. While these tours are touristy by nature, a good driver will take you through alleys you would never find on your own and share stories about the neighborhood. Negotiate the price firmly before departing — agree on the total price and confirm whether it is per person or per rickshaw. Some drivers speak basic English; others come with guides.

Boating: From spring through autumn, you can rent pedal boats or small electric boats on Houhai lake. Prices range from 80-120 CNY per hour for a 4-person boat. It is a wonderfully relaxing way to see the area from the water, especially in the late afternoon when the light turns golden.

Suggested Walking Route

Start at Prince Gong's Mansion on the western side of the area. After exploring the mansion and gardens (allow 1-1.5 hours), exit and walk east through the hutongs to reach the western shore of Houhai. Turn right and walk south along the shore, enjoying the quieter, more residential side of the lake. Cross the Silver Ingot Bridge and pause for photos and the view toward the Western Hills.

After the bridge, you are now on the busy southern shore of Houhai, also known as Lotus Lane (Hehua Shichang). Walk east along the lively bar and restaurant strip. Continue around the eastern shore of Houhai, where the path becomes quieter again, passing the Soong Ching-ling Former Residence on your left. At the northern end of Houhai, take a detour northwest to explore Xihai Wetland Park — a 20-minute loop through the boardwalks is refreshing.

Return to the main Houhai path and walk south along the eastern shore to complete the lake circuit. From here, you can walk south through hutongs to reach Nanluoguxiang in about 10 minutes, or walk east to the Drum and Bell Tower area in about 8 minutes. The full route takes approximately 3-4 hours including the mansion visit and a lunch stop.

Practical Information

Tickets: Walking around the lakes and hutongs is completely free. Prince Gong's Mansion costs 40 CNY. Soong Ching-ling's Residence costs 20 CNY. Boat rentals are 80-120 CNY per hour. Ice skating and ice activities in winter are approximately 20-50 CNY depending on the activity.

Opening Hours: The lakeside promenades are open 24 hours. Prince Gong's Mansion is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (April-October) and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (November-March), closed on Mondays. Bars and restaurants along Houhai typically open around 11:00 AM and stay open until midnight or later. Xihai Wetland Park is open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

How to Get There: The area is served by several subway stations. Beihai North Station (Line 6) is closest to the southern end of Qianhai and Prince Gong's Mansion — take Exit B and walk north for about 8 minutes. Shichahai Station (Line 8) exits near the eastern side of the area. Guloudajie Station (Line 2, Line 8) is convenient for approaching from the north near the Drum Tower.

Tips for Foreign Visitors: The Houhai bar street can be a tourist trap after dark. Some bars employ aggressive touts who will try to pull you inside with promises of free drinks or special deals. The prices inside are often inflated, and the "free drink" may come with mandatory expensive purchases. Choose bars that display their prices clearly and do not have people standing outside soliciting customers. The rooftop bars tend to be more reputable (and have better views) than the ground-level ones.

Payment: The bar and restaurant strip is quite foreigner-friendly for payments — most establishments accept international credit cards. Cash is useful for boat rentals, rickshaw rides, and the smaller food stalls in the hutongs. There are several bank ATMs near Silver Ingot Bridge and along Di'anmen West Street.

Food and Drink Recommendations

Kaorouji (烤肉季) — One of Beijing's oldest and most famous restaurants, located right next to Silver Ingot Bridge. They have been serving Mongolian-style barbecued lamb here since 1848. The signature dish is kao yang rou (grilled mutton), cooked on a large iron dome right in front of you. Expect to spend 100-200 CNY per person. The second-floor terrace has excellent views over the lake. Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner. Some staff speak English, and there is a picture menu.

Nuage (庆云楼) — A Vietnamese-Chinese fusion restaurant on the Houhai waterfront with one of the best terrace locations in the neighborhood. Dishes range from 50-120 CNY, and the lakeside setting at sunset is worth the slight premium. They accept international credit cards.

Lotus Lane Snacks: The pedestrian street along the southern shore of Houhai (Lotus Lane) has numerous small restaurants and food stalls. Try Beijing-style zhajiang mian (noodles with soybean paste) at one of the small noodle shops — a bowl costs about 25-35 CNY. Tanghulu vendors line the path, and chuan'r (lamb skewers grilled over charcoal) from the Muslim vendors is an essential Beijing street food experience at about 5-10 CNY per skewer.

For Drinks: Skip the aggressive ground-level bars and head to one of the rooftop venues. Prices are typically 40-70 CNY for a beer, 60-90 CNY for cocktails. The views over the lake at night, with the reflection of lights on the water, are genuinely beautiful and worth the price.

For Breakfast: If you are staying in the area, seek out a douzhi (fermented mung bean milk) shop in the surrounding hutongs. This is a quintessential old Beijing breakfast drink — sour, pungent, and definitely an acquired taste. Have it with jiaoquan (fried dough rings) for the full local experience. A breakfast set costs around 15-20 CNY.

Tips and Best Time to Visit

Best Season: Shichahai is beautiful in every season, but each offers a different experience. Summer (June-August) brings lotus flowers blooming across the lakes, creating stunning pink-and-green vistas, but the heat and humidity are intense. Autumn (September-November) is ideal — comfortable temperatures, golden willow trees, and clear skies. Winter (December-February) transforms Houhai into a frozen playground; the ice activities are a unique Beijing experience but dress very warmly. Spring (March-May) brings blossoming trees and milder weather, though occasional dust storms can diminish visibility.

Best Time of Day: The morning (before 10:00 AM) is magical for peaceful lakeside walks — you will see locals practicing tai chi, swimming in the lake (yes, even in cold weather), and walking their birds in cages. Late afternoon (4:00-6:00 PM) offers the best light for photography and a lively but not yet chaotic atmosphere. After dark (8:00 PM onward), the bar street lights up and the energy shifts to nightlife.

Winter Skating: If you visit between late December and mid-February, the frozen Houhai lake is one of Beijing's most unique experiences. The ice rink area typically charges 20-50 CNY for entry and equipment rental. The ice chair (a metal frame chair on runners that you propel with metal sticks) is incredibly fun and uniquely Beijing. Check weather conditions — the ice must be thick enough for safety, and the rink may close during warm spells.

Pace Yourself: The Shichahai area is large enough that trying to see everything in a single visit can become exhausting. If you have multiple days in Beijing, consider splitting your visit — the mansion and lake walk on one day, the hutong exploration and bar street on another.

Photography Spots

Silver Ingot Bridge: The classic Shichahai photograph is taken from this bridge, looking northwest toward the distant Western Hills with willow branches framing the water in the foreground. This view is best in the late afternoon when the hills are backlit. On very clear days (increasingly common as Beijing's air quality improves), the mountains are sharply defined against the sky.

Houhai Northern Shore at Dawn: Walk along the quiet northern shore of Houhai between 6:00 and 7:30 AM. The combination of still water, weeping willows, morning mist, and the silhouettes of swimmers creates ethereal, atmospheric images. This is the Houhai that most tourists never see.

Prince Gong's Mansion Gardens: The rockery gardens inside the mansion are a photographer's paradise. The interplay of carved stone, water, traditional architecture, and carefully framed views creates compositions at every turn. The "fu" character stone is the most photographed object, but the quiet corridors and moon gates are more rewarding subjects.

Xihai Wetland Boardwalks: The wooden boardwalks winding through the reeds at Xihai create natural leading lines for photography. In autumn, the golden reeds against the blue water are particularly photogenic. The small pavilions make excellent focal points.

Houhai Bar Street at Night: The neon lights and red lanterns reflected in the dark lake water create a colorful, vibrant nighttime scene. Shoot from the opposite shore for the best reflections. The bridges are also excellent vantage points for night shots.

Hutong Details: The hutongs surrounding Shichahai are full of small photographic treasures — ornate door knockers shaped like lion heads, stone carvings above doorways, bicycles leaning against ancient walls, morning glory vines climbing over courtyard walls. A macro or close-up capability on your camera or phone will serve you well here.

Houhai and Shichahai represent Beijing at its most livable and most charming. The area manages to be simultaneously historic and contemporary, peaceful and lively, local and welcoming to outsiders. It is the kind of place where you set out for a quick walk and find yourself still wandering three hours later, drawn around one more corner, past one more willow tree, into one more hidden courtyard. Of all Beijing's neighborhoods, this is the one most likely to make you wish you could stay longer.