The Calendar of Living: How Beijingers Embrace the Four Seasons

Beijing has four distinct seasons — each with its own rhythm, light, and flavor. Locals don’t just endure the changing weather; they celebrate it. In old Beijing sayings, people speak of “following the rhythm of the four seasons,” which means living in harmony with time — knowing when to rest, when to roam, and when to feast. This guide is not a list of attractions, but a portrait of how Beijingers truly live through the year.

Spring · Blossoms and Breezes (March – May)

Spring in Beijing is fleeting but glorious — a rush of color after the long, dry winter. As soon as the first buds appear, Beijingers become “flower chasers,” heading outdoors to greet the season.

Core Experience: Chasing Blossoms

• Cherry Blossoms at Yuyuantan Park It’s not just a floral show, but a citywide ritual. Families stroll under pink canopies, couples take photos, vendors sell cherry-flavored snacks — the whole park hums with gentle excitement.
• Imperial Gardens: The Summer Palace & the Forbidden City In the Summer Palace, peach and apricot blossoms shimmer on the West Causeway beside Kunming Lake. Within the Forbidden City, pear and crabapple trees bloom behind red walls — an intimate glimpse of the royal springtime centuries ago.
• Lilacs in Temples: Fayuan Temple & Zhihua Temple Fayuan Temple, one of the oldest temples in Beijing, turns purple in late April. The scent of lilacs fills the courtyard — quiet, timeless, poetic. Zhihua Temple, more hidden and serene, offers a similar moment of stillness among blooming pear trees.

City Wandering

In old hutongs near the Forbidden City, you can see crabapple branches stretching over grey brick walls. Take a slow walk, hear the doves cooing above tiled roofs — that’s how Beijingers sense spring.

Spring Ritual

• Rowing in Beihai Park On a breezy afternoon, rent a small boat on the lake beneath the White Dagoba. This is the setting of the song “Let’s Paddle Together” — a shared childhood memory for generations of Beijingers.

Summer · Water, Shade, and Night Breeze (June – August)

Summer in Beijing can be intense — the sun high, the air thick. But Beijingers know how to find coolness: by water, under trees, or in the evening wind.

Core Experience: Life by the Lake

• Shichahai at Night Skip the daytime crowds; come at dusk. The light softens, the wind ripples across the lake, and reflections of neon bars and willow trees merge into one. Sit by the water with a drink or cycle around the lake — this is where the city exhales.
• Lotus Season: The Summer Palace & Yuanmingyuan From mid-July to August, the lakes burst into color. Visit early in the morning or after rain, when dewdrops slide across lotus leaves. It’s like stepping into a Tang poem — the same view admired by scholars a thousand years ago.

Mountain Escapes

• Day Hikes in the Suburbs When the city swelters, locals drive to Ling Mountain in Mentougou or Baili Gallery in Yanqing. There, streams run cold and air smells of pine. It’s easily ten degrees cooler — Beijing’s natural air-conditioning.

Summer Ritual

• Sunset at Jingshan Park Climb the small hill at dusk. From the pavilion at the top, watch the sun drop behind the Western Hills while golden light washes over the roofs of the Forbidden City. It’s one of Beijing’s simplest but most perfect endings to a summer day.

Autumn · Golden Days, Clear Skies (September – November)

Autumn in Beijing is short, sharp, and stunning — a painter’s palette of gold, scarlet, and bronze. Locals cherish it like a festival of light.

Core Experience: Red Leaves and Golden Streets

• Red Leaves at Xiangshan, Xishan & Pofengling

  • Pofengling: A mountain carpeted with smoke trees (Cotinus), known as one of North China’s most magnificent autumn sights.
  • Xiangshan (Fragrant Hills): Famous but crowded. Go early, preferably on a weekday.
  • Xishan National Forest Park: A quieter alternative with panoramic views of the city framed in color.

• Golden Ginkgo Avenues

  • Ditan Park: Ancient altars, yellow leaves, and early morning joggers — a serene contrast of history and daily life.
  • Sanlitun Embassy Streets: The ginkgo-lined lanes glow under glass towers — urban and cinematic.
  • Tsinghua & Peking University: Strolling through golden campuses, the air itself feels studious.

Autumn Ritual

• Climb the Great Wall at Mutianyu Crisp air, boundless hills, layers of red and gold — this is when the Wall feels truly alive. Standing atop a watchtower, you’ll understand the old saying: “The Great Wall is the spine of China.”

Winter · Quiet Streets and Warm Hearts (December – February)

Winter strips Beijing bare — leaving a city of light, brick, and breath. But beneath the chill, there’s warmth: smoky air from street snacks, laughter from ice rinks, and sunlight pouring into hutong courtyards.

Core Experience: Ice and Snow

• Shichahai Ice Rink When the lakes freeze solid, Beijingers rush to the ice. Kids skate, families ride sled chairs, and music blares from speakers. It’s cheerful chaos — the heart of winter in motion.
• The Forbidden City in Snow “When it snows, Beijing turns into Beiping, and the Forbidden City becomes the Purple City.” Snow softens its grandeur: red walls, golden tiles, white marble rails. Time seems to pause.

Winter Sun

• Hutong Cafés and Lazy Afternoons Wander down Yangmeizhu Street or Wudaoying Hutong, step into a sunlit café, sit by the window. Watch bare branches outside and people in thick coats walking by — this is Beijing at its slowest, most reflective pace.

Winter Ritual

• Hot Springs & Hotpot Locals drive to Xiaotangshan for a soak, then return to the city for copper-pot mutton hotpot — bubbling broth, sesame sauce, fresh lamb slices. It’s warmth in every sense: physical, emotional, communal.

In Short: The Four-Season Code of Beijing

Spring for flowers. Summer for lakes. Autumn for leaves. Winter for snow. To experience Beijing is not to rush through landmarks, but to live as Beijingers do — rowing in spring, cycling by summer lakes, hiking autumn hills, skating on frozen ponds. Every season has its own heartbeat. Listen closely, and you’ll find Beijing breathing with the year.