6 Places to Visit in Beijing in May

Tian’anmen Square is located on the very center of Beijing city, and is where important ceremonies like military parades are held and foreign guests are received. As an open outdoor square, visiting it is an extremely comfortable thing to do in Beijing in May, when is neither cold nor hot. You can go there in the early morning to watch flag-raising ceremony, which takes place at sunrise. After the ceremony, you can appreciate the meaningful buildings on the square, including the Monument to the People’s Heroes, National Museum, and Great Hall of the People, etc.

 Recommended Tour:   2 Days Beijing Private Forbidden City Tour from $299

 Book a Forbidden City Ticket

Forbidden City, also named Gu Gong and Palace Museum, was the imperial palace in Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1644). It cannot be a better time to sample Beijing’s profound history and ancient glory here on a pleasant and sunny May day, hence one of the recommended places to visit in Beijing in May. There are more than 70 palace buildings of various sizes in the Forbidden City. The most popular ones are the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Dian) and the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yang Xin Dian). The former was the site where the imperial court gathered, and grand ceremonies were held. The latter was where the emperor dealt with political affairs and stayed overnight. Another recommendation is the Treasure Gallery (Zhen Bao Guan). Tourists can feast their eyes upon assorted Buddhist artifacts, ornaments, jewels and exquiste utensils. Other famous scenic spots include the Imperial Garden (Yu Hua Yuan), Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kun Ning Gong), Hall of Preserved Harmony (Bao He Dian), and so on!

 Recommended Tour:   2 Days Beijing Private Forbidden City Tour from $299

 Book a Forbidden City Ticket

What to do in Beijing in May after Tian’anmen Square and Forbidden City? We would recommend Jingshan Park to the north of the Forbidden City. If you travel to Beijing in May, a visit to the park is a must because the peonies there are in full bloom! The whole park is ablaze with scarlet, pink, yellow, white and purple peonies, trully a wonderland. Cute pigeons and magpies are also frolicking on the grass. Besides, don’t forget to visit the Wanchun Pavilion on the top of Jingshan Hill. Standing in it, you can enjoy a clear panorama of the Forbidden City.

If you visit Beijing in May, it will be a pity to miss the cute giant pandas in Beijing Zoo.  It is best to go there in the morning when they are active and eating bamboos. In Beijing Zoo, you can also take a close look at golden monkeys, Manchurian tigers, white-lipped deer and red-crowned cranes. The representative animals of other regions in the world can also be found here. Chimpanzees from Africa, kangaroos from Australia, leopards from America and sea cows from Mexico will certainly broaden your horizon. 

These two attractions are adjacent to each other, thus very convenient to visit together. Beijing Confucius Temple is the second largest Confucius Temple in China. It was there that worship of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, during Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (1271-1912) took place. Its ancient architectural style has been well maintained and you can tell this from the bracket-like roof, which is not common in Beijing. Moreover, the numerous stone tablets engraved with Confucian analects are very worth visiting. Traditional ritual and musical performance are other highlights here.
 
Guozijian was the educational ministry and the only college during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912). Emperors used to deliver lectures in the Biyong Hall while the Yilun Hall was the library at that time. For those interested in Chinese culture and education, visiting these two scenic spots is a top thing to do in Beijing in May.  

Jiankou is said to be the most dangerous Great Wall section and beloved by many adventurers and hikers, for its original state has been well preserved without any actual renovation. This 20-kilometer-Great-Wall (12.4 miles) is divided into three sections. The middle section is the most precipitous and magnificent one. Some sites in the middle section are so steep that people describe their shape as a diving eagle or a ladder to the sky. Thus, compared with other Great Wall sections, climbing Jiankou is much more demanding, requiring physical strength. The mild weather in May is a good time to conquer it, so we list Jiankou as one of the places to visit in Beijing in May.

 Recommended Tour:   Jiankou Great Wall Hiking