Changhe River of Beijing has a long history of over 700 years. It used to have the names like Royal River or Gaoliang River in Ming Dynasty and the only river related to the royal family in Qing Dynasty, total it is a canal actually. After dredging, Changhe became a special sightseeing route for royal families from the inner city via Longevity Temples to the Summer Palace. The wharf in Zizhuyuan Park is the place where, Empress Dowager Cixi used to take breaks on her way to the Summer Palace in Qing Dynasty. At that time one could go down the water enjoying the beautiful scenery of willows and peach trees along the both banks, hence the saying: watching pines in the Temple of Heaven and willows along Changhe.Now Beijing Cruise on Changhe River became one of the good ways to enjoy of the beauty of Beijing.
