Red Leaves of the Fragrance Hills
Red leaves are one of Beijing’s brands in autumn. Every year from mid-October to mid-November, suburb Beijing will show its main color – red. Among the places, Xiangshan (the Fragrance Hills) is the most famous one. Xiangshan is 577 meters high above sea level. It is a proper height for maple tress to grow up in hills. From the pavilion on top of Senyuhu Peak, one can appreciate different depths of red – bright, pink, scarlet and peach-red, from the bottom to the higher points. Climbers carried away a fallen leaf and placed it in between pages of a dictionary, making it a bookmark. Some tiny souvenirs use the leaves to decorate. Red leaves are indeed Xiangshan’s soul in autumn.
Actually, in Beijing, there are many other red-leaves-abundant areas. In suburb districts and counties of Miyun, Yanqing and Huairou, red covers more places than Xiangshan does. Especially in mountain-regions built with Great Wall, red leaves can foil the atmosphere more effectively. The temperature is fine. Sunshine is enjoyable. Putting yourself in a pure nature at this time of a year and surrounding by red leaves, you will get the rare relaxation which you can never experience in the city.
