Phase II of Beijing’s Wenyu River Park has recently wrapped up, signaling the full completion of the city’s largest “urban lung.” The Beijing Water Authority announced today (September 24) that Phase II will throw open its gates to the public on September 29, offering free, reservation-free access for everyone to roam Beijing’s biggest park.
Wander into Phase II of Wenyu River Park, and you’re enveloped by verdant trees, colorful blooms, meandering paths, and brand-new cycling trails that refresh the spirit. In the Changping stretch, standout eco-innovations catch the eye: whimsically shaped shaded pavilions and solar “photovoltaic trees” that juice up benches. Huang Tong, designer of the Changping section, shares that Phase II leans heavily into low-carbon, energy-efficient, and green tech, crafting a “carbon-neutral theme park” that turns concepts into lived experiences.
The Changping Phase I was China’s inaugural carbon-neutral theme park; Phase II invites visitors to sample tomorrow’s low-carbon lifestyles. Designers wove together four thematic zones—clothing, food, housing, and transport—via a green mobility network. Guests snag a wristband on arrival; pairing it earns points for jogging, biking, eco-quizzes, and sustainable trials, cashable for extras like in-park shopping or ride discounts.
In the Chaoyang section’s Terrace Dynamics Zone, a tennis hub and over 30 courts are wrapping up. Westward sprawls a 40,000-square-meter natural lawn primed for camping or gigs; northward blooms a sprawling rose garden with 100+ varieties, forging a dynamic realm for play and pause.
Luan Ming, manager of Beijing Wenyu River Park Construction and Management Co., Ltd., explains that the Chaoyang segment orbits education, camping, trendy fun, and sports. Offerings span tennis, basketball, soccer pitches, badminton, ping-pong, and edgier pursuits like BMX or off-roading. This year, Phase II rolls out equestrian and polo options, serving up variety galore. In the Forest Stream Flower Shadows area, little ones can spot 100 textbook plants and splash in shaded brooks.
Phase I’s 12 square kilometers debuted in 2022; Phase II’s finish brings the full 30-square-kilometer vision to life—Beijing’s grandest park and its most sweeping, diverse urban nature ribbon. This green belt covers roughly 9 square kilometers, one-third of the total.
Five years of tracking have tallied over 880 plant and animal species. National Class I rarities like yellow-breasted buntings, great bustards, Oriental white storks, and Chinese mergansers make repeat cameos; newcomers such as long-tailed ducks, black-headed gulls, Richard’s pipits, and red-flanked bluetails rewrite bird logs, while staples like mandarin ducks, grey herons, and great egrets thrive steadily.
Li Wenyu, head of the Beijing Wenyu River Park Coordination Office, notes the park serves more than 1 million locals, a quick 15-minute pedal or stroll away. From September 29, it’s open season—free and fuss-free for all.
Wenyu River Park moonlights as Beijing’s prime urban flood basin, marrying smart watershed design with cutting-edge hydraulics for versatile “dual-use” magic: A daily oasis for leisure; in light rains, it swells as the northeast’s “super sponge,” hoarding water to irrigate greens and city needs—saving 4 million cubic meters yearly. During deluges, it flips to a swift flood trap.
Li elaborates that its 12 million cubic meter capacity is pivotal for fortifying central Beijing’s and the sub-center’s defenses. In peak wet seasons, it springs into action, pooling upstream surges to dial back downstream rushes and lighten sub-center loads.
References
Based on official Beijing Water Authority announcement, September 24, 2025.
