Apricot Blossoms at the Badaling Great Wall

Beijing's spring comes at least half a month later than that in my hometown - Hangzhou, a garden city two-hour's drive south of the mega city of Shanghai.

Early April is the best time to see apricot blossoms in Beijing and generally the boom peak falls on the mid-April which may change due to the fluctuations in climate and weather. They blossom a bit early under a warmer weather.

One of the best places to view the sea of the blooming apricot flowers is Badaling Great Wall. The flowering apricot period usually lasts for 10 days and the apricot flowers fade away with the coming of the spring rain. But the complicated climate and geographical conditions in Badaling cause different blooming time in different sections.

The apricot flowers have five white to pinkish petals 2–4.5 cm in diameter. The fruit is a drupe likening to a small peach, 1.5–2.5 cm diameter from yellow to orange. The single seed is enclosed in a hard stony shell.

The apricot in China is associated with education and medicine. For example, the classical word "Apricot Altar" which means "educational circle", is still widely used in written language. About 2500 years ago, the greatest Chinese scholar Confucius often taught his students among the wood of apricot used as a forum, hence "Apricot Altar".

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

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