Jingshan Park is one of the oldest imperial gardens in Beijing with a history dating back nearly 1,000 years. It also stands at the central point of the north-south axis of Beijing, and from its artificial hill (often called Coal Hill), which was first built during the Liao Dynasty (907 – 1125), it provides some wonderful views of the city, including the Forbidden City which lies directly south of it.

Jingshan Park is most famous for being the place where Chongwen, the last Ming Dynasty Emperor, committed suicide in 1644 by hanging himself from a tree as a rebel army of 400,000 men led by Li Zecheng approached the capital.

After forcing the empress to commit suicide and killing several of his concubines and daughters, Chongwen bit his finger and wrote down his last imperial decree using his own blood on some clothes just before he died: Both morally and physically unworthy, I have caused the rebels to capture the capital. I blame only my ministers who put me in this trouble. Now I am leaving but I have no face to meet my ancestors underground, so I take off my imperial crown and cover my face with my hair. I leave my body to be insulted, just wishing they hurt no civilians.”