Peking University traces its origins back to the Imperial University of Peking, founded in 1898 during the Hundred Days’ Reform. As the first comprehensive institution of higher learning established by the state in modern Chinese history, it carried the important mission of enlightening the public and cultivating future pillars of the nation. After the Republic of China was founded in 1912, the school was officially renamed Peking University. During Cai Yuanpei’s tenure as president, he advocated the educational philosophy of “freedom of thought and inclusiveness,” recruited outstanding talent widely, and attracted pioneering thinkers and academic giants such as Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, and Lu Xun to teach here. This quickly made Peking University the core base of the New Culture Movement and an important birthplace of the May Fourth Movement.
After more than a century of development, Peking University is now a national “Double First-Class” university and a key institution supported by Project 985, consistently standing at the forefront of Chinese higher education. According to the 2025 QS World University Rankings, Peking University ranks 14th globally, demonstrating its growing international academic influence as it continues to lead the frontiers of scholarship and cultivate talent for the times.
Reservation for Visiting Peking University
Method 1: Log in to the “Visit Peking University” mini program. Reservations open seven days in advance at 8:00 a.m. daily, with 1,500 spots in the morning and 1,500 in the afternoon. Real-name verification is required (name, phone number, verification code, and ID number), and reservations are free. If today is Monday, tickets for next Monday are released at 8:00 a.m. Set your alarm, calculate the timing carefully, and be ready to move fast—luck matters too! Seeing “fully booked” is completely normal, after all, people all over China dream of visiting Peking University. Note that visitor information cannot be entered in advance; it must be filled in after booking opens. It’s best to prepare the information in your notes app ahead of time for easy copying. Each visitor can add up to 2 companions, so one booking can only secure 3 tickets. If there are more people, have multiple people try booking at the same time. Children under 8 do not need a reservation; if an adult gets a ticket, they can bring the child’s ID documents and enter together.
Method 2: Check your WeChat Moments and see whether any relatives or friends know a Peking University alumnus who can help you make a campus visit reservation.
Method 3: Search WeChat for “Peking University Hall Online” and see whether there are any suitable performances. After purchasing a performance ticket, complete your personal information on the order two days in advance, and you can enter the campus. Taking children to watch a performance at Peking University Hall and touring the campus along the way is also a good option.
Method 4: If none of the above works, you can pay for a half-day tour or study tour group on platforms such as Douyin or Taobao.
How to Get to Peking University
It is recommended to take Metro Line 4 to “East Gate of Peking University” Station and exit from Exit A. The place where you see many people lining up is the East Gate of Peking University, which is also the unified entrance for regular visitors. Please note that campus entry is not allowed from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
How to Tour Peking University
Peking University, also known as “Yanyuan,” follows a more classical and understated style, unlike Tsinghua’s more modern feel. The campus is very large, with an area comparable to four Forbidden Cities, but visitors cannot realistically walk through every corner, so it’s best to focus on the main highlights. The most famous is “One Tower, One Lake, One Library,” referring to Boya Tower, Weiming Lake, and the library. In addition, there are Jingyuan Garden, Yannan Garden, the Red Building complex, the West Gate complex, and more.
Experienced bloggers usually recommend entering from the East Gate and exiting from the West Gate, with a total visiting time of about 3 hours. Today, we’ll also share our experience of Peking University following this route.
Peking University East Gate → Peking University Library → Centennial Hall → Peking University Cultural Creative Store & Peking University Bookstore → Jiayuan Dining Hall → Yannan Garden → Jingyuan Garden → Li Dazhao Statue → Cai Yuanpei Statue → Weiming Lake → Boya Tower → Peking University West Gate
Attractions at Peking University
Peking University Library
After entering through the East Gate, the first stop directly facing the pathway is the impressive “Peking University Library,” where many visitors stop to take photos. The library’s predecessor was the book collection building of the Imperial University of Peking, originally founded in 1898, but the building we see today was constructed in 1998 to celebrate Peking University’s centennial.
When speaking of Peking University Library, we think of Li Dazhao, who once served as its director, and of Mao Zedong, who worked as his assistant at that time. Today, the most notable aspect of the library is probably the size of its collection, especially its ancient books, including many national-treasure-level rare texts and cultural relics. The library is not open to tourists, so visitors can simply walk around the entrance and soak in the atmosphere.
Centennial Hall
After viewing the library, walk south and you will soon see the distinctive building known as “Centennial Hall.” The building is clearly engraved with “1898–1998,” showing that it was also built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Peking University. Performances, films, exhibitions, and other events at Peking University are held here.
Peking University Cultural Creative Store
Continue walking forward and you’ll reach the New Sun Student Center. The Peking University Cultural Creative Store and Peking University Bookstore are hidden below it. There are clearly many more people browsing the cultural creative store than the bookstore. Everyone is carefully choosing creative souvenirs—fridge magnets, stationery, ornaments, T-shirts, backpacks, plush toys, stamps... everything is available!
Jiayuan Dining Hall
Peking University has many dining halls, but outside visitors are generally recommended to go to “Jiayuan Dining Hall (Zheng Geru Building), 4th Floor.” Based on my experience that day, the fourth floor had already been completely taken over by children from study tour groups, so I don’t really recommend the overall environment there.
The “Xiaobei Bakery” on the fourth floor is worth browsing. The small pastries with the Peking University emblem are quite tempting, though you’ll need to wait in line.
For experiencing Peking University food, I recommend finding someone on campus to help swipe their card at Jiayuan Dining Hall floors 1–3, Yannan Food Court, or Shaoyuan. The environment is especially good, and there are many specialty flavors. On a hot day, I highly recommend getting a plate of freshly cut watermelon—cheap and refreshing!
At the dining hall, I saw an automatic rice dispenser for the first time. Whether you choose 100 grams or 150 grams of rice, once the card is swiped, the set amount of rice automatically rolls into the bowl. It was so novel! The dining hall of a top university really is different. As someone from the suburbs, I truly learned something new again!
Yannan Garden Historic Building Complex
Yannan Garden, as the name suggests, is located in the southern part of Yanyuan. It was originally a residential area built specifically for senior professors when Yenching University was first completed. Entering from the south gate of Yannan Garden, Courtyard No. 63 was once home to Professor Ma Yinchu, the first president of Peking University after the founding of New China. Courtyard No. 57 was the former residence of Feng Youlan. Bing Xin and her husband also once lived here. These old houses hidden among overgrown grasses and lush branches feel like a secluded paradise, quietly telling stories of the past.
After exiting from the north gate of Yannan Garden, you arrive at the six courtyards of Jingyuan Garden, where you can see the statue of Li Dazhao and the statue of Cai Yuanpei, instantly bringing memories back to the era of awakening.
Then you reach Peking University’s most important scenic belt: Boya Tower and Weiming Lake, part of the famous “One Tower, One Lake, One Library.” During the Qing Dynasty, this area belonged to Shuchun Garden, an affiliated garden of the Old Summer Palace. Originally, there wasn’t much scenery here, so we should partly thank the notorious corrupt official Heshen, who transformed the place into a private garden after acquiring it, creating the landscape we see today.
Weiming Lake
“Weiming Lake” is the most requested place to visit at Peking University. It is said that the lake originally had no name, and later the master of Chinese studies Qian Mu named it “Weiming Lake.” When you visit Peking University, you must walk around the lake, sit under the old trees to cool off, and share some treats with the koi and ducks in the water. The little sparrows gathering on the shore know there is food here too and come over to join in. Even a squirrel appeared, putting on an impromptu pinecone-picking performance for lucky visitors like us.
In the center of the lake is a remnant stone fish with an upturned tail, a relic from Changchun Garden of the Old Summer Palace. It was originally a decoration in a fountain. After being damaged and moved several times, it was later purchased by Yenching University graduates and placed in Weiming Lake at their alma mater.
The stone boat in the distance in the image below is also called the “Unmoored Boat.” Doesn’t it look familiar? It was built by Heshen in imitation of the Marble Boat at the Summer Palace, though the upper part of the boat was later burned down.
Boya Tower
Reflected on the lake surface is another landmark of Peking University—Boya Tower. Here’s something worth explaining: Boya Tower is not an ancient historical pagoda. It was built in 1924 during the Republic of China period as an auxiliary structure for a well dug to solve the domestic water supply problem of Yenching University. Its exterior was modeled after the Randeng Buddha Relic Pagoda in Tongzhou from the Northern Zhou period and belongs to the multi-eaved pagoda style. Because it was funded by James W. Porter, the uncle of Yenching University philosophy professor Lucius Chapin Porter, it is also called “Boya Tower.” Today, it is no longer used as a water tower.
Continue forward and you will reach the Red Building No. 1 to No. 6 complex, as well as the Sackler Museum of Archaeology and Art, office buildings, the university history museum that can be visited, the huabiao columns (relics from the Old Summer Palace), and the surrounding architectural complex...
Peking University West Gate
Finally, you arrive at Peking University’s West Gate. The West Gate is a typical three-bay vermilion palace-style gate, very similar to the East Palace Gate of the Summer Palace. A pair of stone lions stands on both sides, making it an important symbol of Peking University. If you don’t take a photo at the West Gate, it doesn’t really count as having visited Peking University—haha! If you want a photo, please line up at the back of the queue!
Do you know who wrote the four characters “Peking University”?
(In December 1949, as Peking University was preparing to celebrate its 51st anniversary, it decided to write a letter in the name of all faculty and students to Mao Zedong, inviting him back to attend the anniversary celebration and asking him to inscribe the university emblem. Mao Zedong was on a foreign visit for nearly three months before receiving the news. Twelve days after returning to China, the Secretariat of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee sent Mao Zedong’s handwritten four powerful characters, “北京大学,” to the Peking University president’s office. Since the early 1950s, they have been used continuously to this day.)
(After Chairman Mao inscribed Peking University’s name in 1950, other schools were deeply envious and successively wrote requesting inscriptions. Chairman Mao then personally wrote inscriptions for “Tsinghua University,” “Beijing Normal University,” the Central Academy of Drama, Nankai University, Fudan University, Anhui University, and others.)
Peking University’s century-long history carries countless stories: Boya Tower once had lights, how the large stone boat was moved to Weiming Lake... the university’s name and campus location changed several times, all of which are worth learning about and discussing.
Once you exit through the West Gate, this visit is over, and you will not be able to re-enter campus. If you do not plan to exit from the West Gate, you can explain to the security guard that you only want to quickly take a photo and then come back in. If there aren’t many people, the security guard may allow it.
Dining on Campus
The main dining options open to outside visitors include the following four:
1. Jiayuan Dining Hall (4th Floor): Located in the east campus area, mainly offering Western-style fast food, milk tea, desserts, and cultural creative foods printed with the Peking University emblem. The space is bright, clean, and relaxed, suitable for a short rest or light meal.
2. Nongyuan Dining Hall (3rd Floor): Mainly serves authentic Chinese dishes with a wide variety of flavors.
3. Yiyuan Dining Hall (2nd Floor): Mainly features Hunan, Hubei, and Sichuan-style dishes, with rich flavors that pair well with rice and strong value for money. Private rooms are available.
4. Shaoyuan Restaurant (Chinese / Western): Near the West Gate, offering a mix of Chinese and Western dishes. It often receives visitors and academic exchange guests.
Nearby Combined Visits
Old Summer Palace: Adjacent to Peking University’s West Gate and reachable directly by Bus 332, where you can experience the history of the imperial gardens.
Further Reading: [Old Summer Palace Guide] Includes a 3-Hour Leg-Saving Route and Stamp Collection Guide
Tsinghua University: Take Metro Line 4 to “Yuanmingyuan Station” and transfer by bus. The two universities are about 2 km apart and can be arranged as a one-day combined visit.
