Located near the North Tianjin Railroad Station, this park, with its classic landscaped gardens, was originally built by Yuan Shikai for Qing Empress Dowager Ci Xi to use as an imperial palace for short stays when she was away from the capital. Yuan was governor general of Zhili (today's Hebei Province) during the late Qing Dynasty.

One-third of the park is water. One of its main attractions is the Grand View Tower (Changguanlou), a building of unique style built on the water. There are also pavilions and corridors around the lake.