In Heishansi village in Miyun, Beijing, a group of old farmhouses has been remade into Zen courtyards serving fine vegetarian food. The place is called Fenglin Su.
The basics
In Heishansi village, Xiwengzhuang town, Miyun district, Beijing, beside the Miyun reservoir. There are six courtyards in all — Wanshanmei, Qixi, Hanmoxiang, Xixuan and Xinyu among them — of which Xinyu is the restaurant and the other five are accommodation, taking forty to fifty guests in total. That makes it well suited to company retreats.
The food
Fine vegetarian cooking, with an emphasis on eating with the seasons and returning to the original flavour. Unlike the common vegetarian cuisine that borrows meat names, shapes and tastes, this kitchen prefers ingredients to appear as themselves. The signature dish is “five-colour health noodles”, both the noodles and the sauce made from seasonal fruit and vegetables.
Rooms and setting
Timber buildings with white walls and grey tiles; the renovation kept as much of the original structure and local material as it could, rustic without being rough. One courtyard holds a dedicated meditation room.
Service
The side rooms can be used for yoga. Nearby are Dayunfeng Temple, Heilongtan, Yunmeng Mountain and Qingliang Valley, so a stay can be tied to a day out in the hills.
In one sentence: barely an hour’s drive from central Beijing, you can stay in a courtyard quiet enough to hear the wind.
Details here were compiled from public sources, and the photographs are TeaVegVoyage brand assets rather than shots of the property. Prices, opening status and booking methods change — please check the hotel’s latest information before you travel.