The ideal of the "green Olympics" is perhaps nowhere better realized than in the design of the vast new Olympic Forest Park. The park, which has been under construction for three years, was opened to visitors for a sneak preview at the beginning of July. It will reopen to the public on August 8, the first day of the Olympic Games.

The park's unique landscape draws upon ancient principles of fengshui, as well as new environmentally friendly technology used for lighting and building materials.

An estimated 30,000 Beijing residents will visit the park during the preview period, from July 1 to July 5.

According to park management, the first public opening is intended to provide an opportunity for a comprehensive inspection of the park's facilities and services.

"Visitors can enjoy all the scenic spots," says Tang Tong, spokesperson for the Olympic Forest Park.

The location of the park was selected to conform with the "Axis Line Leading to Nature," the grid on which the ancient city of Beijing was planned.

The park, which is ten times the size of the famous Beihai Park, sits on a point at the northern end of that axis.

The park has two main sections, located on adjacent sides of the Fifth-ring road. The southern half features a spacious "ecological garden." The northern half includes 300 hectare of forest.

In accordance with traditional fengshui practice, the main scenery in the park includes a hill in the north, and a lake in the south. This landscape is believed to bring both security and good fortune.

The manmade hill, named Yangshan mountain, has been constructed from earth removed from the construction sites of other key Olympic landmarks, including the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium and the "Water Cube" National Aquatics Center.