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Beijing

The capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing (formerly Peking) is now a very modern and exceedingly busy city. Situated on the northwestern tip of the North China, the city consists of 18 districts and counties. Nearly 14 million people call it home. Few cities on earth are changing as fast as Beijing. However, its high-speed physical makeover moves hand-in-hand with a firmly retained grip on China 's rich historical and cultural heritage.

As a celebrated international tourist center, Beijing is filled with spots of historical importance, from the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, to old mansions, religious shrines, and traditional hutong alleyways. Classical architecture is gracefully blended with modern structures. The old and new live alongside in peaceful harmony. More importance is placed on greenery and parks, trees, and flowers beautify the city. Whether you enjoy art, history, entertainment, or nightlife, Beijing is a must-see tourist destination.

Beijing's History

As a world-renowned ancient cultural city, Beijing is said to have been the home of the "Peking Man" about 500,000 years ago. Its history as a city dates from 1045 BC, over 3000 years ago. For a span of 1000 years, Beijing was the capital of China, to be specific, the provisional capital of the Liao Kingdom (916-1125) and the capital for Jin Kingdom (1115-1234), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. During these five periods, 34 emperors ever lived and ruled here.

Although it was often used as a capital by the constantly feuding warlords, the modern history of Beijing as a national capital began in the Yuan dynasty with Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghengis Khan. It is here that Marco Polo made his base as he served the Khan and explored the country 's vast wildernesses and resources. He spent over 20 years as a guest of the Khan before returning to Europe with his vivid descriptions of the great civilization in the east.

Most of what we see today in Beijing was built during the Ming dynasty. After seizing Beijing, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Zhu Yuanzhang, renamed the city Beiping (North Peace) and made his first capital in Nanjing (in present-day Jiangsu province). It wasn't until the reign of Emperor Yongle that the court moved back to Beijing. During Ming rule, the huge city walls were repaired and redesigned. Yongle is credited with being the true architect of the modern city, and much of Beijing's hallmark architecture, such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, date from his reign. The basic grid of present-day Beijing had been laid. It is a city built to inspire, to awe the populace with the power of the emperor. Built as a place to perform religious rites and ceremonies, it was viewed as an almost impregnable fortress. A change of government came with the manchus, who established the Qing dynasty in 1644 and began to build numerous suburban gardens including the well-known Summer Palace. After extensive reconstruction during the Ming and Qing, Beijing emerged as an architectural masterpiece fit to serve as the capital of the Chinese empire.

On January 31, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army formally entered Beijing, opening a new chapter in the long history of the city. It was in the Tian'anmen Square on October 1st, 1949, that Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China, and the city was again designated as the capital of China.

Beijing Transportation

Getting Around in Beijing

City Orientation

The city limits of Beijing stretches some 80km (50 miles), including the urban and suburban areas --in other words, it's huge! Though visitors may at first feel confused, Beijing is actually designed very orderly. Long, straight boulevards and avenues are crisscrossed by a network of lanes. Most of the major attractions are located on the broad avenues and very easy to locate; some, however, are buried deep in the hutong alleyways are are almost impossible to find without a guide.

When viewed from above, The Forbidden City is like a bull's-eye, surrounded by a network of roads, including five ring roads which cup the city centre in concentric circles. The First Ring Rd is a mapmaker's fiction and just part of the grid around the Forbidden City. However, the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth are multi-lane freeways. Roughly within the Second Ring Rd are the four central districts: Xicheng, Dongcheng, Chongwen and Xuanwu. Outside the Second Ring Rd are the so-called 'suburban' (now urbanized) districts of Chaoyang (east), Fengtai (southwest) and Haidian (northwest). Then there are the "villages". Beijing was once surrounded by many tiny villages, though over time these have in fact become neighborhoods within the metrapolis.

By Subway
It 's difficult to walk around Beijing given the large distances and broad streets. Oversized and overstuffed buses are the norm, and on the whole best avoided. The subway is definitely the best way of travelling quickly within Beijing.
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By Taxi
The taxis are cheap, safe and reliable. Carry a card with your hotels name in Chinese on it to show the driver on your way back. Rides start at 10 RMB, and even a long 45-minute cab ride across the city at night can cost as little as 100 RMB.
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By Bike
Like much of China, Beijing looks so much better once you're pedaling. A bike shortens those long dreary stretches, avoids the footpath throng, and helps you feel a lot more like a local.
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Beijing Maps