Beijing, one of the six ancient cities in China, has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing's ancient past and exciting modern development. Now it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with about 140 million Chinese tourists and 4.4 million international visitors in a year.
Beijing, Jing for short, is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of China. Lying 102km (70miles) west of Bo Hai Sea, it borders Hebei Province to the north, west, south, and for a small section in the east and Tianjin to the southeast. Beijing is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city. It is also the destination of many international flights arriving in China. Beijing is regarded as the political, educational, and cultural center of China.
| Beijing Great Wall |
As the saying goes, one who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a true hero. Without visiting the Great Wall, no trip to Beijing or the country is complete. The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties.
At the heart of Beijing is the Forbidden City, home to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the largest palace complex of the nation and the world. The Forbidden City also hosts the Palace Museum with imperial collections of Chinese art. The Forbidden City is, by any measure, a must-see site in Beijing.
Siheyuan (Courtyard houses) and hutong (alleys) only grow in charm as they decrease in size. Beijing courtyard houses are typical of houses of northern China, a full embodiment of the Chinese philosophy of "the unity of man and nature." Courtyards visitors can see today were mainly built from the Qing Dynasty to 1930s. Hutong is the most typical type of houses in Beijing. More than 7,000 alleys are scattered throughout the city, each has a story to tell. Those narrow lanes twist through older sections and form an open-air museum where you can happily wander aimlessly for hours. To experience the old Beijing, a Hutong tour is a must.
History of Beijing
Beijing is one of the four ancient cities of China (together with Xian, Luoyang, Nanjing), the best preserved, and famous around the world. Beijing is also known as a cradle of humanity. As early as 700,000 years ago, Peking Man lived in Zhoukoudian area of Beijing.
Beijing City was established over 3,000 years ago and was called Jin City in the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 771 BC). Ever since Emperor Qin united China in 221 BC, Beijing has played an important role in north China. It was the capital city in the Liao (916-1125), Jin (1115-1234), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. During these 800 years, 34 emperors lived and ruled here. The world renowned Forbidden City was built during this period. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, World War I broke out. Beijing became the focus of invaders. The war disrupted the society. Many residences of royal families were robbed and burned down. After that, the whole country was reduced to the status of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. It wasn't until October 1st, 1949 that the People's Republic of China was founded. Beijing is known as the capital city of the prosperous new country which has flared into importance in Asia.
Here is a snapshot of the major events in Beijing's history:
| Time | Used Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1045BC (Western Zhou) | Jin City | Pioneer city of China |
| 226BC (Qin Dynasty) | Jin City | Emperor Qin attacked Jin successfully |
| 581-618 (Sui Dynasty) | Zhuo Shire | Population over 130,000 |
| 618-907 (Tang Dynasty) | Youzhou | Military center and business center |
| 916-1125 (Liao Dynasty) | Nanjing | As accompanying capital (now in Xicheng District) |
| 1153 (Jin Dynasty) | Zhongdu | Occupied by a minority group in northeast China |
| 1215 (Yuan Dynasty) | Yanjing | Occupied by Mongolia leader Genghis khan |
| 1272 (Yuan Dynasty) | Dadu | As capital city of a united country for the first time |
| 1368 (Ming Dynasty) | Beiping | Ming Dynasty established |
| 1403 (Ming Dynasty) | Beijing | Emperor Yongle changed the name to Beijing |
| 1406 (Ming Dynasty) | Beijing | Began to built Forbidden City |
| 1421 (Ming Dynasty) | Beijing | Move to new site (now in Beijing City center) |
| 1564 (Ming Dynasty) | Beijing | Central part of Beijing city now has formed |
| 1644 (Qing Dynasty) | Beijing | Qing Dynasty established |
| 1860 (Qing Dynasty) | Beijing | Yuanmingyuan was burnt down by invaders |
| 1900 (Qing Dynasty) | Beijing | Eight-nation Allied Forces occupied Beijing |
| 1912 (Qing Dynasty) | Beijing | Last emperor Puyi was forced to abdicate the crown |
| 1937 | Beijing | War of Resistance against Japan broke out |
| 1945 | Beiping | Civil war between two fictions broke out |
| 1949 | Beijing | The People's Republic of China was founded |
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