Beijing is located on the west coast of the Pacific, stands at the northern tip of the North China Plain. Greater Beijing has an area of 16,800 square km, and a population of 14 million.
Beijing existed as a city more than 3,000 years ago. In 352 AD, Beijing became the capital city of the Kingdom of Yan, the first ever established by a Chinese national minority. From 938 to 1123, Beijing was the alternate capital of the Liao Dynasty and called “Yanjing”. From 1153 to 1214, it was the capital of the Jin Dynasty and called “Zhongdu”. From 1272 to 1368, it was the capital of the Yuan Dynasty and called “Dadu”. During both the Ming （1368-1644）and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Beijing was the capital and called “Jingshi”.Beijing has a rich history that’s mirrored in its spectacular palaces, temples and parks. Beijing was renamed Beiping in 1928, when the Republic of China moved its capital to Nanjing. With the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Beijing became its capital and entered a new epoch. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s shackled to the past. Quite the contrary, Beijing is a vibrant international capital that’s moving toward the future at hyper-speed.
Thanks to its roaring economy, skyscrapers crowd the skyline, cars jam the roads and residents flock to spend at a frenetic pace. Beijing is a city of contrasts, vast neon-lit avenues coexist with narrow hotongs (alleys) and futuristic structures of titanium and glass cast their shadow over ancient palaces. Wizened men with pet songbirds share the streets with laptop-toting executives and foreign investors with migrants from the countryside. Along with its people, historical sights and vibrancy, Beijing’s drawing cards include its mouthwatering cuisine, fabulous shopping and thriving nightlife. |
