Beijing in Brief: A Quick Travel Guide to China’s Capital

Beijing in Brief

Beijing, the capital of People’s Republic of China, is a fascinating place for tourists home and abroad. As one of China's four ancient capitals, with its profound history of 3000 years, Beijing is the cultural, political, and historical center of China. It is widely considered to be one of the most magnificent cities in the world.

History goes that the ancestors of the modern Homo sapiens, the Peking man, lived in the caves in Beijing, which started at about 5000 years ago. It is recorded that they suffered many invasions which were led by warlords and foreign power. Fortunately, these caves sites are preserved and well-protected today. The devastating fires and the rise and fall of the imperial dynasties made Beijing a stronger and more vibrant city. The long history of Beijing as capitals in ancient China can be dated back to Yuan Dynasty. It was the first time for Beijing to be the capital of the whole China. Many splendid Imperial Architectures were built along with Beijing’s rich history, which makes it become a city with the most imperial palaces, gardens, temples, and mausoleums. Among these, the Forbidden City, which is also called the Beijing Palace Museum, is used to be the imperial palace for Ming and Qing Dynasty, where once lived 24 imperial emperors. With its gorgeous architecture, the Forbidden City perfectly embodies the classic Oriental style of ancient China. Other world famous architectures in ancient China can also be found here. The Great Wall stretches over the mountain ranges; Temple of Heaven stands in the south of the city; the Summer Palace shows its beauty as the summer resort for the former royal; the 13 Ming tombs dot among the Tianshou Mountain. Travelling here, have a taste of theses well-preserved crystallizations of ancient Chinese architectures, and you will have a good knowledge of Beijing’s history.

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In addition to the ancient architectures, there are also some attractive and interesting places for you to explore. The world’s largest public square in the city, the Tian’anmen Square, stands in the center of Beijing. And the Old Hutongs and quadrangle courtyards can be found dot among the city, where are the houses for the local residents. Walking into this area and you will have a great experience and deep understanding of the life of native Beijing people. Featured parks stand in different part of the city. Here we have theJingshan Park and the Beihai Park, which present special Beijing flavor to you. Another tourist attraction goes to the Beijing Zoo, where there are various kinds of animals, some of which can only be found in China, such as Panda.

Beijing is also the economic and educational center of China. With the most profound financial impact, the economy strength of Beijing ranks at the top of the whole country. It has rapid speed in the development of economy, science and technology. Apart from being a financial and commercial center in China, Beijing is also the center of Chinese education. Altogether, there are 88 higher education institutions in Beijing, among which there are the famous universities, such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, etc.

Covering over 168,000 square kilometers, Beijing has municipal 14 districts and 2 counties. It is surrounded by mountains in its west, north and northeast. And its southwest spreads the Beijing plain. With a population of about 22million people, it is the first city which gathers 56 nationalities. People here are hospitable and warm-hearted. Smiles on their faces extend welcome to the visitors. Recently the success for Beijing to hold the wonderful 29th Olympic Games has perfectly shown its amazing beauty and power. There is a sign that Beijing, with its open arms, is ready to receive our honorable guests to taste its magnificence.