Tourism guideline for Beijing city

If you want to have a tour in China, Beijing must be the place you have to visit, as the capital of China, also the world famous ancient city and young metropolis. Chinese call their capital Jing for short, and the name Peking, dating from a time before the standardization of the Chinese language, is still used in many languages around the world, we will intro more history and cultures in following content.

    Beijing has a long history, tied to the history of its name. Archeological findings show that Peking Man, dated 500,000 years ago, lived for a very long time in Zhoukoudian, a cave system in Beijing Municipality. From the warring states period (473 – 221 BC), Beijing was the capital of Yan State and was called Ji. In the Liao Dynasty (938) it was named Nanjing (Southern Capital). It was changed to Zhongdu (Central Capital) in 1153, when it became the capital of the Jin Dynasty. In 1283, Beijing became the capital city of the Yuan Dynasty and was called Dadu (Great Capital) by its Mongol rulers. In 1368 the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Mongols and called Beijing Beiping (Northern Peace). From 1421 it was known as Jingshi (Model Capital) and when the Qing Dynasty captured Beijing in 1644, it continued with that name. During the Republican Era the capital was called Beijing in 1911, then Nanjing became the capital of China briefly in 1928, and Beijing reverted to the name Beiping. When Mao began the Era of the People’s Republic in 1949, Beijing was set in its current position (with its current name) as national capital (shoudu).

China, with the loess plains of the Yellow River and Mongolia to the west, old Manchuria to the north, the Bohai Sea connected to the Pacific to the East, and the rest of China to the south. It is at approximately the same latitude as Philadelphia in the U.S. (though much drier) and Madrid in Spain (though much colder). See Beijing Weather for more details.

Beijing Municipality lies on the northwest of the North China (Huabei) Plain, around 150 kilometers northwest from the Bohai Sea and Tianjin’s port. Measuring over 16, 800 square kilometers, Beijing has a total population of approximately 17.5 million. It is China’s second largest city after Shanghai. To the north of the city are the Jundu Mountains, to the west the West (Xi) Mountains, and to the south and east of the municipality is the alluvial plain formed by the Yongding and Chaobai rivers. 39% of the municipality is flat, the city and surrounding plain, and the other 61%, to the west and north where the Great Wall winds along the ridges, is mountainous. The centre of Beijing is 44 meters above sea level. Beijing has a large variety of minerals and metals such as coal, iron and high-class construction materials like granite and white marble.

Beijing is populated by several ethnic groups, mainly Han, with some Hui, Manchu, and Mongol people. The city flowers of Beijing are the rose and, to a lesser extent, the chrysanthemum. The production of traditional craftworks has a long history and is famous for its exquisiteness. See Beijing Shopping. Beijing has four distinct seasons: the gentle and bright spring, the hot summer, the golden autumn and the snow-white winter. Each of these seasons has its own unique characteristics and beauty. 

Beijing is the centre of politics, science, education, culture and art, and one of the economic centers, of the Peoples’ Republic of China. As one of the largest ancient cities on this planet, Beijing is home to a large number of natural and manmade wonders, and cultural heritage, which not only belong to China, but also to the rest of the world. Functioning as a window for China to communicate with the outside world, Beijing is a dynamic city with a full range of industries, and a place where many cultures meet and blend.

Beijing’s entry into the high-tech age is evidenced by its own booming ‘Silicon Valley’ –Zhongguancun (Center Guard Village). Near this science park the internationally known universities, Beijing University and Qinghua (Pure China) University produce graduates who are very capable of competing with the best in the world.

After China adopted the reform and opening up policy in 1978 and especially after the ninth Five-year Plan, the Beijing Municipal Government introduced the new concept of “Capital Economy.”  This core idea of the concept was that Beijing’s economic growth should be based on its position as national capital, should serve the whole country, and should interact with the whole world. The restructuring of the traditional economy and industry has meant that the process of economic growth has been more adaptable to developments in the domestic and international setting. More importance has been attached to healthy, sustainable and harmonious economic development. Beijing is among the most dynamic regions in China and has the strongest economy in terms of GDP per capita.

Beijing is a combination of tradition and modern prosperity. The residue of imperial gardens, ancient temples & tombs of the royal family provide a cultural backdrop to modern Beijing. The capital city of a many feudal dynasties boasts grand imperial palaces, gardens, temples, altars, tombs, among other ancient forms of architecture, which still exhibit their ancient grandeur and glory. Sheer cliffs, twisting springs and brooks add a perhaps unexpected slice of nature to suburban Beijing. The crowded pedestrian streets in the city center and countless shopping malls scattered across the city supply and display commercial prosperity and vigor. The capital city of a many feudal dynasties boasts grand imperial palaces, gardens, temples, altars, tombs, among other ancient forms of architecture, which still exhibit their ancient grandeur and glory.

Beijing has abundant tourism resources, with more than 200 attractions open to visitors. Good examples are the Forbidden City, the largest royal palace in the world; the Temple of Heaven, where emperors expressed their devotion to Heaven for hundreds of years; Beihai Park; the Summer Palace, the verdant holiday resort of the imperial family; the Great Wall, the most magnificent defense project on the face of the globe; and the Mansion of Prince Gong, the largest Siheyuan (4-sided Chinese compound with houses around courtyard). Beijing has 7, 309 listed historical sites of varying importance, of which 42 are at the national level and 222 are at the municipal level. Beijing boasts 456 star-rated hotels with a total of about 84, 000 guest rooms. The many travel services in Beijing have more than 5,000 professional tour guides, who speak 21 languages and serve visitors from every corner of the world. In 2000, Beijing received 2.821 million tourists from abroad, with a total tourism revenue of 2.77 billion US dollars. Beijing is listed by the National Tourism Administration as one of the Superior Tourist Cities in China, but the numbers clearly show it is the number one tourist city in China.

The most typical ancient imperial architecture in Beijing is the Forbidden City, which was the home of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the largest scale architectural development of its kind on this planet. Its typical Chinese architectural style and tradition make it one of the bright pearls in the treasure house of Chinese cultural heritage.

The Summer Palace, on the other hand, boasts an elegance that was imported from southern China and a grandeur that is typically seen in architecture in northern China. The clear water and green hills of the Summer Palace make this great garden deserving of an international reputation.

The Temple of Heaven is the biggest ancient architectural development for sacrificial purposes in China. It was also nominated as a World Cultural Heritage Site. As the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped Heaven, the temple was designed with deep care and reverence, giving rise to its unique layout and beautiful environment.

The 13 Ming Tombs together make up the largest imperial tomb zone in China, where 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty are buried. Among the 13 tombs Ding Ling, or the Tomb of Ding, is the largest. 

The imposing Great Wall is the largest military defense project in human history. It is famous for its long history of construction and battles, and the hardship of building such a mighty barrier over such unrelenting topography. Nominated by the UNESCO as a world heritage site, the Great wall is often quoted as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Tiananmen Square in front of the Forbidden City is the largest city square in the world. One million people can gather and hold events there.

There are a number of important religious sites in Beijing. Some well known temples are: Green Cloud (Biyun) Temple, one of the Buddhist focal points in China; White Cloud Temple (Baiyunguan), a Taoist site, Peace and Harmony Temple (Yonghegong), of significance to followers of Tibetan Lamaism; and the Ox Street (Niujie) Mosque. There are two famous churches in Beijing. The most famous seems to be the Catholic church at Wangfujing, called St. Joseph’s Cathedral, or the East Church. Then there is Xishiku, also known as North Church, in Xuanwumen.

The suburbs of Beijing contain other famous scenic spots, known for their gorgeous natural features. Fragrant Mountain (Xiangshan) Park in the northwest, Purple Bamboo (Zizhu) Garden and the elegant Yuyuantan Park in the east are a few of the best known. A drive of 70 or 80 kilometers from the city center will allow one to reach the suburbs of Beijing and experience the natural environment. The sixteen districts and two counties have topography that provides opportunities for adventurous sports such as rock climbing and white water rafting.