Introduction
Capital of the Peoples Republic of China and a centre of politics, culture, and international relations, Beijing has forever attracted the attention of people from all parts of the world. Marco Polo was the first foreign explorer who visited China in the 13th century and wrote about this ancient civilisation and its achievements.

But Beijing is not only about its past, it is a living city and living with great enthusiasm. With its growing prosperity, the city attracts the world attention and tourists alike. It may prove to be very difficult for a foreign visitor to scratch the earth down below in the city, but whatever is there on the top is more than enough to satisfy ones desire for a perfect holiday.

What to do
Beijing offers a host of daily activities to indulge in. As in any other city, the first priority should be to visit a few important tourist sites. For those seeking thrill, ice-skating, flying kites, and biking are some of the other good options. Evenings can be spent in one of the many nightclubs, art galleries, and theatres that dot the city.

City at a Glance

Latitude 36°56'N Longitude 116°20'E Area 16,800 sq km Population 12,460,000 Language Mandarin Religion Confucianism, Buddhism Telephone Code 010

History
The origins of Beijing can be traced back to about 2000 years. By the 12th century AD, the city, then known as Zhongdu served as the capital of the territories ruled by the Zing dynasty. Zhongdu was burnt to ground in 1215 AD when Genghis Khan managed to breakthrough the Great Wall and other defences. The city was again rebuilt in 1271 AD when Kublai Khan, the first Mongol Emperor of China and founder of the Yuan Dynasty rebuilt the city and gave it the name of Khanbaliq or Dadu (Great Capital).

Chinese rebel forces took control of Khambaliq and overthrew Yuan dynasty in 1368 AD. This paved the way for a new dynasty of Mings. For some time, Beijing lost the status of a capital city but in 1421, Zhudi, the third Ming emperor, again moved back to Beijing. At this point, the city was named as Beijing from Beiping (previous name).

A peasant army led by Li Zicheng took over the reins of this city in 1644 which, marked the decline of the Ming Dynasty. However, Li Zicheng's days were numbered, his rule lasting for only 43 days due to the coming and gradual takeover of Beijing by the the Manchu army (Quing dynasty), which marked this event by rebuilding Chiengtianmen and renaming it as Tiananmen. The Qing era, in the history of China was a long one, lasting for 267 years. A gradual influx of western powers and their subsequent capture of Beijing, after the Opium Wars (1840 - 42 and 1858 - 60), destroyed the city. For the next hundred years Beijing became the stage of endless struggle amongst the foreigners, for its overall control and domination. The rise of Empress Dowager Chixi, Boxer Rebellion of 1900, occupation of the city by joint forces of France, Britain, America, and Japan, rise of Sun Yat - Sen in 1912, shifting of capital in 1928 to Nanjing and the establishment of the first communist rule in 1949 were some such events, which changed the course of China's history forever.

Weather and Best Season to Visit
Winters in Beijing are dry and cold with temperatures touching as low as minus twenty degrees. Summers (July and August), are reasonably hot, the day temperature hovering near the thirty degree mark. These seasons therefore should best be avoided. However, autumn (September and October) with its moderate weather conditions is quite pleasant in Beijing, making this the most ideal time to explore the city.

Attractions
Forbidden City
Forbidden city is the historic centre of Chinese capital. Now open to public as the Palace of Museums, it was residence of the Chinese emperors from 1420 to 1911.

Tiananmen Square
Lying in the centre of Beijing, Tiananmen Square is flanked by Forbidden City on the north and the majestic Qianmen Gate on the south. This is probably the largest public square in the world capable of holding around one million people. It has been a site of popular demonstrations including those of May Fourth Movement and the anti communist Student's Movement of 1989.

Great Wall
Constructed during the 7th and 8th century BC to ward off enemies from the North, it was extended by every dynasty that ruled China afterwards. The first to extend the wall were Qins, but the Mings did most of the extension work. They renovated the wall 18 times thereby increasing its length to a whopping 6,700 km, making it the longest wall in the world. The section that touches Beijing is 629 km long with 71 passes and 827 wall towers.

National Museum
A virtual museum of traditional Chinese gardens, Yi he Yuan or the Summer Palace is undoubtedly the best representative of garden architecture in China. Fo Xiang Ge or Pavilion of Incense Fragrance atop Longevity Hill is the main building here. Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt the palaces and pavilions in the garden after Anglo - French Allied force burnt them down. The Marble Boat, an addition made by her, is a grim reminder of this incident as the renovation was done with the money earmarked for navy.

Independent Monument
Located in the north - western suburbs of Beijing, Western Hills contains many gardens and palaces, which were summer retreats of the emperors of China starting from 11th century AD. These gardens cover a total of 1,000 hectares and regarded as the largest concentration of royal gardens in the world.

The Temple of Heaven
Tian Tan or The Temple of Heaven was the royal centre of worship in Beijing. The temple is situated at a distance of around two km southeast of Forbidden City. Most fascinating temple structure in Beijing, the temple is built on a central axis with a square wall representing earth at the southern end and a semi-circular wall representing the heaven at the north.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions
Hanoi is famous for a number of festivals that are celeberated here, thriughout the year. Some of these are: the festival of Dong Da hill celeberated on the 5th day of the 1st lunar month; Giong Festival, Hanoi, commemorating Saint Giong, a legendary child hero who defeated foreign invasion and saved the nation, celeberated on the 9th day of the 4th month; and the Festival of Dong Quan held annually on the 22nd day of the 11th lunar month.

PLACES NEARBY
Royal Tombs
These are 13 Ming tombs located at a distance of around 50 km northwest of Beijing. Tomb of Emperor Yongle and his queen, Chang Ling, is the largest of all the structures here and also a magnificent piece of architecture.

Other important places in the vicinity of Beijing that can be visited are Dongzhimen, Haihutun, Beijiao, and Majuan.

After Hours
Just few years' back, it was difficult to move around in the city after dark, but not today. With a large immigrant population and exposure of the youths to western way of living, many options have opened up to fulfil their demands. Now you have foreign-theme bars, exotic bars, nightlong discos, Peiking Opera, acrobatics shows, puppet shows as some of the many options to choose from.

SHOPPING
Wangfujing Market Street is the largest market in Beijing and caters to a wide variety of products. Most of the stores are state owned and chances of being cheated is least. Liulichang Culture Street is the place where you can look for art products, antiques, and rare books. Some of the products that you would certainly like to buy out of Beijing are embroideries, cloisonné, Jade Carving, and Chops (Seals).

WHERE TO STAY
There are hotels that suit every pocket and they provide good service. Most of the hotels have facilities such as air and rail bookings, local sightseeing, restaurants, and entertainment facilities. Some of the larger international hotel chains that have opened their branches in Beijing are Hilton, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Swissotel, Kempinski, and others.

WHERE TO EAT

Beijing is not just the political capital of china, its status as the food centre of the orient is known to one and all. Beijing Cuisine is a hot favourite among the tourists. It has originated out of the royal courts and makes liberal use of stronger flavoured roots and vegetables. The streets here are flooded with a number of eating joints and restaurants that serve some of the most delicious and mouthwatering Chinese cuisine. For those looking for something different, there are a number of upmarket restaurants most of which are attached to luxury hotels that serve authentic international cuisines. International food chains like McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and others have opened their outlets in good number to make you feel at home.

Travel Information
Air Travel Resources
The capital of China, Beijing is connected to many destinations around the world. Beijing International Airport and Domestic Airport is located at a distance of around 30 km northwest of the city. Domestic and international terminals are located in the same building. There are flights to almost all the important destination and capitals of the Chinese Provinces, apart from international destinations.

Land
Rail
Trains are the most popular way of transport in China. They are cheap, convenient, and reach almost every destination in the country. Beijing has got four main railway stations with every station catering to trains from a particular direction. Tickets can be purchased from your hotel or from Foreigner's Ticket Counters at Beijing Railway Station and the West Station.

Road
There is good road network from Beijing that connects it with other cities in the region and some of them in the far-flung areas. Long-distance buses connect Beijing mainly with its suburbs and nearby cities. Some of them also go as far as Shanghai. Dongzhimen, Haihutun, Beijiao, and Majuan are some of the major centres that are connected with Beijing by bus service.

Local Transport
Best and fastest way to move around in Beijing is through subways or 'Underground Dragons'. Buses are another option but, can be inconvenient at times. Metered taxis can be found anywhere, but you will have to make the driver understand where actually you want to go. Best option to move around is by using a bicycle. It is the most popular mode of transport in Beijing and you can see roads full of bicycles in the morning as the people rush through to reach their workplace. Traffic rules and Rights of Way may be different from what you have in your country so be careful.