Capital City of the People’s Republic of China: Beijing

Beijing, abbreviated as “Jing” and historically known as Yanjing or Beiping, is the capital city, a municipality, a national central city, and a megacity of the People’s Republic of China. It serves as China’s political, cultural, international exchange, and technological innovation center, as approved by the State Council. Beijing is renowned as one of China’s historical and cultural cities and is recognized globally as a leading international city. As of October 2023, Beijing comprises 16 districts, covering an area of 16,410.54 square kilometers, with a permanent population of approximately 21.86 million by the end of 2023.

Located in northern China on the northern edge of the North China Plain, Beijing borders Tianjin to the east and is otherwise surrounded by Hebei Province. The city center is situated at 116°20′ E longitude and 39°56′ N latitude, with its terrain higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. Beijing is encircled by mountains to the west, north, and northeast, while the southeastern part slopes gently towards the Bohai Sea. Major rivers flowing through Beijing include the Yongding River, Chaobai River, North Canal, and Juma River. The city experiences a warm temperate, semi-humid, semi-arid monsoon climate with hot, rainy summers and cold, dry winters, while spring and autumn are brief.

Beijing is home to the headquarters of the Communist Party of China, the Central People’s Government, and the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The city has hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, making it the world’s first “Dual Olympic City.” Additionally, Beijing is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and stands as a globally recognized ancient capital and modern international metropolis. It preserves and showcases a vast array of traditional Chinese cultural heritage, with numerous historical sites and cultural landmarks, making it the city with the most UNESCO World Heritage sites worldwide.

I. Historical Evolution of Beijing

Ancient Period:
In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed Duke Shao in Yan (whose capital was in Liulihe Town, Fangshan District). He enfeoffed a descendant of the Yellow Emperor in Ji (now southwest of Beijing). Later, Yan destroyed Ji and moved its capital to Ji. Collectively, they were called Yandu or Yanjing.
In the Qin Dynasty, Guangyang Prefecture, Ji County, etc. were established. In the Western Han Dynasty, Guangyang Prefecture had changes. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, some prefectures had adjustments. From the Wei State in the Three Kingdoms period to the Northern Zhou Dynasty, relevant prefectures and kingdoms had changes.
In the Sui Dynasty, Yuyang Prefecture was abolished, and Youzhou was renamed Zhuojun. In the Tang Dynasty, Zhuojun was renamed many times. After Liu Rengong established a local regime in the Five Dynasties, it was destroyed.
In the Liao Dynasty, Youzhou was promoted to Nanjing (Yanjing). In the Jin Dynasty, the capital was moved to Yanjing and renamed Zhongdu. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was renamed Daxing Prefecture under Zhongdu Road and later changed to Dadu Road, becoming the national transportation center and capital.

1914 old Beijing map.

Ming and Qing Dynasties:
In the first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, Beiping Prefecture was established. Later, Zhu Di changed Beiping to Beijing. After moving the capital, it was called the capital. Shuntian Prefecture led prefectures and counties. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Shuntian Prefecture governed the capital area. After the Qing soldiers entered the pass, Beijing was called the capital Shuntian Prefecture.
In the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, four circuit magistrates were set up. During the Qianlong period, the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture had changes. During the Guangxu period, the divisions of the inner and outer cities of Beijing were adjusted.

Modern and Contemporary Period:
In the first year of the Republic of China, after the Republic of China established its capital in Nanjing and then moved the capital to Beijing, it was called Shuntian Prefecture. Later, it was changed to the Capital Region. New tram systems and cultural and educational institutions were built. After the Northern Expedition, the capital was moved back to Nanjing, and Beijing was renamed Beiping Special Municipality and Beiping City. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Beiping was occupied by Japan and renamed Beijing. After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, it was renamed Beiping again.
In January 1949, Beijing was liberated peacefully. In September, Beiping was renamed Beijing. On October 1, the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China was established in Beijing.

The founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China (oil painting).

II. Administrative Divisions
Beijing has a total of 16 municipal districts under its jurisdiction, namely Dongcheng District, Xicheng District, Chaoyang District, Fengtai District, Shijingshan District, Haidian District, Shunyi District, Tongzhou District, Daxing District, Fangshan District, Mentougou District, Changping District, Pinggu District, Miyun District, Huairou District, and Yanqing District. The People’s Government of Beijing is located at No. 57, Yunhe East Street, Tongzhou District.

III.

Location and Territory

Topography and Geomorphology

Climate

IV. Transportation

Railway Lines:
Beijing is a crucial center of China’s railway network and has numerous important railway lines. Domestic lines include the Beijing-Kowloon Railway, Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, Beijing-Harbin Railway, Beijing-Baotou Railway, Beijing-Yuanping Railway, Beijing-Tongliao Railway, Beijing-Chengde Railway, as well as high-speed railways such as the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Harbin High-Speed Railway, and Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway. In terms of international railway transportation, there are trains to Russian cities via Manzhouli, to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, and Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, all departing from Beijing.

 

Major Stations:
Beijing has planned eight national railway passenger transportation hubs, seven of which have been put into use. Beijing Railway Station was built in 1959 and is an important hub for national railway passenger transportation. Beijing South Railway Station was completed in 2008 and is an important station on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. Beijing West Railway Station was put into use in 1996 and is a national passenger transportation hub. The current station building of Beijing North Railway Station was put into service in 2009 and is the starting point of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway. Beijing Fengtai Railway Station began operation on June 20, 2022 and is a national passenger transportation hub. Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station was put into use on January 22, 2021 and is a national passenger transportation hub. Qinghe Railway Station was put into use on December 30, 2019 and is a national passenger transportation hub. Beijing City Sub-center Station is expected to be completed in December 2024 and will become a passenger transportation hub in the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan area. Beijing East Railway Station was built in 1938 and is an important part of the Beijing railway hub. Beijing Daxing Railway Station was put into use on September 26, 2019 and is an important railway bridge between Beijing and Xiong’an New Area.

 

Aviation

 

Airports:
There are two large airports in Beijing. Beijing Capital International Airport is located in Shunyi District (administratively belonging to Chaoyang District). It is one of the largest airports in the world and also the main operating center of Air China. It is 20 kilometers away from the center of Beijing. The passenger throughput once ranked second in the world. There are expressways and subways connecting it with Beijing. Beijing Daxing International Airport is located at the junction of Daxing District and Guangyang District of Langfang City, Hebei Province. It was officially opened to traffic on September 25, 2019. In 2021, the passenger throughput reached 25,051,012 person-times, and the cargo and mail throughput was 185,942.7 tons. In addition, Beijing also has five other airports: Beijing Nanyuan Airport (closed), Beijing Liangxiang Airport, Beijing Xijiao Airport, Beijing Shahe Airport, and Beijing Badaling Airport.

 

City Transportation

 

City Roads:
The roads in the old city area of Beijing (within the Second Ring Road) are in a checkerboard pattern, straight and horizontal. There are Chang’an Avenue, Ping’an Avenue, Guang’an Avenue, etc. in the east-west direction; in the north-south direction, there is the central axis, which is divided into an east line and a west line. The east line passes through Fangzhuang, Hongqiao, etc., and the west line passes through Caishikou, Xuanwumen, etc. Due to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the central axis is divided into the north central axis and the south central axis. The north central axis reaches the National Olympic Sports Center, and the south central axis coincides with National Highway 104. At the end of 2023, the highway mileage reached 22,433.2 kilometers, an increase of 70.4 kilometers compared with the end of the previous year. Among them, the expressway mileage is 1,211.1 kilometers, an increase of 14.8 kilometers; the urban road mileage is 6,256 kilometers, an increase of 47 kilometers compared with the end of the previous year.

 

Public Transportation:

 

• Buses and Trolleybuses: At the end of 2023, there were 1,285 operating routes, a decrease of 6 compared with the end of the previous year; the operating route length was 29,738.5 kilometers, a decrease of 435.4 kilometers; there were 23,385 operating vehicles, a decrease of 80; the total annual passenger volume was 2.09 billion person-times, an increase of 20.9%.
• Rail Transit: At the end of the year, there were 27 operating lines, the same as at the end of the previous year; the operating line length was 836 kilometers, an increase of 38.7 kilometers; there were 7,512 operating vehicles, an increase of 238; the total annual passenger volume was 3.45 billion person-times, an increase of 52.6%.

 

Taxis:
In 2013, taxis transported an average of 1.9 million person-times per day, accounting for 6.6% of the total travel volume, and the mileage utilization rate was about 68%. Since June 10, 2013, the price standard has been adjusted. It is 13 yuan within 3 kilometers, the basic unit price is 2.3 yuan per kilometer, the fuel surcharge is 1 yuan per trip. For slow driving and waiting fees, there are different additional standards during morning and evening peak hours and other periods. The reservation car service fee is 6 yuan for reservations more than 4 hours in advance and 5 yuan for reservations within 4 hours. For one-way passenger trips exceeding 15 kilometers, an empty driving fee is charged, and the basic unit price is increased by 50%.

 

Car Licenses:
Jing A (before 1996); Jing B (taxis); Jing C (1996); Jing E (1997); Jing F (2002); Jing G (vehicles with suburban household registration); Jing H (2003); Jing J (2005); Jing K (2006); Jing L (2007); Jing M (2008); Jing N (2008); Jing O (public security); Jing P (2008); Jing Y (vehicles with suburban household registration); Jing V (directly under the central government troops); Jing Q (2012).

IV. Topography and Geomorphology: The terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. Surrounded by mountains on three sides in the west, north, and northeast, and in the southeast is a plain that gently slopes towards the Bohai Sea.

 

Climate Characteristics: Beijing has a warm-temperate semi-humid and semi-arid monsoon climate. It is hot and rainy in summer, cold and dry in winter, and spring and autumn are short.

 

V. Natural Resources

Miyun Reservoir

Water Resources: The average annual recharge of groundwater in Beijing is about 2.921 billion cubic meters, and the average annual exploitable amount is about 2.4 – 2.5 billion cubic meters. The average annual total amount of one-time natural water resources is 5.521 billion cubic meters. There are 85 reservoirs in Beijing, among which the large reservoirs are Miyun Reservoir, Guanting Reservoir, Huairou Reservoir, and Haizi Reservoir.

Beijing’s Mineral Resources: A total of 67 mineral species have been discovered in Beijing, with 476 mineral deposit and occurrence sites. There are 44 mineral species included in the national reserves table, including 2 energy minerals; 4 ferrous metal minerals, 11 non-ferrous metal, precious metal and dispersed element minerals; 7 metallurgical auxiliary raw material non-metal minerals; 5 chemical raw material non-metal minerals; and 15 building materials and other non-metal minerals.

Olympic Park
Plant Resources: The forest coverage rate in Beijing reaches 44.8%, the forest stock volume reaches 31.64 million cubic meters, the urban green coverage rate reaches 49.3%, the per capita park green space area is 16.63 square meters, the forest resource asset value reaches 907 billion yuan, and the annual carbon sequestration capacity of the forest and green land ecosystem is 8.8 million tons.

VI. Specialty Cuisine

Beijing Roast Duck

Beijing Roast Duck: One of Beijing’s specialty cuisines, it is characterized by the hanging oven roast duck and closed oven roast duck represented by Quanjude. The roast duck is made from Beijing ducks and is roasted through multiple processes. The finished product is golden yellow and shiny, dry, loose, crisp and tender. When eating, spread sweet bean paste on the baked mint pancakes, add sliced scallions from Beijing, lay duck slices on top, and roll it up into a tube for consumption.

Fried Liver

Fried Liver: One of Beijing’s traditional snacks, it uses pig intestines as the main ingredient and is seasoned with soy sauce, yellow bean paste, raw and cooked mashed garlic, and pig bone soup. The fried liver has a dark color, a strong taste, and a sticky texture.

Old Beijing Noodles with Soy Bean Paste

Noodles with Soy Bean Paste: The soy bean paste is made by stir-frying diced meat, scallions, ginger, etc. and then adding yellow bean paste or sweet bean paste. It is then accompanied by vegetables such as cucumbers, Chinese toon, bean sprouts, green beans, and soybeans. The essence of noodles with soy bean paste lies in the soy bean paste. The selected yellow bean paste should be delicious, the heat should be even, and the ratio should be appropriate.

Boiled Offal

Boiled Offal: One of Beijing’s specialty cuisines. It is a pure Beijing thing. Originally, it was Suzao Meat from the palace. Later, it gradually developed into a snack with pig’s head meat and offal as the main ingredients. Boiled offal with fire is very popular because it can provide the delicacy and rich taste of meat, and the production process is relatively simple.

Lvdagunr (Glutinous Rice Rolls Stuffed with Red Bean Paste)
Lvdagunr: One of Beijing’s specialty cuisines. It is a sweet and glutinous dessert made of yellow glutinous rice. The production process is complex and it has multiple flavors such as red bean paste, purple sweet potato paste, and peanut brown sugar. It has a soft exterior, a sweet filling, a fragrance of osmanthus, and a sticky texture.

Quick-Fried Tripe

Quick-Fried Tripe: A specialty cuisine in Beijing. It is operated by ethnic Hui compatriots. It is divided into three types: water-fried, coriander-fried, and oil-fried. Water-fried is blanching sheep tripe in clear water. Coriander-fried is blanching with coriander and parsley. Oil-fried is frying and then adding starch. The characteristic of quick-fried tripe lies in its texture. It is chewy, has a light taste, and is very appetizing.

Douzhi (Fermented Bean Drink)

Douzhi: It is made from mung beans. The name and appearance of Douzhi are somewhat similar to soy milk. It is a common drink at breakfast stalls. Douzhi has a sweet and sour taste and a delicate texture. Many people find it hard to swallow when they taste it for the first time. After a series of production processes, Douzhi has a more complex taste. Douzhi can be tasted in the hutong areas of Beijing.

Dalianhuo (Folded Pancake Stuffed with Minced Meat)

Dalianhuo (Folded Pancake Stuffed with Minced Meat)
Dalianhuo: A traditional famous snack in old Beijing. It is named after the Dalian (a kind of satchel) on the waist belt because it looks like it after being prepared. When making it, put minced meat in a noodle sheet, fold two sides, and leave the other two sides unsealed. Then squeeze it into a flat pan and fry it until golden brown. Then it can be eaten while hot.

Candied Haws on a Stick

Candied Haws on a Stick: String hawthorns with bamboo sticks and dip them in maltose syrup. The syrup hardens quickly when exposed to the wind. It tastes sour and sweet. Hawthorns have many medicinal effects, such as helping digestion, dissipating blood stasis, expelling parasites, and stopping dysentery.

VII. Tourist Attractions

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square: Located in the center of Beijing, it is 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west, with an area of 440,000 square meters and can accommodate 1 million people to hold grand gatherings. Along the central axis of Beijing from north to south in the square stand the national flagpole, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and Zhengyangmen Gate Tower. The ground of the square is all paved with light-colored granite slabs processed by special technology. In the center stands the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the solemn Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. On both sides of Tiananmen are the Working People’s Cultural Palace and Zhongshan Park. They are integrated with Tiananmen to form Tiananmen Square.

The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City: The imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, formerly known as the Forbidden City. It is located in the center of the central axis of Beijing. The Forbidden City is centered on the three main halls. It covers an area of about 720,000 square meters and has a building area of about 150,000 square meters. There are more than seventy palaces of various sizes. The buildings in the Forbidden City are divided into two parts: the outer court and the inner court. The center of the outer court is Taihe Hall, Zhonghe Hall, and Baohe Hall, collectively known as the three main halls, which are places where major ceremonies are held in the country. The Forbidden City is one of the largest and most completely preserved ancient wooden structure architectural complexes in the world.

Marco Polo Bridge

Marco Polo Bridge: Also known as Lugou Bridge, it is located on the Yongding River in Fengtai District, Beijing. It is named after spanning the Lugou River (i.e., the Yongding River). The Marco Polo Bridge is 266.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide. The bridge decks on both sides of the bridge are trumpet-shaped. On July 7, 1937, Japan launched an all-round war of aggression against China here. This is known as the “Marco Polo Bridge Incident” (also known as the “July 7th Incident”). The Chinese anti-Japanese army fired the first shot of the all-round war of resistance at the Marco Polo Bridge.

The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven: Originally known as the “Temple of Heaven and Earth”, it is located on the east side of Yongdingmen Avenue in Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is a place for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to heaven, pray for grain, and pray for rain. It is the largest existing ancient sacrificial architectural complex in China. The Temple of Heaven is surrounded by two layers of altar walls and is divided into inner and outer altars. Its main ancient buildings are concentrated in the inner altar. In the middle of the inner altar, there is an east-west partition wall that divides the inner altar into two parts, north and south. There are doors in the partition wall for communication. The inner altar is composed of three groups of ancient architectural complexes: the Circular Mound Altar, the Prayer for Good Harvests Altar, and the Abstinence Palace.

Shichahai

Shichahai: Located in Xicheng District, the central urban area, adjacent to the central axis of Beijing. The water area is 336,000 square meters. It is connected with the waters of Zhongnanhai. It is an open scenic area with an open water surface in the inner city of Beijing. It is also the historical block with the largest area and the most completely preserved style in Beijing. Shichahai includes three waters and adjacent areas: Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai (also known as Jishuitan). It echoes with the “first three seas” and is commonly known as the “last three seas”.

The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace: A royal garden in the Qing Dynasty of China. Its predecessor is the Garden of Clear Ripples. It is located in the western suburbs of Beijing, 15 kilometers away from the urban area. The whole garden covers an area of 3.009 square kilometers, and about three-quarters of it is water surface. It is adjacent to the Old Summer Palace. It is based on Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. Taking Hangzhou’s West Lake as the blueprint and absorbing the design techniques of Jiangnan gardens, it is a large-scale landscape garden. It is also the most completely preserved royal palace garden and is known as the “Museum of Royal Gardens”.

The Ming Tombs

The Ming Tombs: Located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in the northern part of Changping District, Beijing, it is the burial place of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Tombs began to be built in 1409 in the seventh year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. Until the early years of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty, it lasted for more than 230 years. In turn, there are Changling of Emperor Chengzu, Xianling of Emperor Renzong, Jingling of Emperor Xuanzong, Yuling of Emperor Yingzong, Maoling of Emperor Xianzong, Tailing of Emperor Xiaozong, Kangling of Emperor Wuzong, Yongling of Emperor Shizong, Zhaoling of Emperor Muzong, Dingling of Emperor Shenzong, Qingling of Emperor Guangzong, Deling of Emperor Xizong, and Siling of Emperor Yizong. In the cemetery area, there are 13 emperors, 23 empresses, 1 imperial concubine, and dozens of buried concubines. In addition to the imperial tombs, there are seven concubine cemeteries of the Ming Dynasty, one eunuch tomb, and several affiliated buildings such as the Shenggongjian and Cijisheng, forming a complete, large-scale and magnificent cemetery architectural complex and becoming the largest number of emperors buried in the world. The most complete imperial tombs.

Badaling Great Wall

Badaling Great Wall: Located at the northern entrance of the Guankou Ancient Road on the Jundu Mountains in Yanqing District, Beijing. It is an important part of the great defensive project, the Great Wall of China in ancient times, and a pass of the Ming Great Wall. The Badaling Great Wall is an important outpost of Juyongguan. In ancient times, it was said that “the danger of Juyong is not at the pass but at Badaling”.

Beihai Park

Beihai Park: Located at No. 1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng District, Beijing. It is adjacent to Jingshan Park in the east, borders Zhongnanhai in the south, and connects Shichahai in the north. The whole park covers an area of 682,000 square meters (of which the water area is 389,000 square meters and the land area is 293,000 square meters). It was opened as a park in 1925. The whole park of Beihai Park is centered on Beihai Lake. In the Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, palaces were built here. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was opened as an imperial garden. It belongs to the ancient royal garden of China.

The Ruins of the Old Summer Palace

The Ruins of the Old Summer Palace: Located at No. 28, Tsinghua West Road, Haidian District, Beijing. It is the ruins of the large-scale royal garden of the Qing Dynasty in China. It covers an area of more than 350 hectares, of which the water surface area is about 140 hectares. It was once known as the “Garden of Gardens”. It gathers the essence of Chinese traditional architectural art and integrates Western architectural techniques. It occupies an important position in the history of world garden art. In 1860, the British and French invaders set fire to the Old Summer Palace. The Old Summer Palace and nearby the Garden of Clear Ripples, the Jingming Garden, the Jingyi Garden, the Changchun Garden, and Haidian Town were all burned. In 1900, the 26th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded Beijing, and the buildings and ancient and famous trees in the Old Summer Palace were completely destroyed.

China Fangshan Global Geopark

China Fangshan Global Geopark: Located at the junction of southwest Beijing and Hebei Province. It spans Fangshan District in Beijing and Laishui County and Laoyuan County in Baoding City, Hebei Province. The total area of the park is 1045 square kilometers. It is divided into eight major parks, namely, the popular science area of Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site, the sightseeing area of Shihua Cave karst cave group, the comprehensive tourism area of Shidu karst canyon, the religious and cultural sightseeing area of Shangfang Mountain – Yunju Temple, the sightseeing experience area of Shengli Mountain, the Baihuashan – Baicaopan ecological tourism area, the Yesanpo comprehensive tourism area, and the Baishishan Juma River source peak cluster waterfall tourism area.

China Yanqing Global Geopark

China Yanqing Global Geopark: The geological park covers an area of 620.38 square kilometers and is divided into “one park and four areas”, consisting of the Longqing Gorge Park and Guyaju Park in the west, the Qianjiadian Park in the east, and the Badaling Park in the south.

Beijing Baihuashan National Nature Reserve

Beijing Baihuashan National Nature Reserve: Located in the west of Beijing, within Qingshui Town, Mentougou District, Beijing. It covers a total area of 21,743.1 hectares. The reserve was established in 1985 and was upgraded to a national nature reserve in 2008. The reserve belongs to the forest ecosystem protection type.

Beijing Shihuadong National Geopark

Beijing Shihuadong National Geopark: Located in the central and northern part of Fangshan District, Beijing. It is composed of the Shihuadong scenic area and the Yinhudong scenic area. The planned total area is 33.5 square kilometers. There are 15 geological relic landscapes in 2 categories of landform landscapes and geological structures. It is in a temperate continental monsoon climate zone. There are 324 species of vascular plants belonging to 82 families and 213 genera, and 57 species of animals.

Miaofengshan Scenic Area

Miaofengshan Scenic Area: Located in Mentougou District, western Beijing. It is 55 kilometers away from the urban area and has a total area of about 20 square kilometers. The scenic area is famous for “ancient temples”, “strange pines”, “strange rocks” and “exotic flowers”. It belongs to the remaining vein of the Taihang Mountains. The main peak is 1291 meters above sea level. The mountain is steep. There are seasonal landscapes such as sunrise, sunset glow, rime, and mountain city, as well as thousands of mu of roses. There is also the largest traditional pilgrimage temple fair in North China.

National Centre for the Performing Arts

National Centre for the Performing Arts: Located in the west of Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, on the west side of the Great Hall of the People. It is composed of the main building and the underwater promenades on both sides of the north and south, underground parking lots, artificial lakes, and green spaces. The National Centre for the Performing Arts was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. The appearance of the National Centre for the Performing Arts is in a semi-ellipsoid shape. It is equipped with opera houses, concert halls, drama theaters, art exhibition halls, restaurants, audio-visual stores and other supporting facilities.

The Bird’s Nest: Located in the southern part of the central area of the Beijing Olympic Park. It is the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It covers an area of 204,000 square meters and has a building area of 258,000 square meters. It can accommodate 91,000 spectators. It held the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics, track and field competitions and football finals.

National Aquatics Center

National Aquatics Center: Also known as “Water Cube” and “Ice Cube”. It is located in the Beijing Olympic Park in Chaoyang District, Beijing. It was started on December 24, 2003 and officially completed in January 2008. On November 27, 2020, the renovation project of the curling venue of the National Aquatics Center for the Winter Olympics passed the completion inspection.

Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing Street: Located in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. The street is 1,818 meters long and is divided into four sections from south to north. The section from East Chang’an Street to Dongdan Santiao is 280 meters long; the section from Dongdan Santiao to Jinyu Hutong is 548 meters long; the section from Jinyu Hutong to Dengshikou Street is 344 meters long; the section from Dengshikou Street to Wusi Dajie is 646 meters long. It is a commercial street with a centuries-old history and enjoys the reputation of “Golden Street” in Beijing.

 

Sanlitun Bar Street: Abbreviated as Sanlitun. It is a bar street located on the east side of Sanlitun North Road in Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, east of the Workers’ Stadium. It is famous for its numerous bars and unique features. Because it is in the embassy area, it attracts many foreigners to come here to relax.

Beijing

Beijing: Beijing is a city full of history, culture and modernity. It has rich and diverse tourism resources and unique charm. Whether you are interested in historical sites or pursue a modern urban experience, Beijing can meet your needs. When you come to Beijing, you will appreciate the treasures of Chinese civilization and experience the unique charm of this city. Whether exploring the ancient imperial city, visiting magnificent scenic spots, tasting delicious food or feeling the modern urban life, Beijing will leave you unforgettable memories.