Flight to China

The Great Wall

The well-preserved sections of The Great Wall in Beijing are China’s most famous tourist site. These sections are mainly the remains from the Ming Dynasty, an era of tremendous construction. The wall runs across the northern part of Beijing for over six hundred kilometers with various passes and towers. The mainly sections include Badaling, Simatai, Jinshanling, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Huanghuacheng and Jiankou.

You really have to see this fantastic, amazing and breath-taking scenery once in your life. But remember to ask yourself what kind of scenery you want to see before you pack, because the scenery varies depending on which section you visit.

Badaling is the section where most tourists go. The wall is famous for its completeness, imposing structures and the famous Juyonguan Pass. Most pictures publicized on guide books, brochures and magazines are taken in this section. But you may find yourself being pushed forward by crowds on top of wall in holidays or peak seasons. The Mutianyu section in Huairou County, seventy kilometers northeast of Beijing is a good alternative.

Not yet resorted to the level of Badaling and Mutianyu, the wall in Jinshanling, Simatai and Gubeikou is a bit smaller and narrower than that in Badaling. Upon hiking on these sections, you can find much more of the genuine bricks, and fortifications left behind from ancient times. Here you can get a real glimpse at the ancient history of China. Group tours arranged by travel agencies often have Badaling, Mutainyu, Simatai and sometimes Jinshanling on their itinerary.

In recent years, The Great Wall in Huanghuacheng and Jiankou (Arrow Nock), about twenty-nine kilometers northwest of Huairou city has become an ideal choice for hiking lovers and adventurers. The section has steep precipices on either side, a reservoir and charming wide flowers. It is a section of The Great Wall off the beaten track. Be sure to pack necessary clothes, sports foot wares, drinking water and a flash light. This section is for adventurers.

No matter which section you visit, this magnificent engineering achievement tells you the history of China.

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Beijing Overview

As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the nation’s political, economic, cultural and educational center as well as being the most important center in China for international trade and communications. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history. By the time of the Warring States Period (476 BC-221 BC), it was serving as the capital of the Yan Kingdom. Because of its role in the life and growth of China, there is an unequalled wealth available for travelers to discover as you explore Beijing’s ancient past and enjoy its exciting 21st Century world. In 2008 when Beijing hosts the Olympic Games, Beijing will show the world something so special that everyone will be awestruck by Beijing’s latest accomplishments combined with its ancient history.

What to See

The magnificent Forbidden City is the world’s largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex. Surrounded by a moat that is six meters deep and a ten-meter high wall are 9,999 rooms - just one room short of the number that ancient Chinese believed represented divine perfection. Once having entered the Forbidden City, visitors are transported to a spacious world of great luxury that had a culture of its own. For five centuries, this palace functioned as the administrative center of the country as well as being the pleasure home of the emperors and empresses who were served by thousands of people. Walking along the corridors and through various rooms it becomes easy to understand the impact of the rulers who lived here and their isolation from the rest of Chinese life. Regardless of how much history you have read, or movies featuring the Forbidden City you have seen, the place itself is not to be missed by any Beijing visitor. (Self-guided audio tour tapes are available in several languages at the entrance.)

For a peaceful and interesting stroll, visit one of Beijing’s many beautiful parks, such as Beihai Park, which was probably built by the Great Khan centuries earlier than the Forbidden City. This park was enjoyed by the various rulers of China for hundreds of years and features pavilions, architecturally interesting walkways, the 27-meter-long (about 88 feet) Nine Dragon Screen (built to scare off evil spirits), a jar that is the last remnant of the Khan’s court that had been there, the Five Dragon Pavilion dating from the mid 1600’s, and a large lake with an island in the middle. Another park that is a definite ‘must see’ is the Summer Palace, a famous classic imperial garden with breathtaking beauty. Bold and generously designed, the northern gardens skillfully blend into the exquisite delicacy of the southern gardens. The Summer Palace holds a special place in the history of Chinese gardens. These are only two of the many majestic gardens in Beijing. Sometimes, you can find exceptional gardens within or surrounding Beijing’s many ancient temples.

Beijing has many beautiful temples that at one time served as the focus for religious life. Temple of Heaven is the largest group of structures in the country dedicated to rituals that pay homage to heaven. This temple was built specifically for the worship of heaven and prayers for good harvests during the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are two amazing acoustical spots here. On the top of the tri-leveled round altar (originally built in the 1500’s) there is a spot where your words reverberate around you. You can easily imagine the power that temporal rulers felt as their prayers for abundance echoed as if they issued down from the heavens. The other is at the Echo Wall that partially encloses a circular courtyard that is 65 meters (213 feet) in diameter. Words whispered at one end travel along the wall and can be heard clearly by someone listening at the other end. The entire temple complex is a treasure of ancient Chinese architectural design and art. Symbolic shape combinations (the temples are round on square bases signifying heaven and earth) and various mystical numbers are the basis for much of the design work. The temple structures themselves are stunning works of art. All of this and more is set in the midst of a beautiful park.

There are many other fascinating temples in Beijing, among which are: the Yunju Temple, which houses the most stone inscriptions of Buddhist scriptures in the world, the White Cloud Taoist Temple, which is one of the oldest and still the most active of Taoist temples in Beijing, and the Temple of Confucius. Visiting these temples can help elucidate three primary philosophies that formed the basis for early Chinese life and culture. For example, much of traditional Chinese medicine’s principles and theories were derived from the work of Taoist doctors and masters.

The largest city central square in the world, the solemn and respectful Tiananmen Square is not only the symbol of Beijing but also the symbol of China. This immense courtyard is the site of many historic events. The square is surrounded by a variety of significant edifices: Chinese Revolution History Museum, Mao Mausoleum, Great Hall of the People, the elegant and beautiful Tiananmen (Heavenly Peace Gate), and Qianmen (Front Gate). The daily flag ceremony at the square, performed at sunrise and sunset each day, is most exceptional and well-worth making time to view.

The Great Wall is one of the eight wonders of the world and is the only man-made structure that is visible from the moon. This immense wall was built to keep out invaders as well as to retain the inhabitants. It spans five provinces (6,700 kilometers, or 2,587 miles) from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west. Like a gigantic dragon, it winds up and down across deserts, grasslands and mountains. Just outside Beijing, it is possible to climb a section of The Great Wall and enjoy a splendid panoramic view that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Other famous Beijing attractions include the Ming Tombs, the burial site of 13 ancient emperors, the Drum Tower built in the 1400’s, Tiantan Park with its excellent Ming architectures, Fragrant Hills Park, the Ancient Observatory that dates back to the days of Kublai Khan, the Silk Market, Botanical Gardens, the Indian-designed Temple of Azure Clouds and many, many more wondrous places. Any reader of the classic The Dream of Red Mansions will want to visit Prince Gong’s Mansion of the 18th Century, which is purported to be the model for mansion in the novel.

History

How can one city boast so many phenomenal places? Beijing’s long and illustrious history starts approximately 500,000 years ago. It is here that the ancestors of modern Homo sapiens, Peking men, lived in caves. Records show that Beijing has been an inhabited city for more than three thousand years and has lived through invasions, devastating fires, dynasties, warlords, Anglo-French troops and has emerged each time as a strong and vibrant city. For more than 800 years, Beijing was a capital city - from the Yuan Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled in Beijing and it has been an important trading city from earliest days. Although now Beijing is modern, fashionable and full of 21st Century vitality, you can experience authentic Beijing life and become acquainted with ‘old Beijing’ by exploring many tea houses, temple fares, Beijing’s Hutong and Courtyard and enjoy the Peking Opera. Adding these to your Beijing tour, you will leave feeling in your heart a special appreciation for this ancient city that has truly seen it all and tells its story with matchless grace and beauty.

When to Go

Beijing is close to Tianjin Municipality and is partially surrounded by Hebei Province. Beijing covers a total area of more than 16,800 square kilometers (6,487 square miles) and has a population of 13.82 million people. Beijing’s climate is a semi-humid, continental climate with an average temperature of 12oC. Its rainy season, which brings most of its nearly 600 millimeters of rain, starts in July and ends in August. Beijing summers are very hot and rainy while winters in Beijing are dry, cold, and snowy. The short spring season is temperate and autumn is clear and clean. Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly during the months of May, September, and October when people can enjoy bright sunlight and blue skies.

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Welcome to Beijing

In 2008, when you are at the grand occasion of the Olympic Games with the theme slogan of “One World, One Dream”, you will also find yourselves experiencing the oriental ancient civilization of Beijing.

Beijing was the capital city of the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties of China. The largest palace of the world, the Forbidden City, is located on the central axis of Beijing city. Together with the Summer Palace - a royal park, The Great Wall, Beijing Royal Quadrangle Courtyard etc, Beijing has 7300 cultural relics and historical sites, as well as more than 200 scenic spots.

Beijing, the Capital City, is the political, cultural and diplomatic centre of China. It has become a modern international cosmopolitan city with more than 11 million people. The Capital International Airport, 23.5 km from the city centre, is China’s largest and most advanced airport. There are close to 40 five-star hotels in Beijing and the international direct distance dialing can reach 240 countries and regions.

August and September are the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in Beijing, with the highest temperature around 30°C and the lowest temperature around 18°C. This is the best season of the year in Beijing when the sky is blue and clear. The city feels especially spacious and airy when the distant lofty Yanshan Ridge could be seen from the height of the Forbidden City. Beijing can be said to have the charm of antiquity as well as the spirit of modernity indeed.

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Beijing’s History

Some half a million years ago, Peking man lived in Zhoukoudian, in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing. The climate of that time was warmer and more humid than it is today. Forests and lakes in the area supported large numbers of living creatures. The fossil remains of Peking man, his stone tools and evidence of use of fire, as well as later tools of 18,000 years ago, bone needles and article of adornment from the age of Upper Cave Man are the earliest cultural relics on record in China today.

Some four to five thousand years ago, settlements to the southwest of Beijing were thriving on basic agriculture and animal husbandry. Story has it that the legendary Yellow Emperor (Huang Di) battled against the tribal leader Chiyou in the “wilderness of the prefecture of Zhuo.”Zhuolu, a town west of present-day Beijing, is perhaps the site of the first metropolis in the area. Yellow Emperor’s successor, Emperor Yao, was said to have established a legendary capital Youdu (City of Quietude) that was where the city of Ji was actually built.

During the Warring States Period (475 221BC), the Marquis of Yan annexed the territory of the Marquis of Ji, making the city of Ji his new capital. The approximate location was north of Guang’ anmen Gate in present day Beijing near the White Cloud Temple (Baiyunguan).

Early in the third century BC, the first Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang) set about conquering six states and unifying China. The city of Ji was named administrative center of Guangyang Commandery, one of 36 prefectures in China’s first feudal empire. For 10 centuries, through to the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Ji remained a strategic trading and military center and the object of frequent power struggles.

Two emperors during that period — Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty — left their mark on the city. Emperor Yang amassed troops and supplies at Ji for expeditions against Korea. Emperor Taizong also used the city for military training. He built the Temple for Compassion for the Loyal (Minzhongsi), which is dedicated to troops who died in battle. This temple was the precursor of the Temple of the Origin of the Dharma (Fayuansi) located outside the old walls of the city.

At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Ji was little different from any other large feudal cities. Several centuries later, however, when the Tang was nearing a state of collapse, the Qidans (Khitans) came from the upper reaches of the Liaohe River and moved south to occupy Ji and make it their second capital. They called the city Nanjing (Southern Capital) or Yanjing. Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) carried out reconstruction projects and built palaces, which were used as strongholds from which the Qidans set out to conquer the central plains of China.

In the early 12th century, the Nuzhen (Jurchen) conquered the Liao and established the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). In 1153, Wan Yanliang moved the Jin capital from Huiningfu in present day Liaoning Province to Yanjing and renamed it Zhongdu (Central Capital) as a challenge to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), which had its capital at Lin’an (present day Hangzhou). Before the ascension of Wan Yanliang to the throne, the city of Yanjing had changed little from the Liao period.

The rebuilding of the new city began in 1151 with expansion to the east, west and south. Palaces were constructed on a scale similar to the Northern Song (960-1127) capital at Bianliang (modern Kaifeng), and many of the actual building materials were transported from Bianliang. The new expanded city, with its splendid buildings in the center measured roughly five kilometers in circumference. The registered population of the Imperial Palace in the center measured roughly five kilometers in circumference. The registered population of Zhongdu amounted to 225,592 households, or approximately one million people.

Mongol armies occupied Zhongdu in 1215. At this time, the city of Kaiping (in present day Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region) served as the principal Mongol capital (Shangdu), while Yanjing was given provincial status. It was not until 1271 that Kublai Khan formally adopted the new dynasty’s name — Yuan — and made Yanjing the capital. Kublai Khan rebuilt the city and gave it the Chinese (Han) name of Dadu (Ta-tu) or Great Capital, though in Mongol it was known as Khanbalig (Marco Polo’s Cambaluc), the City of the Great Khan. When the Mongols finally eliminated the Southern Song and unified China, Dadu became the political center of the country for the first time in history.

The construction of Dadu began in 1267 and ended in 1293, extending throughout the entire period of Kublai Khan’s rule. The magnificent palaces of the Jin capital Zhongdu were destroyed by fire during the dynastic turnover from the Jin to the Yuan. When the capital was rebuilt, the original site of Zhongdu was replaced by a larger rectangular area centered in a beautiful lake region in the northeastern suburbs.

The construction of Dadu consisted of three main projects — the imperial palaces, the city walls and moats, and the canal. The first stage was construction of the palace buildings, most of which were completed in 1274. The next stage was construction of the mansions for the imperial princes, the government offices, the Taimiao (Imperial Ancestral Temple) and Shejitan (Altar of Land and Grain) to the east and west of the palace, and a system of streets for ordinary residences. In 1293, the strategic Tonghui Canal, connecting the capital to the Grand Canal, was completed.

As the capital city of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Dadu enjoyed great fame in the 13th century world. The envoys and traders from Europe, Asia and Africa who paid visits to China were astounded by the splendor and magnificence of Dadu. Marco Polo’s description of the palaces of Cambaluc, as the called Khanbalig, us most famous of all:

“You must know that it is the greatest palace that ever was The roof is very lofty, and the walls of the palace are all covered with gold and silver. They are adorned with dragons, beasts and birds, knights and idols, and other such things The Hall of the Palace is so large that 6,000 people could easily dine there, and it is quite a marvel to see how many rooms there are besides. The building is altogether so vast, so rich and so beautiful, that no man on earth could design anything superior to it. The outside of the roof is all colored with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other hues, which are fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shins like crystal, and lend a resplendent luster to the palace as seen for a great way around.”

The new Dadu was a rectangular city more than 30 kilometers in circumference. In the later years of Kublai Khan’s rule, the city population consisted of 100,000 households or roughly 500,000 people. The layout was the result of uniform planning, the broader streets all 24 paces wide, the narrow lanes half this width. The regular chessboard pattern created an impression of relaxed orderliness.

Achievements in stone and plaster sculpture and painting at this time reached great heights. The names of two contemporary artisans have come down to us: the sculptors Yang Qiong and Liu Yuan. The latter was known for the plaster statues he created for temples. Liulansu Lane at the northern end of Fuyou Street in present-day Beijing was named after Liu Yuan.

On August 2, 1368, Ming troops seized Dadu and renamed it Beiping (Northern Peace). Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), however, made Nanjing his first capital. Beginning in 1406, Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty spent 15 years constructing walls 12 meters high and 10 meters thick at their base around the city of Beiping. The construction of palace buildings and gardens began in 1417 and was completed in 1420. The following year, Emperor Yongle formally transferred the capital from Nanjing to Beiping and, for the first time, named the city Beijing (Northern Capital). Extensive reconstruction work was carried out in Beijing during the first years of the Ming Dynasty. The northern city walls were shifted 2.5 kilometers to the south. Evidence of great advances in city planning is the district known as the Inner (Tartar) City. The Outer or Chinese City to the south was built during the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1522-1566), adding to the rectangular city a slightly wider “base” in the south.

When the Manchus founded the Qing Dynasty in 1644, they began to build suburban gardens, the most famous of which was Yuanmingyuan. Construction over the course of an entire century, the imposing columned palaces and open-air pavilions blended with the serenity of well planned gardens to create a masterpiece of garden architecture unrivaled in the history of China.

A city plan was first laid out in the Yuan Dynasty. Yet only after extensive reconstruction during the Ming and Qing (1644-1911), did the city emerge as an architectural masterpiece fit to serve as the capital of the Chinese empire. A north-south axis bisects the city with the Imperial Palace was knows as Danei (The Great Within). In the Ming, it was renamed the Forbidden City (Zijincheng), and more recently it has come to be called the Palace Museum (Gugong Bowuyuan). Designed with thousands of halls and gates arranged symmetrically around a north south axis, its dimensions and luxuriance are a fitting symbol of the power and greatness of traditional China.

After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, China fell prey to the Northern Warlords and Kuomintang, Beijing suffered the same fate as the rest of China, hobbling along like an old camel without a sense of direction. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army formally entered Beijing on January 31, 1949, opening a new chapter in the long history of the city. It was in Tian’anmen Square on October 1st, 1949, that Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, with Beijing as its capital.

The city has changed totally since then. It has expanded from its old confines within the nine gates of the Inner City wall (Zhengyangmen, Chongwenmen, Xuanwumen, Chaoyangmen, Dongzhimen, Fuchengmen, Xizhimen, Andingmen and Deshengmen) to the seven outer gates (Dongbianmen, Guangqumen, Xibianmen, Guang’ anmen, Yongdingmen, Zuoanmen and Youanmen) and out into the suburbs, Beijing now covers an area of about 750 square kilometers, which includes a dozen new living districts built on the outskirts of town.

Tian’anmen Square is still the center of Beijing, Chang’ an Boulevard now running 38 kilometers from Shijingshan in the west to Tongxian in the east. The palaces and city towers along both sides have been designated cultural relics for national protection. Former imperial residences and gardens have been opened for public viewing.

New buildings like the International Post Office and Bank of China have been built along the Second Ring Road, the former line of the Inner City wall. Old living quarters and blocks of traditional Beijing style buildings, such as Liulichang Culture Street, have been restored. Large scale construction has been undertaken along the Third Ring Road and the fourth Ring Road.

Future development in Beijing will continue to preserve the symmetry of the old city layout while integrating modern architectural design into the over all plan.

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Where is Beijing

Just where exactly is Beijing anyway? So many foreign tourists and business people come to Beijing with no real idea of where they are, or how big the country is.  This page will help you get your bearings.

Map courtesy of CIA World Factbook

Beijing is situated towards the north east corner of China.  The map above is of northern Asia with China being the light colored un-marked area.  If you have no idea where the area above is located in the world, we suggest you visit worldatlas.com where you can locate the Asia region.

Beijing China city facts

Population:    approx 16,000,000 fluctuating daily

Distances to other cities in China and nearby countries

Data provided by timeanddate.com - click to see time and telephone information about the city

City in China

This content was originally published by Beijing Travel Tips andis reproduced here with kind permission. 
All images and content copyright Blissweb.

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