Introduction
Map/Still:Beijing, China
* Beijing, China
The capital of China, Beijing is also the chief industrial, educational, and cultural center of the country. Beijing, which was formerly known as Peking, lies in the northeastern part of the country. Its many historical and cultural attractions make Beijing popular with tourists from China and around the world.
Places of interest
One of the most famous sites in modern Beijing is Tiananmen Square. This huge plaza has often been used for major political celebrations. On the square is the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. Mao Zedong was the leader of China for many years until he died in 1976. The memorial contains his preserved body. On the western side of the square is the Great Hall of the People, where the annual meetings of the National People's Congress are held. At the north end of the square is the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace). Built in the 15th century and renovated several times since then, the gate has become a symbol of the country.
Through Tiananmen is the Forbidden City. This complex was also built in the 15th century. It contained the palaces of the Ming and Qing emperors. The Forbidden City was so named because when these dynasties ruled China, common people were not allowed to enter the area. There are some 800 buildings and 9,000 rooms in the complex. The whole area is surrounded by a moat as well as walls that are 35 feet (11 meters) high. It is now a museum open to the public.
Another well-known site associated with the Chinese emperors is the Summer Palace, located on the outskirts of Beijing. The Summer Palace is famous for its beautiful grounds. Many buildings—halls, towers, temples, and bridges—lie scattered throughout the park.
There are many other parks in Beijing as well. Tiantan Park contains the Temple of Heaven complex, where emperors used to pray to the gods of the earth and agriculture. Inside the Temple of Heaven is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Originally built in 1420, the hall was rebuilt in 1890 after a fire. Beihai Park is the site of the White Dagoba, which was built in 1651 to commemorate a visit by the Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama. Beihai Park has a large lake that is crowded with rowboats in the summer and ice skaters in the winter.
Culture
Beijing has many cultural attractions. Traditional Beijing opera, which often tells stories based on Chinese fairy tales, has elaborate costumes, makeup, music, dance, and acrobatic routines. The city also has a symphony orchestra, theaters, Western-style opera, and ballet companies.
Beijing has a number of museums, universities, and libraries. The Museum of Chinese History, located on Tiananmen Square, has thousands of historical relics and documents on display. Two of the most important universities in China—Beijing University and Qinghua University—are also located in Beijing. The National Library has books and manuscripts that are hundreds of years old.
Economy
Industries in Beijing include auto, electronics, computer, and machinery production. In addition, Beijing is a major center for textile (fabric) manufacturing. The petrochemical industry is vital to the city's economy as well. Unlike many large cities, agriculture is also an important part of Beijing's economy. Crops are grown in a belt that encircles the city, and large areas of land in the city have been planted with fruit trees. Tourism is increasingly important to the Beijing economy.
History
There have been people living in the area around Beijing for thousands of years. In fact, remains of some of the earliest known human beings have been found near the site, including some from 500,000 years ago. Over the years several different towns were built on the site and later destroyed. In ancient times the site was on the northern edge of the area controlled by the Han Dynasty. To the north were wandering tribes who attempted to invade the area many times. The Great Wall of China was built near the site in order to keep the tribes out, but the area was attacked often. In the 13th century the Mongol leader Kublai Khan built the city of Dadu, or “Great Capital,” where Beijing now stands. In the 1270s he made Dadu the capital and political center of all of China. Except for a few brief interruptions, Beijing has served as China's capital ever since.
In the middle of the 14th century, Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Mongol Dynasty and established the Ming Dynasty. He moved the capital to Nanjing and renamed Dadu as Beiping, which means “Northern Peace.” After Zhu Yuanzhang died the throne passed to his grandson. However, Zhu Yuanzhang's son Zhu Di, who controlled Beiping, seized the throne in 1402 and renamed the city Beijing (Northern Capital). During Zhu Di's reign, Beijing was refurbished and the basic plan of the city that still exists today was laid out. In 1421 Beijing officially became the capital once again.
In the first half of the 20th century China's last emperor was forced to leave, and the country became a republic. As various groups struggled for control of the country they each claimed different cities as the capital. The Chinese Communist Party ultimately won control of China. In 1949 the Communist leader Mao Zedong proclaimed China to be the People's Republic of China, and Beijing was once again made the national capital. The city was known as Peking in the United States and other Western countries until the early 1980s. Although the name Peking is still used, “Beijing” is now the official way to write the city's name in the Latin alphabet.
In 1989 students held a protest against the government in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Government forces brought in tanks and killed many people in order to break up the protest. The government was severely criticized for its actions and continued to face charges of human rights abuses while it tried to change its image. In the 1980s and 90s, three of Beijing's historical areas—the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven—were named World Heritage sites by a branch of the United Nations. In addition, Beijing was scheduled to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. Population (2003 estimate), 7,699,300.
