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Beijing Facts
Phone Code: 010
Postal Code: 100000
Area: 16,410.54 Sq km (6636 Sq miles)
Population: 19,612,368 (in 2010)
Nationalities: Han, Manchu, Uygur, Chaoxian
Neighboring Areas: Tianjin City and Hebei Provinces
Location: Located at the northern end of the North China Plain, Beijing is joined to Tianjin in the southeast, and surrounded by Hebei Province in the other parts.
Physical Features: The terrain of Beijing is higher in the northwest, lower in the southeast. In the west, north and north east are continuous mountains, and in the southeast are plain areas leaning to the Bohai Sea. The Western Hills in the west and the Jundushan Mountain in the north intersect each other at the Guangou Valley in the north of Changping District, forming a semicircular bend named 'Beijing Bend'. The plain the bend surrounds is Beijing Plain. A total of 5 rivers flow through Beijing from the mountains in the northwest to the plain in the southeast, including the Jumahe, Yongdinghe, Beiyunhe, Chaobaihe and Jiyunhe rivers.
History: Founded over 3,000 years ago and as a capital city for over 857 years, Beijing was the capital city of the vassal state Yan as early as in the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th Century - 771BC). Thereafter, it had been always an important military and business town in northern China, and was named Jicheng, Yandu, Yanjing, Zhuojun, Youzhou, Nanjing, Zhongdu, Dadu, Jingshi and Shuntianfu. From the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234), Beijing has become the capital city of China until nowadays. In the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), Beijing received large-scale expansions continuously from Emperor Chengzu. The following Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) did some other renovation and expansion works based on the Beijing City in the Ming Dynasty, which made Beijing the largest city in the world then at the end of the Qing Dynasty.
Beijing Attractions: Beijing, a well-known international-level historical and cultural city, has the most imperial palaces, gardens, temples and mausoleums in China. Forbidden City is the largest imperial palace in China and even in the world. Tiananmen Square in front of the Forbidden City is the largest city central square in the world. Prince Gong's Mansion is the largest courtyard in the world. Summer Palace is the best-preserved ancient imperial garden in China. Ming Tombs is the largest ancient tomb group in Beijing, consisting of 13 emperors' tombs of the Ming Dynasty. Beijing Great Wall especially Badaling Great Wall is the best-preserved Ming Dynasty great wall in China, receiving tens of thousands of visitors yearly. Peking Man Site is the most valuable site of the early Paleolithic Age in the world.
Religious architectures in Beijing also enjoy a great reputation, including the Buddhist Biyun Temple (Temple of Azure Clouds), Taoist White Cloud Temple, Lama Temple, Niujie Mosque of Islam, Catholic Xishiku Church and Gangwashi Church of Christianity. There are also many natural wonders in Beijing, including Beihai Park, Fragrant Hills Park, Yuyuantan Park and Purple Bamboo Garden.
Ever since China began to reform and open to the outside world, Beijing has become a modernized international metropolis. Walking in the hutongs of Beijing, you can see people of all sort of color from all over the world. Beijing Business Center is the symbol of Beijing's opening up to the outside world and economic power. Zhongguancun is the crystal of modern technology. National Centre for Performing Arts, T3 of Beijing Capital International Airport, CCTV Tower, Bird's Nest and Water Cube are the modern symbols of new Beijing. Many world-known universities, such as Tsinghua University and Peking University, are all located in Beijing.
Beijing Transportation:
Air: The largest international airport in Asia, Beijing Capital International Airport has opened more than 200 air routes to the major cities in the world and most cities in China.
Train: There are five major railway stations in Beijing, namely, Beijing Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing North Railway Station and Beijing East Railway Station.
Bus: Centered on Beijing, a total of 12 national highways radiate in all directions. Buses from the 10 major long-distance bus stations of Beijing run to most of cities and areas in China, such as Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xian, Harbin and Guilin. In the city, over 800 bus routes cover every corner of the city, including the business centers, tourist attractions, hospitals, schools, markets, shopping centers, etc.
Go to Beijing Bus/Subway Search
Taxi: Taxis in Beijing City are with a minimum fare of CNY10 for the first 2 km (1.2 miles) at day time (05:00 - 23:00) and CNY11 for the first 2.4 km (1.5 miles) at night (23:00 - 05:00). An extra CNY3 per km at day time and CNY3.4 per km at night will be charged for additional distance and CNY2 for fuel surcharge.
Bicycle: Most of the hotels in Beijing provide bicycle renting service. It costs around CNY5 per hour, CNY10 for a half day (usually 4 hours) and CNY20 for a whole day, after paying a deposit of around CNY400.
Rickshaw: Rickshaws are bright scenery in Beijing Hutongs. They can be found in communication centers and tourist hotspots.
Beijing Travel Tips: Exact addresses of some well-known restaurants, shopping centers, theaters, concert halls, cinemas, KTVs, health centers, Museums, schools and libraries in Beijing.
Beijing Q&A: What is the temperature and what should I wear in November? What is the best way from Beijing airport to Wangfujing Avenue? Which restaurant is the best in Beijing...... Your questions of every detail of Beijing will be answered.
Beijing Weather: Beijing has a hot a rainy summer, dry and cold winter, and pleasing but short spring and autumn seasons. The best time to visit Beijing is in May, September and October.
Dining in Beijing
On of the 'Eight Food Cities in the world', Beijing gathers foods from all over the world, including the food of the European countries like America, France, Italy and Germany and food of Japan, Korea and India. Typical Beijing dishes are Beijing Roasted Duck at Quanjuande and Bianyifang restaurants, and Imperial Court Food in Fangshan Restaurant. Beijing's local snacks have won universal praise for their long history, great variety, well-selected materials and elaborate making. Well-known local snacks are Lv Da Gun (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour), Ai Wo Wo (Sticky Rice with Sweet Fillings) and Jiao Quan (Fried Ring). If you are not a vegetarian, Bao Du (Quick-fried Tripe), Guan Tang (Filled Sausage) and Chao Gan (Fried Live) are also worth tasting. Popular places for Beijing local snacks are Guijie located in Dongzhimen area, Donghuamen Niight Market, Wangfujing Snacks City and Longfu Temple Snacks Market.
Shopping in Beijing
The only city in mainland China selected in the '15 Shopping Capitals in the World', Beijing has hundreds of large and medium sized shipping malls. Wangfujing Avenue, Qianmen Dazhalan, Xidan Business Street are traditional commercial areas. International Trade City, Oriental Plaza and Zhongguancun Square are emerging business centers. If you are interested in antiques and handicrafts such as jade, ceramic, ivory carvings, seal-engraving, imperial embroidery, biyanhu (inside painting snuff bottle), dough figurines, and facial masks, the antique cities at Liulichang and Panjiayuan will appeal you. If you have a strong affection to clothing, Xiushui (Silk) Street and Yaxiu Clothing Wholesale Market can't be missed.
