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Beijing

INTRODUCTION

Beijing, a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the People's Republic of China. The city is recognized as China’s political, cultural, scientific, and educational heart. Beijing is a very modern and exceedingly busy city with a population of nearly 14 million people, although is still second to China's biggest city, Shanghai. Beijing has served as the capital of the country for over 800 years, and today it is counted among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. With many places of historic interest and architectural as well as scenic beauty, its art treasures and universities have long made the city the cultural heart of China.

Beijing became the focus of world attention in 2008 when it hosted the Olympic Games. This was a symbol of both China’s progress and China’s tradition with high-class and eye-catching facilities and spectacular ceremonies. People from all around the world were welcomed to travel to Beijing under the slogan “One World, One Dream.”

HISTORY

Around 1,100 B.C., Beijing, a small kingdom called Ji, was subinfeudated to West Zhou Dynasty. In the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), Ji was conquered by another subinfeudated kingdom, Yan. It remained capital of Yan until Yan was finally defeated by Qin in 226 B.C. In A.D. 938, Ji became provisional capital of Liao, a kingdom established by a minority ethnic group in northeastern China, Qidan.

Because Ji lay in the southern part of Liao's territory, it was also called Nanking (capital in the south) and Yanjing. About a century later, Jin, a kingdom established by Jurchens (another minority ethnic group), occupied Liao. In 1153, Jin moved its capital to Ji and changed its name to Zhongdu (capital in the middleland). In fear of attacks from Mongolian army, Jin moved its capital to Bianliang (Kaifeng in Henan Province) in 1214.

Mongolian warriors took Zhongdu the next year. In 1267, Kublai Khan of the Mongolians, grandson of Genghis Khan, built a new town in the northeastern part of Zhongdu and was enthroned there four years later. Thus the Yuan Dynasty started. In 1258, the new town was completed, which was the capital of the Yuan Dynasty described by Marco Polo. It remained the capital for the following two feudal dynasties, Ming and Qing, until the democratic revolution started in October 1911.

Puyi, the last emperor of Qing Dynasty, was driven out of the Forbidden Palace in 1924. Beijing's history as capital of the feudal dynasties concluded.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• The best time to travel to Beijing is during the spring (February to April) and autumn (August to October). Summers can be stifling hot and winters freezing cold.
• As the nation's capital, Beijing has air and rail links with every part of the country. As for the transportation system within the city, traffic happens once in a while. Public vehicles such as buses and the metro are always packed with commuters. The most convenient and time-saving way of getting around is to take a taxi or book a private tour through a travel company which includes private transport.
• If you are interested in taking home some bargains or mementos, the best buys in Beijing are probably Cloisonné and Fresh water pearls.

ATTRACTIONS

The Great Wall of China

Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square?

Temple of Heaven

RESTAURANTS

RBL – Standing for Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge, RBL is indeed a place to drink and dine while savoring a relaxed atmosphere. There is also a live blues band in the underground bar area (known as The Icehouse), which sets the tone for an amazing Japanese fusion eating experience.

My Humble House – Contrary to its name, this opulent and spacious restaurant seats nearly 200 people, offering sublime dining at a hefty fee. The seafood is highly recommended, particularly the prawns in wasabi mayonnaise. Their friendly and efficient service rounds off a lavish dining affair.

Kejia Cai – Kejia Cai is a simple, tavern-like restaurant. The food is cooked in the tradition of the Han Hakka people, home-style yet innovative. Their mizhi zhibao luyu (a fish fried and then baked), served with a sweet sauce, is not to be missed.

Aria – With its pleasant outdoor garden enclosure, this restaurant is an ideal lunch venue where you can take in some fresh air. Inside, you can enjoy live music and a late bar, which will complement the night out.

Lily Vegetarian Restaurant – This vegetarian restaurant chain is very popular, even among meat lovers. The restaurant offers generous servings at a decent price and innovative cooking with a uniquely Chinese flair.

Made in China – This lively eatery is renowned for serving the best Peking duck in Beijing. The busy open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs in action and the dumpling masters rolling dough.

LODGING

Red Capital Residence – Tucked away up one of Beijing's traditional hutong alleyways, the Red Capital Residence offers five small rooms decked out in a mix of imperial furniture and Cultural Revolution trinkets. After dinner at the hotel's restaurant, located two streets away, hitch a ride back in the house rickshaw and hit the cigar bar where you can lounge on chairs liberated from the Ministry of Information or head down to the bomb shelter bar for a glass of wine – red, of course.

Kapok – The Kapok is undoubtedly Beijing's coolest hotel. The exterior is clad in a grid of fiberglass that glows at night, earning it the nickname of "the blur"; the stark interior is all hip minimalism that stops just short of being impersonal and sparse. Dress nice or feel out of place.

The China Club – The China Club is a timeless and authentically Chinese hotel with an excellent on-site Sichuan restaurant. The former home of the son of Emperor Kangxi, the private dining rooms are set in what was once the prince's opium den and his concubine's chambers.

Commune at the Great Wall – When the capital's jet setters don't fancy hopping on a plane for a weekend away, they come to the Commune. Nestling in the rolling Hebei hills, these 12 separate houses are each designed by a different top architect and offer seclusion, comfort, service, and their own private section of the Great Wall.

Fortune Land International Hotel – Know as the Fubang in Chinese, this hotel is clearly the product of some sort of experiment with hallucinogens. Enter through a set of neon lit angular archways into a lobby sprouting with floor-to-ceiling mushrooms, their canopies merging with the ceiling; blood-red pods offer a seat to the weary. The Fu's rooms are no less eye-catching: the suite bedroom has a circular bed, and modern art hangs in all rooms. This is somewhere a bit different to stay.

Bamboo Garden – Tucked away up an alley near the historic Drum and Bell Towers just a few kilometers due south of the Olympic site, this hotel is easy to miss, and that would be a big shame. Walled in by classic low-rise courtyard buildings shaded by lots of trees, this hotel comes into its own during Beijing's long sultry summer months.