| China |
| Resources |
Beijing, China
Beijing Beijing is one of the 4 municipalities of the PRC, which have provincial-level status, and is under the direct control of the central government. Beijing has been a municipality since the beginning of the PRC. Beijing is the second largest city in China in terms of population, after Shanghai. It is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and expressways entering it in all directions. Beijing is recognized as the political, educational, and cultural center of the PRC, while Shanghai predominates in economic fields.
NamesBeijing (北京) literally means "northern capital", in line with an East Asian tradition to name capital cities as such: other cities similarly named include Nanjing (南京), China, meaning "southern capital"; Tokyo (東京), Japan, and Tonkin (東京; now Hanoi), Vietnam, both meaning "eastern capital"; as well as Kyoto (京都), Japan, and Gyeongseong (京城; now Seoul), Korea, both meaning simply "capital". An older English name for Beijing is Peking. The term originated with French missionaries four hundred years ago, and corresponds to an older, now obsolete pronunciation which predates a subsequent sound change in Mandarin from [kʲ] to [tɕ]. ([tɕ] is represented in pinyin as j, as in Beijing.) In China, the city has had many names. Between 1928 [1] and 1949, it was known as Peiping (北平, Pinyin Beiping, Wade-Giles Peip'ing) or "Northern Peace". The name was changed because jing means "capital" and the Kuomintang government in Nanking (now Nanjing) wanted to emphasize that Peking was not the capital of China, and that Peking's warlord government was not legitimate. The Communist Party of China changed the name to Beijing in 1949 again in part to emphasize that Beijing was the capital of China. The government of the Republic of China on Taiwan has not formally recognized the name change, and during the 1950s and 1960s it was common for Beijing to be called Peiping on Taiwan to imply the illegitimacy of the PRC. Today, almost everyone on Taiwan, including the ROC government, uses the term Beijing, although some maps of China from Taiwan still use the old name along with pre-1949 provincial boundaries. Yanjing is another popular informal name for Beijing, named after the ancient state of Yan that existed here during the Zhou Dynasty. This name is reflected in the locally-brewed Yanjing Beer. Beijing is also the Cambaluc described in Marco Polo's accounts. The history section below outlines other historical names of Beijing. HistoryThere were cities in the vicinities of Beijing by the 1st millennium BC, and the capital of the State of Yan (燕), one of the powers of the Warring States Period, was established at Ji (T: 薊 / S: 蓟), near modern Beijing. Ji has often been claimed to be the beginning of Beijing; but in reality Ji had been abandoned no later than the 6th century. The exact location of Ji remains unknown despite much effort in recent decades to identify the site.   During the Tang and Song dynasties, only small towns existed in this area. Numerous ancient poets came here to mourn the lost city, as testified by their compositions. The Later Jin Dynasty ceded a large part of its northern frontier, including modern Beijing, to the Khitan Liao Dynasty in the 10th century. Soon the Liao Dynasty had set up a "secondary capital" in the city proper, and called it Nanjing ("the Southern Capital"). The Jurchen Jin Dynasty that annexed Liao and ruled northern China built its capital there, called Zhongdu (中都), or "the Central Capital". Zhongdu was situated in what is now the area centred around Tianningsi, which is currently slightly off-centre and to the southwest of central Beijing. Mongol forces burned Zhongdu to the ground in 1215 and rebuilt its own "Grand Capital," Dadu (大都, also Ta-tu), to the north of the Jin capital in 1267, which was the true beginning of contemporary Beijing. This site is known as "Cambaluc" in Marco Polo's accounts. Apparently, Kublai Khan, who wanted to become a Chinese emperor, established his capital in Beijing instead of more traditional sites in central China because Beijing was closer to his power base in Mongolia. The decision of the Khan greatly enhanced the status of a city that had been situated on the northern fringe of China proper. Dadu was situated further north; it centred on what is now the northern stretch of the 2nd Ring Road, and even stretched between the 3rd and 4th Ring Roads. There are remnants of wall still standing. In 1403, the 3rd Ming emperor Zhu Di (朱棣), who had just seized the throne by killing his nephew after a bloody civil war and moved the capital from southern China to his own power base in the north, renamed the city Beijing (北京), or "Northern Capital". Beijing, as of the Ming Dynasty, took its current shape, with the city wall forming what is now the exact 2nd Ring Road. The Forbidden City was constructed soon after that (1406-1420), followed by the Temple of Heaven (1420), and numerous other construction projects. Tian'anmen, which has become a state symbol of the PRC in modern times, was burned down twice during the Ming Dynasty and the final reconstruction was carried out in 1651.   The shape and form of Beijing as seen and as recognised today (in particular within the confines of the current-day 2nd Ring Road) took form after the Ming Dynasty settled in Beijing and made it its capital. While on the mainland, the Republic of China established its capital in Nanjing. During the early days of the Republic, Yuan Shikai seized power in Beijing and declared an empire nation from Beijing (the Beiyang Government). In 1928, Nanjing was officially made the capital of the Republic of China, and Beijing was renamed Beiping to emphasize that it is not the rightful capital. During the second Sino-Japanese War, Beiping fell to Japan on July 29, 1937. During the occupation, Beiping was renamed Beijing, and made the seat of the North China Executive Committee (T: 華北政務委員會 / S: 华北政务委员会), a puppet state that ruled Japanese-occupied North China. This lasted until Japan's surrender in World War II, on August 15, 1945, and Beijing's name was changed back to Beiping. On January 31, 1949, during the Chinese Civil War, communist forces entered Beiping without a fight. On October 1 of the same year, the Communist Party of China, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, announced in Tian'anmen the creation of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. Just a few days earlier, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference decided that Beiping would be the capital of the PRC, and that its name be changed back to Beijing. At the time of the founding of the People's Republic, Beijing consisted of just its urban area and immediate suburbs. The urban area was divided into many small districts inside the 2nd Ring Road, with most of the city wall still intact until the 1950s. Since then several surrounding counties have been incorporated into the municipality, enlarging the limits of Beijing by many times and giving it its present shape. Following the economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping, the urban area of Beijing has expanded greatly. Formerly within the confines of the 2nd Ring Road and the 3rd Ring Road, the urban area of Beijing is now pushing at the limits of the recently-constructed 5th Ring Road, with many areas that were formerly farmland now developed residential or commercial neighborhoods. A new commercial area has developed in the Guomao area; Wangfujing and Xidan have developed into flourishing shopping districts, while Zhongguancun has become a major center of electronics in China. As the capital of the nation, Beijing has also been the site of political turmoil in recent years. Tiananmen Square, widely regarded as the spiritual center of China, was the site of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, which ended in a military crackdown that remains highly controversial. Tiananmen Square has also been the site of protests by Falun Gong. In recent years, the expansion of Beijing has also brought to the forefront some problems of urbanization, such as heavy traffic, poor air quality, the loss of historic neighborhoods, and a drastic influx of migrants from poorer regions of the country, especially the countryside. Early 2005 saw the approval by government of a plan to finally stop the "ringing" of Beijing. Development of the Chinese capital would now proceed in two semicircular bands just outside of the city centre (both west and east) instead of being in concentric rings. Beijing has been chosen to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, an event that sparked nationalistic pride across China. Geography and climate
 Hills dominate the north, northwest and west of the municipality. The northwestern part of the municipality, especially Yanqing County and Huairou District, are dominated by the Jundu Mountains; the western part of the municipality is framed by the Xishan Mountains. Mount Dongling on the border with Hebei and in the Xishan ranges, is the municipality's highest point, with an altitude of 2303 m. Major rivers flowing through the municipality include the Yongding River and the Chaobai River, which are part of the Haihe River system and flow in a southerly direction. Beijing is also the northern terminus of the Grand Canal of China linking Beijing with Hangzhou, and the North Grand Canal flows in a similar southerly direction into the Hai He system. Miyun Reservoir, found on the upper reaches of the Chaobai River, is Beijing's largest reservoir, and crucial to its water supply. The urban area of Beijing, located at 39°54′20″ North, 116°23′29″ East (39.9056, 116.3914), is situated in the south-central part of the municipality and occupies a small but expanding part of the municipality's area. It spreads out in bands of concentric ring roads. Tian'anmen is right at the centre of Beijing, and is directly to the south of the well-known Forbidden City. To the west of Tian'anmen is Zhongnanhai, current residence of the paramount leaders of the People's Republic of China. Running through central Beijing from east to west is the well-known Chang'an Avenue. The city's climate is harsh, characterized by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and cold, windy, dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone. Average temperatures in January are at around -7 to -4 °C, while average temperatures in July are at 25 to 26 °C. Annual precipitation is over 600 mm, with 75% of that in summer. [2] Beijing also suffers from heavy pollution and poor air quality from industry and traffic. Dust from erosion of deserts in northern and northwestern China result in seasonal dust storms that plague the city. Efforts have been made of late to clean up Beijing in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics.   NeighbourhoodsMajor neighbourhoods in urban Beijing include:
TownsTowns within the municipality but outside the urban area include:
    Administrative divisionsThe municipality currently governs 18 county-level divisions: 16 districts and 2 counties. The urban and suburban areas of the city are made up of 8 districts:
The other 8 districts are found further out, and govern distant suburbs, satellite towns, and some rural areas:
The 2 counties of Beijing govern very distant towns and rural areas:
The above districts and counties are further subdivided into 273 township-level divisions: 119 towns, 24 townships, 5 ethnic townships and 125 subdistricts. EconomyIn 2004 Beijing's total gross domestic product was 428.3 billion Renminbi, a real increase of 13.2% from the previous year. The tertiary sector of industry is the most productive sector of Beijing's economy, contributing 60% of its GDP. Urban disposable income per capita was 15637.8 Renminbi, a real increase of 11.5% from the previous year. Rural pure income per capita was 7172 Renminbi, a real increase of 9.2% from the previous year. [3] Beijing's real estate and automobile sectors continue to boom in recent years. In 2004 a total of 24.72 million square metres of housing real estate was sold, for a total of 108.51 billion Renminbi. The total number of automobiles registered in Beijing in 2004 was 1,871,000, of which 1,298,000 are privately-owned. 447,000 new and old automobiles had been sold in Beijing in the previous year. [4] The Beijing CBD, centered at the Guomao area, has been identified as the city's new central business district, and is home to a variety of corporate regional headquarters, shopping malls, and high-end housing. The Beijing Financial Street, in the Fuxingmen and Fuchengmen area, is a traditional financial center. The Wangfujing and Xidan areas are major shopping districts. Zhongguancun, dubbed "China's Silicon Valley", continues to be a major center in electronics- and computer-related industries, as well as pharmaceuticals-related research. Meanwhile, Yizhuang, located to the southeast of the urban area, is becoming a new center in pharmaceuticals, IT, and materials engineering. [5] Beijing is also known for being a center of pirated goods and anything from the latest designer clothing to the latest DVDs can be found in markets all over the city. Major industrial areas include Shijingshan, located on the western outskirts of the city. Agriculture is carried out outside the urban area of Beijing, with wheat and maize being the main crops. Vegetables are also grown in the regions closer to the urban area in order to supply the city. ArchitectureThere are three predominant styles of architecture in Beijing. First, there's the traditional architecture of imperial China, such as the massive Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace), which remains the PRC's trademark building. Next there is what is sometimes referred to as the "Sino-Sov" style, built between the 1950s and the 1970s, which tend to be boxy, bland, and poorly made. Finally, there are much more modern architectural forms — most noticeably in the area of the Beijing CBD. Pictured below are some images of Beijing architecture — blending the old and the new.
A bizarre and striking mix of both old and new styles of architecture can be seen at the Dashanzi Art District, which mixes 1950s-design with a blend of the new. The influence of American urban form and social values in manifest in the creation of Orange County, China, a suburban development about one hour north of the city. Demographics The total population of Beijing municipality, defined as the number of people living in Beijing for 6 months or more per year, was 14.927 million in 2004. 11.872 million people were urban, which includes residents in the Beijing urban area and surrounding towns, and the remainder were rural. [6] 11.629 million people in Beijing had Beijing hukou (permanent residence) and the remainder were on temporary residence permits. [7] In addition, there is a large but unknown number of migrant workers who live illegally in Beijing without any sort of residence permit. The population of the city proper itself is about 7.5 million. The vast majority of Beijing residents are Han Chinese. There are also some Manchu, Hui, and Mongol people who call the city home. In recent years there has been an influx of South Koreans, who live in Beijing predominantly for business and study, and are concentrated in the Wangjing and Wudaokou areas. The northern, northeastern and eastern parts of the Beijing urban area are densely populated and house the foreign community in the capital. The southwest and southern parts of the Beijing urban area are less densely populated.
1 — Approximate only. Calculated by dividing over sum of raw population data for all 56 nationalities. Includes only citizens of the PRC. Does not include members of the People's Liberation Army in active service. CulturePeople from urban Beijing speak the Beijing dialect, which belongs to the Mandarin subdivision of spoken Chinese. Beijing dialect provides the basis for Standard Mandarin, the standard Chinese language used in the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China on Taiwan, and Singapore. Outlying areas of Beijing have their own dialects akin to those of Hebei. Beijing opera, or Jingju, is well-known throughout the national capital. Commonly lauded as one of the highest achievements of Chinese culture, Beijing opera is performed through a combination of singing, spoken dialogue, and codified action sequences, such as gestures, movement, fighting and acrobatics. Much of Beijing opera is carried out in an archaic stage dialect quite different from modern Standard Mandarin and from the Beijing dialect; this makes the dialogue somewhat hard to understand, and the problem is compounded if one is not familiar with Chinese, although modern theaters often have electronic titles in Chinese and English.  The siheyuan (四合院) is a traditional architectural style of Beijing. A siheyuan consists of a square housing compound, with rooms enclosing a central courtyard. This courtyard often contains a pomegranate or other type of tree, as well as potted flowers or a fish tank. Siheyuans line hutongs (胡同), or alleyways, which connect the interior of Beijing's old city. They are usually straight and run east-to-west so that doorways can face north and south for Feng Shui | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
listen? (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: 
