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China
Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin
Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province.
The city covers an area of more than 16,410 square kilometers
(6336 square miles) and has a population of 14.93 million
people. Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn,
particularly during the months of May, September, and October
when people can enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.
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 China's most important center for
international trade and communications. It has been the
heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long
history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth
of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore
Beijing's ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development.
How can one city boast so many phenomenal places? Beijing's
long and illustrious history started some 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 endured invasions by warlords and foreign powers,
devastating fires, the rise and fall of powerful imperial
dynasties 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 (1271 - 1368) to the Ming (1368
- 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) dynasties. Thirty-four emperors
have lived and ruled the nation in Beijing and it has been
an important trading city from its earliest days.
Although Beijing now is modern, fashionable and full of 21st
Century vitality, you can experience authentic Beijing life
and become acquainted with 'old Beijing' by exploring its
many teahouses, temple fairs, Beijing's Hutong and Courtyard
and enjoy the Peking Opera. Add any or all of these to your
Beijing tour and you will leave with a feeling of special
appreciation in your heart for this ancient city that has
truly seen it all and tells its story with matchless grace,
charm and vigor.
With the biggest central square in the world - Tian'anmen
Square, the Forbidden City that is the largest and best-preserved
imperial palace complex, a superbly preserved section of
the Great Wall, as well as the largest sacrificial complex
in the world - the Temple of Heaven, Beijing attracts both
domestic and foreign visitors who all come wonder at its
century-old history and unique cultural relics.
Dwelling too much on the historical past of Beijing may
give tourists the false impression that it is a little more
than an ancient city in style but this is definitely not
so! Strolling around Beijing, you'll find it has much in
common with any other great metropolis elsewhere in today's
world. There are towering skyscrapers; busy shopping malls
and an endless stream of traffic that makes the city the
much the same as others. However, although you will find
multinational chains with their own brands on offer, nowhere
else on earth will you find such a variety of gourmet Chinese
restaurants offering the very best of the eight different
styles of Chinese cuisine as well as western style dishes.
Modern hotels abound, each offering the highest standards
of service and convenience
After a day's exploration of the city, nighttime can hold
other surprises for you. These can vary from traditional performances
such as the Beijing Opera, acrobatics and martial arts to
modern ones including concerts, ballroom dancing, pubs and
clubs. Each and every one has its enchantment for the tourist.
No description of our capital city is complete without mention
of the friendly people who throng the streets. Everywhere
you will encounter smiling faces and a welcome, especially
from the children who love to say 'Hello!' All these things
add up to make your visit a true cultural experience of a
lifetime.
No words can adequately express all the charm of Beijing,
therefore the only way to appreciate it fully is to experience
by yourself. In 2008 Beijing will host the Olympic Games.
The city will take this opportunity to show the world something
so special that everyone is sure to be awestruck by Beijing's
latest accomplishments combined with its ancient history
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