Beijing, formerly known as "Yanjing", "Youzhou" and "Beiping", is the capital of the People's Republic of China, the center of China's politics, culture, transportation and international exchanges, and the center of economic and financial decision-making and management.
Beijing is home to seven UNESCO heritage sites – the largest number of cities in the world, including the Forbidden City (the largest surviving palace complex, covering an area of 72 hectares with 980 palaces), the Temple of Heaven for the Ming and Qing emperors, and the Summer Palace, which combines the essence of landscape gardens. The Mutianyu and Badaling sections of the Great Wall have preserved the majestic appearance of this 2000-year-old defensive project, and visitors can experience the ancient miracle that stretches for 21,000 kilometers on foot.
Western tourists often compare Beijing's historical status to a combination of Rome and Washington, D.C., where every street has a millennium of stories. The courtyard of the Ming Dynasty Hutong preserves the traditional community life and is most suitable for cycling exploration; The 798 Art District, which was renovated from an electronics factory in the 50s, is lined with avant-garde galleries, showing the vigorous vitality of Chinese contemporary art.
Modern Beijing is equally stunning: the steel mesh structure of the Bird's Nest Stadium and the suspended corridor of the CCTV building highlight the architectural ambitions of the 21st century; The glass-walled building of the China World Trade Center CBD gathers global companies, and the neon streets of Sanlitun are full of diverse experiences ranging from old roast duck shops to boutique bars.
As an air gateway connecting the world, Beijing is a unique interpretation of the heritage of civilization – it is not only a sacred place for ancient emperors to worship heaven and ancestors, but also the engine that drives the future of human technology, whether it is a dialogue with stone statues in the Ming Ming Tombs or a sunset at a bar on the shore of Houhai Lake, this eternally evolving city has always invited the world to witness the continuous development of civilization.