Beijing Through Time

Capital of China and home to more than 14 million people, Beijing has more to see than you could get through in a lifetime. Beijingers know that they live in the cultural, political and psychological center of China. Throughout the land, people chat in Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect and follow the orders of the Beijing based Central Government. The city is also the educational center of China, with many of the best universities in the country. It follows that Beijing is also where the majority of foreign students choose to live and study. And, as 2008 Olympic Games venue, there has never been a hotter time to be in Beijing.

With a state-of-the-art second terminal being built at the Capital Airport and a new network of underground stations about to be opened, Beijing is a travel hub for both international and domestic destinations. Built on a grid, it is easy to find your way around Beijing as soon as you figure out North from South. The highly developed university area is itself in the northwest. Wandering inside Beijing's second ring road area gives a totally different view. One-storey courtyards, each with a tall tree in the middle, make central Beijing pleasantly green. Surrounded on three sides by mountains, Beijing's local peaks are the site of sections of the Great Wall, a destination for all visitors to the city.

With Governmental departments and national Embassies all located in Beijing, the city is full of people getting paperwork signed for business or travel. From the World Trade Center in the Central Business District to the computer hypermarkets in Haidian, Beijing's economic life has never looked healthier or more diverse. Although more laid back that Shanghai, Beijing sees more money circulating among its cultural attractions, theatres, and art museums. Every cuisine imaginable can be tasted in Beijing, with the best version often served near the provincial representative office or national embassy.

Step into the Forbidden City for a taste of life in the court of the Emperor, or take a walk through the Emperor's personal gardens of Beihai or the Summer Palace. Less obvious than these impressive pieces of ancient urban design are the homes of famous writers and painters, famous restaurants and trading areas that make up the fabric of the past. Beijing's 20th Century history can best be told by Beijingers themselves, so put on your best local accent and head for the streets to listen to some of the best story tellers in the country.