Facts About : Beijing City

Beijing, formerly known as Peking, is the Capital of the People’s Republic of China and is one of the most populous cities in the world. It is located in the northern region of China and is a direct controlled municipality. Beijing, which is home to many World Heritage Sites, enjoys a significant place in China’s tourism and economy. Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation's political, cultural, and educational center. It is home to the headquarters of most of China's largest state-owned companies, and is a major hub for the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail networks. TheBeijing Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.

Let's see some interesting facts about this big city.

* Beijing is not the first name this city has ever had. It was known by several names before it took its present name. The old names of the city are Ji, Yanjing, Youzhou, Fanyang, Guangyang, Nanjing, Dadu (Daidu), Zhongdu, Khanbaliq (Cambaluc) and Beiping.

* Beijing was made China’s capital city in 1949, when the Communist Party of China founded People’s Republic of China.

* The caves of Dragon Bone Hill in Fangshan District, home to the ‘Peking Man’, give the earliest traces of human habitation in this area.

* Beijing is the northern terminus of the Grand Canal of China, which extends from the North China Plain to Hangzhou.

* The major rivers flowing through Beijing are Yongding and Chaobai. The river Chaobai is a part of the famous Hai River system of China.

* Beijing opera or Peking opera is a traditional form of Chinese theatre which is considered as one of the highest achievements of Chinese culture. This art form consists of a combination of song, spoken dialogue and codified action sequences.

* Imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing dynasties, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, consist of thirteen tombs of kings from the Ming dynasty.

* Siheyuans are special types of residences specific to Beijing. Such houses have a common courtyard which is shared by the surrounding buildings. Residence of Soong Ching-ling and the Prince Gong Mansion are examples of this type of architecture.

Those are some facts about Beijing City the Capital of The people's republic of China. A big city with many more to discover. If you are looking for the best way to visit Beijing just go to my secret section answer to 5 simple questions and get ready to find more amazing facts.