Beijing is the capital of PRC, which is the center of National politics, culture, transport, tourism and international exchanges. It is a city where the old cultural traditions and the modern civilization are well integrated. Each year thousands of visitors and tourists come to Beijing to enjoy and feel its unique culture and scenery.
Beijing is endowed with rare cultural heritage due to its long history. The Great Wall, one of the world wonders and the sole man-made architecture which can be seen from space, extends several hundred miles in Beijing. The poetic and picturesque Summer Palace is the classic works of the feudal dynasty garden. The Forbidden City is the most splendid group of imperial palace in the world. The temple of heaven is the place of worship for emperors of various dynasties of China as well as a splendid achievement of the Chinese ancient architectural art. The above four have been selected by the United Nations organization of Education, Science and Culture as the world cultural heritage. What is typical of Beijing is hutong and the compound courtyard (old Beijing residential quarters), which are now disappearing. These streets and buildings witnessed ups and downs of the city and the people in the past centuries and are a typical symbol of the life of Beijing people.
History
Beijing in Chinese means "capital in the north". Its establishment could be traced back to more than 3000 years ago. From 1272 to 1911, Beijing was the capital of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. After the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, Beijing is the capital of new China.
Geography
Beijing is located at 115°20' to 117°32' east longitude and 3923' to 4105' north altitude, the same altitude as Rome, Madrid and Philadelphia. Its neighbors are hebei Province and Tianjin City. Its total land area is 16,808 squre kilometers, among which the mountain areas account for 52% and are distributed in its western, northern and northeastern parts, and the plain accounts for 38% and is distributed in its southern and southeastern parts.
Climate
Beijing is located in the temperate zone affected by continental monsoon. The spring and autumn in Beijing are shorter and dry while the summer and winter are relatively longer. October is the ending of the autumn. The temperature of October is about 17℃, sometimes the temperature goes down abruptly due to the cold air coming from western Siberia. So it is recommended that you should be properly clothed while going outdoors.
Transportation in Beijing
Subway
Beijing has 17 lines of subway and the
subway is a rapid and economical tool for transportation. All the subway
stations have a symbol and you can take subway with Alipay.
Public transportation
The network of public transportation covers
the whole city proper. The fee charge is very low. However, the bus lines are
complicated and the buses are very crowed. It is not recommended that you
choose such transportation.
Car Rental
The driving licenses issued by other
countries are not valid in China. Those with the driving licenses issued in
China can be allowed to rent cars and should follow the traffic rules of China
while driving here.
Taxi
The roof of all the taxi is capped with a
symbol of "TAXI". The red light behind the glass window indicates
that the taxi is ready for taking passenger. It is recommended that you call a
taxi at the designated taxi station. The windows at both sides of the back seat
of the taxi are glued with a price tag for the taxi. While taking a taxi, you have the right to
require the driver to use the mile meter and ask for the receipt of the
payment. If you have any complaint, you can do it at the taxi management
department.
