“Pollution is no longer a big issue but traffic jams are!” Perhaps Beijing’s residents now focus on traffic. We’re standing before \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing is an ancient city. Its history stretches back over 3000 years. That’s six times older than New York City. Think about that as we explore \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing has served as a capital six times. It was the Yan State Capital in 221 BC during the Warring States Period. In 1271 it became the Yuan Dynasty capital. Beijing became the Ming Dynasty capital in 1402. It then became the Qing Dynasty capital in 1644. Finally it was the Republic of China capital in 1912. Today Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Imagine the history that has unfolded near \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing is arranged in rings. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are at the center. The city expanded outward in rings over the decades. Ring roads mark each expansion. People often give directions using these ring roads. You might hear someone say “It’s out in the fifth ring”. Or someone might say “I live in the third ring”. Beijing currently has seven ring roads. Even the metro lines follow this ring pattern. Consider how this unique layout affects life around \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing’s dialect became standard Mandarin. The style of Chinese spoken here became the standard for all of China. In 1932 a dictionary emerged based on northern dialects from Beijing. It became the foundation for modern Putonghua. Yet Beijing still has its own unique dialect. Many speakers add an “er” sound to the end of words. This is a central feature of Beijing dialect. It can make every word sound a bit different. A Beijing dialect speaker said “I love to listen to the Beijing dialect. It is something innate. When I speak the Beijing dialect it comes naturally from my heart.” Listen for the Beijing dialect as we continue near \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing is one of four province-level cities. Next to Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing it is directly under the central government. These cities are so big and important. They are treated as a province of their own. Reflect on Beijing’s importance as we stand here at \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing has the most billionaires in the world. It beats out New York City Hong Kong and Moscow. So many successful Chinese companies call Beijing home. It’s no wonder the world’s wealthiest people love to live here. Consider the wealth and innovation that flows through Beijing near \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing has 197 museums. This makes it the city with the most museums in all of China. They are a great way to learn about Beijing’s history and culture. Perhaps you will visit the Palace Museum or the National Museum of China later. Think about the rich culture preserved in Beijing’s museums after our tour of \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
The first KFC in China was built in Beijing. It opened in Qianmen on November 12 1987. It sold over 2200 buckets of chicken in 24 hours. It earned USD83000. KFCs are now found everywhere in China. They are the most popular international fast food here. McDonald’s followed a few years later. It opened its first store in Beijing on April 23 1992. It was the largest McDonald’s in the world at that time. It served 40000 customers on the first day. Reflect on this piece of culinary history as we see \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Beijing is home to top universities. These are Tsinghua University and Peking University. The city is known as the best destination to study Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Perhaps some of you will return to study here. Think about the opportunities for learning and growth in Beijing beyond \u56db\u53e0\u6c34.
Our time at \u56db\u53e0\u6c34 draws to a close. Beijing is a city of ancient history modern innovation and unique culture. I hope you will carry these stories with you as you continue your journey.nn