“Northern Capital” Beijing was not always called Beijing. Let’s explore the history connected with this place. Today we are standing in front of the \u6559\u56fe\u697c. Beijing’s history stretches back 3000 years. It is one of the oldest cities in the world.
Beijing has been the capital to six notable Chinese governments. China has been ruled from Beijing for over 700 years. That’s why there are so many historical sites to explore.
Before settling on the name “Beijing” in 1403 the city had many names. It was called Jicheng. It was also known as Yanjing Nanjing Zhongdu Dadu and Beiping. “Beijing” means “Northern Capital”. It was the 16th name given to the city.
Beijing is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They include the Great Wall the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. You can also visit the Temple of Heaven and the Ming Tombs. Do not forget the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian and the Grand Canal.
Beijing is a cultural hub of China. It offers unique architecture arts and cuisine. A Beijing culture tour is not complete without imperial architecture. Think about the Forbidden City and the narrow hutong lanes. They are lined with traditional courtyard houses. Enjoy performing arts like Beijing opera and Beijing cuisine like roast duck. Experience Chinese culture through the lens of its capital.
Beijing is China’s second-largest city. Beijing Municipality has a population of almost 22.5 million. It is located in an area of 16800 square kilometers. It is important to plan your time in Beijing well. The crowds and traffic congestion can be challenging.
Beijing is the number one China gateway city. Beijing Capital International Airport is the world’s second-busiest airport. It is often used as the entry and exit airport for China.
Fresh stories of Beijing’s long history are emerging. Archaeologists are working hard. Details of new discoveries are being released. They span 2000 years from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.
The city’s stint as the national capital began 871 years ago. The Jin Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing in 1153. They called it Zhongdu meaning the central capital. It was located mainly in today’s Xicheng and Fengtai districts.
A recent discovery is a gate from the Jin Zhongdu era. This is archaeologists’ first discovery of a Jin Zhongdu gate. It is also their first time excavating one. It’s a rare example of a large-scale building foundation discovered with its structure intact.
The gate is composed of two piers. They are on the eastern and western sides of a six-meter doorway. It reveals traces of wheels and hoofs. This suggests the coming and going of carriages and people on horseback. Outside the gate is a horseshoe-shaped wengcheng. It is a defensive enclosure often built out of city gates in ancient China.
Inside the city the remains of two streets have been discovered. The rulers of the Jin Dynasty were the Jurchen people. They were nomads from what is now northeastern China. They used many Confucian ideas from the Central Plains in the building of Zhongdu.
They built gates for the city. Their names included the characters for ren yi li and zhi. These are basic moral principles advocated by Confucianism. Among them was a southern gate called the Duanli Gate.
The location of the discovery accords with historical records. Its shape and size all suggest that it was the Duanli Gate. In the past understanding of Jin Zhongdu was limited. It was based on literature and a few archaeological discoveries. The study of an ancient city is not complete before finding its gates and streets.
The discovery was testimony to Beijing’s history. It has been a capital for more than 870 years. Beijing has a history of about 3000 years. It is one of the four ancient cities of China. It is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. It features a large number of cultural and historic legacies.