Capital of China | History, Geography, Facts

Capital of China – Beijing, one of the most populous cities (national capitals) in the world is administered within an area of 16,410.5 km squared (6336 sq. mi.) with approx a population of over 21 million. It is the third-largest city. The word Beijing means “The Northern Capital” and is the second-largest city after Shanghai and is the cultural, education, and political center of the country. The city is famous for its stunning architecture which includes tombs, temples, gardens, gates, palaces, and many more. Also, the presence of universities and art centers has made the city the cultural core of the country. 

History of Beijing

The history of Beijing goes back over 3000 years and it is the capital of China for 8 centuries. It was known as the provincial center of the earliest unified empires of China, which were Qin and Han. Also, known as Peking, it was established in 1045 BC and had 16 districts, 289 towns, and villages. In ancient times the city was known as the cradle of humanity and came out to be one of the most important cities in the development of China. This was due to the support it provided to the country financially as all the high-ranking officials and billionaires lived there. 

Beijing has developed many times and now it is the major hub for complete high-speed rail networks, expressways, and national highways. Also, the Beijing Capital Airport is the world’s second-busiest passenger traffic airport and since 2010 it is Asia’s busiest airport too. Dating back to three millennials Beijing is one of the oldest cities in the world and has remained on the list of Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. 

Geography of Beijing

Located in northern China the surface area of Beijing extends over the surface of around 16,411 km squared. Surrounded by mountains in the north, and northwest the city is surrounded by mountains and along with that, it is also shielded by the Great Wall Of China in the west. However, with mountains on all sides, the city has a rather dry climate and is also a bit influenced by a humid continental climate which we can actually characterize as humid and hot summers and cold, dry and windy winters. Although, the months of May and September are considered best for tourism with an average temperature of 26,4 °C to 25,8°C. The months of July and August are also pleasant but the amount of rain in these months increases by an average of 10 days per month. 

Best Tourist Attractions

Beijing is a very beautiful place and the main historical heart of the city lies in the Forbidden City, which is a grand compound and used to be the home for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The city has many ecstatic monuments which include scenic places, such as Zhongnanhai, Beihai, Zhongshan, Jingshan, Zhongnanhai, etc., and along with these, there are numerous parks and imperial gardens. All these monuments are described as masterpieces and very popular tourist places with exceptional historical importance. Apart from these, there are a few very famous temples that provide the people a spiritual escape. These temples include the Temple of the Sun (Ritan), the Temple of Earth (Ditan), and the Temple of the Moon (Yuetan). 

In addition to these temples, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) is also located in Beijing. This place is also famous for a particular reason, which is the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties visit this temple annually for doing ceremonies and prayers for a good harvest. Some other well-known sites include Tanzhe Temple, Tiananmen, the Great Hall of the People, Qianmen, the National Museum of China, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Big Bell Temple, and many more.