Beijing literally means 'Northern
Capital' and is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the
capital of bureaucrats. The whole country runs on Beijing time and speaks
the Beijing dialect reflecting upon the importance of the city and its
impact on the entire nation. The city is the political and commercial centre
of China from where the Chinese Communist Party rules over its enormous
empire.
Today Beijing is a modern city with the usual high rising buildings and
shopping malls but definitely retains its oriental touch. Beijing, the
starting point to visit the great wall also houses the buildings based on
Chinese architecture.
Fact File
Country : China
Population : 12.6 million
Area : 750 sq km
Languages : The official language is Mandarin
Climate
: Extremely diverse, from tropical in the south to sub-arctic in the
north. Beijing has a continental monsoon climate with clear-cut seasons.
Spring is dry and windy. Summer is hot and humid. Autumn offers the best
weather, with generous sunshine. In winter, the city is severely affected by
freezing winds from Siberia.
Official Currency : Chinese Yuan(CY); 1 CY = 5.2633 Indian Rupee =
0.1203 US $ = 0.1001 Euro (subject to change).
Location : Beijing lies in the north-west of the North China plain,
not far from the Western slopes of the mountains of Yanshan, and about
150km/93 miles from the Bohai Sea.
Getting There
By Air : Beijing Capital International Airport is one of China's
major gateways. It is 26 km. (about 40 minutes' ride) from the city center.
Getting Around
By Road : An efficient bus service operates in the city to provide
an excellent service to the passengers. Besides this, there other means of
transportation namely hired cars and taxis which are readily available in
the city.
Accommodation
The city has very good hotels to ensure a comfortable stay for the
tourists. Mentioned below is a list of some of the best hotels in the city:
5 star hotels in the city:
Hotel Crowne Plaza
Hotel Tianhong Plaza
Celebrity International Grand Hotel
Hotel Yanshan
4 star hotels in the city:
Shangri La’s Kerry Centre
The Peninsula palace
Hotel New World Jing Guang
Hotel Crowne Plaza
3 star hotels in the city:
Hotel Fragrant Hill
The St. Regis Hotel
Major Tourist attractions
Forbidden
City : It is the best preserved group of ancient buildings in China
where the old world of beautiful concubines and priapic emperors, eunuchs
and conspicuous wealth still lingers around the lush gardens, lovely
courtyards, pavilions and great halls of the palace.
Lama Temple : This largest temple of Beijing is an enlightening
sight, decorated with great statuary, amazing frescoes, tapestries,
matchless carpentry and a fearful pair of Chinese lions. Perhaps most
notable of all is an 18m (60ft)high sandalwood statue of the Maitreya
(future) Buddha in the Wanfu Pavilion, scooped out from a single tree.
Summer Palace : This empire of palace temples, gardens, pavilions,
lakes and corridors was once a playground for the imperial court. The Summer
Palace with its exquisite features - water, gardens and hills - was the
palace of choice for vacationing emperors and Dowager Empresses.
Temple of Heaven Park : Known for its classic Ming, the name has now
been used to brand products from tiger balm to plumbing fixtures, as well as
decorating a plethora of tourist literature. The Temple of Heaven is
situated in a 267-hectare (660-acre) park, with four gates at the cardinal
points, and walls to the north and east. The park is an important meeting
place where many city dwellers start the day with a spot of t'ai chi,
dancing or game-playing in the park.
The Great Wall of China : The Great Wall has gone through a few
restorations in its time. Originally erected 2000 years ago by the Qing
dynasty, it was a 'No Trespassing' sign directed at neighbouring kingdoms
during those days. For centuries after that it remained neglected and
forgotten until 18th-century Europeans took steps to restore it.
