CHINA: Beijing
Beijing, Wade-Giles romanization Pei-ching, conventional Peking, city, province-level shi (municipality), and capital of the People’s Republic of China. Few cities in the world have served for so long as the political headquarters and cultural centre of an area as immense as China. The city has been an integral part of China’s history over the past eight centuries, and nearly every major building of any age in Beijing has at least some national historical significance. The importance of Beijing thus makes it impossible to understand China without a knowledge of this city.
More than 2,000 years ago, a site north of present-day Beijing was already an important military and trading centre for the northeastern frontier of China. In 1267, during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368), a new city built northeast of the old—called Dadu—became the administrative capital of China. During the first five decades of the subsequent Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Nanjing (Nanking) was the capital, and the old Mongol capital was renamed Beiping (Pei-p’ing; “Northern Peace”); the third Ming emperor, however, restored it as the imperial seat of the dynasty and gave it a new name, Beijing (“Northern Capital”). Beijing has remained the capital of China except for a brief period (1928–49) when the Nationalist government again made Nanjing the capital (although the capital was removed to Chongqing [Chungking] during World War II); during that time Beijing once again resumed the old name Beiping.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
Read MoreMore than 2,000 years ago, a site north of present-day Beijing was already an important military and trading centre for the northeastern frontier of China. In 1267, during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368), a new city built northeast of the old—called Dadu—became the administrative capital of China. During the first five decades of the subsequent Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Nanjing (Nanking) was the capital, and the old Mongol capital was renamed Beiping (Pei-p’ing; “Northern Peace”); the third Ming emperor, however, restored it as the imperial seat of the dynasty and gave it a new name, Beijing (“Northern Capital”). Beijing has remained the capital of China except for a brief period (1928–49) when the Nationalist government again made Nanjing the capital (although the capital was removed to Chongqing [Chungking] during World War II); during that time Beijing once again resumed the old name Beiping.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
