Beijing
Information, photos, and much more about Beijing and its tourist attractions
Beijing has many identities: the capital of China and center of its political life, a microcosm of the infinite depth and variety of Chinese culture, a repository of many centuries of history, a dynamic modern city.
BASIC FACTS
Chinese Name: 北京 (pinyin: Běijīng)
Population (2010): 19,612,368
Province: none (independent municipality)
Weather: hot, humid summers; cold, windy, dry winters
BEIJING TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Forbidden City
紫禁城 (Zǐjìnchéng) or 故宫 (Gùgōng)
“The Forbidden City” is a literal translation of the traditional term 紫禁城 (Zǐjìnchéng), but it is most commonly referred to in China by its contemporary name, 故宫 (Gùgōng).
Forbidden City Meridian Gate
The Meridian Gate at the Forbidden City’s south entrance, facing Tiananmen Square
Forbidden City dragon jar
A jar decorated with a dragon and clouds at the Forbidden City’s Gallery of Ceramics in Beijing
Great Wall of China
万里长城 (Wànlǐ Chángchéng)
Many popular and picturesque sections of the Great Wall are located near Beijing, including Mutianyu (慕田峪, Mùtiányù), Simatai (司马台, Sīmǎtái), and Badaling (八达岭, Bādálǐng).
Mutianyu Great Wall watchtower interior
Interior of a watchtower at the Mutianyu Great Wall near Beijing
Simatai Great Wall watchtower window
View through a watchtower window at the Simatai Great Wall near Beijing
Simatai Great Wall watchtower ceiling
Brickwork in a circular watchtower ceiling at the Simatai Great Wall near Beijing
Lama Temple
雍和宫 (Yōnghégōng)
A Tibetan Buddhist temple featuring beautifully detailed architecture and Buddhist artworks, Yonghe Temple (popularly referred to in English as “Lama Temple”) was built in the Qing Dynasty and originally served as the residence of Prince Yong.
Summer Palace
颐和园 (Yíhéyuán)
Outside downtown Beijing on the northwest side of the city, the Summer Palace is a vast park area featuring a lake, a large hill, museums, and imperial architecture.
Longevity Hill and Jade Peak Pagoda
View across Kunming Lake, with the Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill to the right, and Jade Peak Pagoda in the distance
Tower of Buddhist Incense
Looking up at the Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill at the Summer Palace
Kunming Lake and downtown Beijing
View from Longevity Hill across Kunming Lake toward downtown Beijing
Kunming Lake and Jade Peak Pagoda
View from Longevity Hill across Kunming Lake toward Jade Peak Pagoda in the distance
Long Corridor painting
One of more than 14,000 paintings decorating the Summer Palace’s Long Corridor