Sight-seeing in Beijing

About Great Wall

The construction of the Great Wall started during the Warring States Period on 7th century B.C, it had a history of more than 2,500 years. Many dukedoms built walls in Central China to protect themselfs and their northern territories. When Qin Shihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history, unified China and established the first centralised feudal state in China, he decided to have the walls linked up and extended ...

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About the Forbidden City

Located in the centre of urban Beijing, it was formly called Forbidden City and served as the residence of the Ming and Qing Emperors. It is the Largest and best preserved extant group of ancient architecture in the world. Built in 1420 in the Ming Dynasty, it had been the centre of the feudal rule in China till the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. The site has been listed in the World Heritage by UNESCO. Covering an area of 72 hectares ...

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About The Ming Tombs

Situated at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping County, to the northwest of urban Beijing, this is the best preserved group of imperial tombs buried with the most emperors. Occupying an area of 40 sq km, it is a beautiful stone archway, behind it is the diving road flanked by 18 pairs of vivid stone human figures and animal. Changping, the burial place of Emperor Yongle (1403-1427) and his empress, is the largest tomb on the ground ...

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About Summer Palace

Located in the northwest suburb of Beijing, this is China's best preserved imperial garden famous for its scenery and cultural relice. It consists mainly of Wanshou (Longevity) Hill and Kunming Lake. The garden was burned by the allied British-French troops in 1860. From 1885 to 1895, Empress Dowager Ci'xi (1835-1908) of the Qing Dynasty had it restored with fund intended for naval development. Since Dowager Ci'xi lived and attended to the state affairs here during the summers, the place also derived the name of Summer Palace. ...

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About Temple of Heaven

Located in the Southern part of urban Beijing, this was where the Ming and Qing emperors went to worship Heaven and pray for better harvest. With an area of 270 hectares, Temple of Heaven counts as the world's largest extant group of temple buildings. Its distinct architectural design and pattern represents the ancient belief of round heaven, square earth, and the supreme imperial power. The 38 m high Qinian Hall is a circular structure resting on a triple-tiered round terrace of white marble, with a three-eaved round top ...

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About Tian'anmen Square and its Surroundings

At the very heart of Beijing, sits Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. This vast space, measuring 40 hectares, has a historical significance to rival its size. Enlarged in the 1960s, Tian'anmen Square now measures 880 meters from north to south, 500 meters from east to west and can accommodate up to one million people. Classical Beijing planning however, didn't permit public squares. They were seen largely as dangerous places where crowds could gather and diverted attention and focus away from the Emperor. ...

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--From "Guide Professionally In Beijing"
--Yuan Zuwen