A Snapshot
Beijing is a huge sprawling city and home to over 12 million people. Having been the capital city of both Imperial and Modern China, it has a fantastic collection of sights and walking along the Great Wall or standing atop The Gate of Heavenly Peace from where Mao declared China as The People's Republic and looking out over the enormous Tiananmen Square are experiences that will never be forgotten. The Forbidden City is equally as memorable and if you find a quiet corner to soak up its atmosphere your imagination can easily transport you back to the days of Imperial China. Today, Beijing is gearing up to be the host of the 2008 Olympic Games.

History
Settlements from the Neolithic ages have been found around Beijing (meaning: Northern Capital) though the earliest documented evidence of settlement is from about BC 1000 when what is modern day Beijing was a frontier settlement straddling the agricultural lands to the south and the mountainous wastes to the north.

Beijing's real beginning was in 1215 when the Mongol forces pushed their way into China and under the command of Genghis Khan established it as their capital city and connected it with the Grand Canal, so that goods could flow north and help to further enrich the Mongol invaders. With the beginnings of the Ming Dynasty so Beijing's days of glory really started. The Ming Emperors built lavish palaces and monuments whilst at the same time, fearing another invasion from the Mongols, fortified the Great Wall.

The Imperial Palace, completed in 1420, became the centre for China's Imperial rule and from where the Emperors, believing themselves to be the 'Sons of Heaven', established their elaborate court and palace ceremonies. The Ming Emperors increasingly closed China to foreigners and entrenched themselves behind their high walls, levying enormous taxes so as to fund their lavish lifestyles. Beijing's days of imperial glory continued under the Qing Dynasty and elaborate palace procedures only became more complex.

The feared Empress Cixi, who ruled over a crumbling and dissatisfied country was effectively China's last Emperor and the instalment of the three year old PuYi in 1908 was, with hindsight, no more than ceremonial. Since the fall of the Imperial line, Beijing saw more turmoil, particularly in the years after 1949, with the establishment of The People's Republic. Beijing was Mao's capital and from where he ruled with a rod of iron. The many Communist era monuments, such as Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People, are testament to the control wielded by the Party.

Today Beijing is an increasingly modern city with old dwellings being knocked down to make way for urban development - generally in the form of subways and high-rise apartment buildings. Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympics has come hand-in-hand with a promise from city authorities to help clear up pollution problems, plant more trees and to generally make the city more liveable.

Other
Beijing is a large city and traffic can at times be very heavy. The transfer from the Airport generally takes between 45 and 60 minutes.

Taxi's are cheap and plentiful though please ensure you have your various destinations and the hotel name/address written in Chinese before setting off.

Beijing has a seasonal but generally dry climate with summer temperatures being hot and winter temperatures cold. July and August can be humid whilst January, February and December can be very cold especially when a north wind is blowing. Bring appropriate clothing though don't discount a mid-winter visit to this magnificent city as it is wonderfully empty of 'tourists'.