A Look at Beijing
Beijing, China, has been in the news lately since the Winter Olympics are coming up. This week, The Mini Page takes a look at the largest capital city in the world.
Capital
Beijing is the capital of China, which is in Asia. About 21 million people live in Beijing, with about 18 million living in urban districts or suburban townships.
Beijing has a very large number of billionaires living in the city and is known as the “billionaire capital of the world.”
One of the oldest cities in the world, Beijing has a combination of traditional and modern architecture. Gardens, palaces, temples, parks and tombs are spread through the city. Some popular tourist stops are the Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Zhoukoudian, and sections of the Great Wall and Grand Canal. These places are all also United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites.
The history of the city goes back three millennia, or 3,000 years.
Transportation
The subway is a popular way to travel in Beijing. The network of subways is the longest and busiest in the entire world. Beijing Subway is made up of 23 lines that span 434.5 miles, and it has more than 404 stations. And it’s still expanding!
Public buses, trolleys, bicycles, taxis and pedicabs are also popular modes, or types, of transportation. A pedicab is a three-wheeled vehicle that is operated by a person who pedals. It has room for passengers to sit in a small carriage that is attached.
Names
“Beijing” is the 16th name of the city. Many people have sought power throughout Beijing’s long history, and because of this, it has had many names.
The name “Beijing” means “Northern Capital,” and it was given this title in 1403 to differentiate it from Nanjing, the Southern Capital, by the Ming dynasty.
The the city was originally called “Ji,” or “Jicheng.” Other former names of the city are: Dadu (The Great Capital); Yanjing (The Yan Capital); Zhongdu (The Central Capital); and Beiping (Central Peace).