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| City of Beijing | |
|---|---|
| Name | Beijing |
| Native name | 北京 |
| Settlement type | Municipality |
| Coordinates | 39°54′N 116°23′E |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | People's Republic of China |
| Established title | Ancient foundations |
| Established date | Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC) |
| Area total km2 | 16808 |
| Population total | 21,893,095 (2020 census) |
| Timezone | China Standard Time (UTC+8) |
City of Beijing Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China and a major global metropolis with millennia of political, cultural, and scientific influence. The municipality has served as an imperial seat under dynasties such as the Yuan dynasty, Ming dynasty, and Qing dynasty and as the national capital during the Republic of China (1912–49) and the contemporary People's Republic of China. Beijing is a nexus linking historic sites like the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven with modern institutions such as the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Tsinghua University, and multinational hubs like Beijing Capital International Airport.
Beijing's urban lineage traces to the state of Yan (state) and the Western Zhou period, later becoming the seat of the Jurchen Jin dynasty and the capital of the Yuan dynasty under Kublai Khan; it was known as Dadu (大都). The Ming dynasty relocated the capital to Beijing, initiating construction of the Forbidden City and city walls, while the Qing dynasty consolidated Beijing as an imperial center until the 1911 Xinhai Revolution ended dynastic rule. In the 20th century Beijing hosted events including the May Fourth Movement, the relocation of the Republic of China (1912–49) capital to Nanjing, the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China at Tiananmen Square, and political campaigns led by figures like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping that reshaped urban life. Beijing staged international milestones—the 2008 Summer Olympics with venues such as the Beijing National Stadium and the 2022 Winter Olympics at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium—while undergoing waves of modernization linked to projects like the South–North Water Transfer Project.
Beijing lies on the North China Plain at the northern tip of the Hebei basin, bounded by the Yanshan Mountains to the north and west and the Bohai Sea region to the east. The municipality's topography includes the Fragrant Hills, Miyun Reservoir, and the Tongzhou District canal network connecting to the Grand Canal. Beijing experiences a monsoon-influenced continental climate classified under the Köppen climate classification as humid continental, with hot, humid summers affected by the East Asian Monsoon and cold, dry winters influenced by the Siberian High. Air quality has been shaped by regional factors including emissions from Hebei industrial zones and mitigation efforts tied to policies like the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan.
Beijing functions as one of four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China, with political authority concentrated in organs including the Beijing Municipal People's Congress and the Beijing Municipal Government. The Central Military Commission and central state institutions such as the State Council and the Supreme People's Court maintain a significant presence in the municipality. Beijing's administrative divisions include urban districts like Dongcheng District, Xicheng District, Chaoyang District, and suburban and rural districts such as Haidian District and Shunyi District, each linked to municipal commissions and agencies responsible for urban planning influenced by national strategies like Made in China 2025.
Beijing hosts headquarters of state-owned enterprises including China National Petroleum Corporation, State Grid Corporation of China, Bank of China, and tech giants such as Baidu, Alibaba Group (regional offices), Tencent (offices), and Lenovo. Key economic zones include the Zhongguancun technology hub, the Beijing Central Business District, and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. Financial services cluster around institutions including the People's Bank of China and stock listings tied to Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange through cross-listing activities. Infrastructure projects such as the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway, the Beijing Daxing International Airport, and the Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed rail enhance connectivity, while utilities and energy systems interface with the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation and regional grids managed by State Grid Corporation of China.
Beijing's population comprises Han majority and minority communities from regions including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Sichuan, with migrant populations linked to economic migration and national initiatives like the Hukou reforms. Language use centers on Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) with Beijing dialect permutations; ethnic cultures contribute via festivals tied to Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, and minority celebrations associated with groups like the Uyghurs and Tibetans. Social services are administered through municipal bodies cooperating with national agencies such as the National Health Commission and educational authorities including the Ministry of Education for population planning and public health campaigns, including past responses coordinated with the World Health Organization during epidemics.
Beijing's cultural heritage includes UNESCO sites like the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), the Temple of Heaven, and nearby sections of the Great Wall of China such as Badaling and Mutianyu. Museums and performing arts institutions range from the National Museum of China and the Capital Museum to theaters like the National Centre for the Performing Arts and venues hosting troupes such as the China National Peking Opera Company. Contemporary cultural scenes cluster in districts like 798 Art District and galleries that exhibit works by artists connected to movements influential in Chinese contemporary art. Culinary traditions showcase dishes from imperial cuisine to street fare including Peking duck at establishments like Quanjude and regional cuisines in markets such as Wangfujing Snack Street. Annual events feature performances tied to entities like the Beijing Music Festival and exhibitions hosted by institutions including the China International Import Expo.
Beijing's transport network integrates air hubs Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, railway nodes including Beijing West railway station, Beijing South railway station, and intercity links on the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway. Urban transit comprises the Beijing Subway—one of the world's busiest—surface bus systems operated by municipal transit bureaus, and expressways such as the Jingjintang Expressway and the Jinghu Expressway. Cycling culture persists alongside ride-hailing platforms like Didi Chuxing and high-speed corridors connecting Beijing with economic centers like Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Beijing is a national academic center hosting universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, and specialized institutes including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Research parks like Zhongguancun and collaborations with international entities such as MIT and Stanford University facilitate technology transfer and joint programs. Cultural and scientific libraries and museums—National Library of China and scientific institutions such as the Institute of High Energy Physics—support scholarship, while national laboratories and projects including the China Spallation Neutron Source underscore Beijing's role in basic and applied research.