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Beijing: Cities
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If Shanghai can be compared to New York City, then Beijing is comparable to Washington, DC. History abounds in Beijing. Beijing has been the home of three major Chinese dynasties for the past 1000 years.
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Ming Tombs are the general names for the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), located 50 kilometers north from Beijing City. They were buried in elaborate complexes in the valley. Tomb constructions began here in 1409 and continued for 2 centuries. The valley was sealed off by a red gate at its only entrance, guards were posted to keep out the people, and no one, not even the emperor, could ride a horse on these grounds. The site of this huge cemetery was chosen by the emperor, Yongle, who oversaw the construction of the Forbidden City. The tombs reflect a similar conception of Imperial architecture, consisting of walls, gates, courtyards, stairways, and elaborate pavilions with roofs of yellow tiles (yellow being the color of emperors).
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Beijing reflects, better than anywhere, the splendid culture of Chinese history. The Tiananmen Square,the Ming Tomb, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Lama Temple, the Peking Opera and even the tiny Hutongs can offer a step back in time to the Beijing of a hundred or more years ago, guiding you to the inside of Chinese history and culture. They are so mysterious that the more is revealed, the less you understand.
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Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China is the nation's political, cultural, scientific and educational heart as well as a key transportation hub. Beijing has served as the capital of the country for more than 800 years dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. The city has many places of historic interest and scenic beauty, including the Forbidden City -- the largest and best preserved ancient architectural complex in the world; the Temple of Heaven - where Ming and Qing emperors performed solemn rituals for bountiful harvests; the Summer Palace -- the emperors' magnificent garden retreat; the Ming tombs -- the stately and majestic mausoleums of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors; and the world-renowned and genuinely inspiring Badaling section of the Great Wall. Large-scale construction has brought great changes to Beijing since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 which has added many new attractions to this mysterious old city
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Beijing, a modern capital city with a fantastic historical background, always gives you much more than you expected. There is so much to see, to do and to feel in Beijing that you really need to select. But anyway, that is already one reason to come back to Beijing for a next visit.
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Beihai (North Sea) Park is one of the most popular parks in the city of Beijing. It covers a total area of over 68 hectares, more than half of it is taken up by the lake. Early in the 10th century, the Liao Dynasty built a secondary imperial residence here, called Yaoyu or Jade Islet. When the Jin took over, they renamed the capital Zhongdu, meaning Central Capital, and built an imperial palace. Qionghua (Jade Flowery) Islet was built of earth dug out from the lake, and the rocks used for piling on the hill were brought from Kaifeng, Henan Province. During the Yuan Dynasty, the place was rebuilt three times, and Guanghandian or the Palace in the Moon where Kublai Khan used to live and many other palace buildings were built on top of the hill.
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