Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to Běijīng
As the capital of the country set to dominate the 21st century,
Běijīng is a city intoxicated by the spirit of change.
Food Heaven
Food is an obsession for the Chinese and the dazzling array of different dishes you'll en-
counter in Běijīng reflects the sheer joy locals take in eating. Dining out is the main social
activity; it's in restaurants that Beijingers hang out with friends, romance each other, hold
family reunions and do business. You'll swiftly succumb to the delights of eating Běijīng-
style. Apart from what's on the local menu - succulent Peking duck, delicious dumplings,
awesome hotpot - there's food from every corner of China in the capital. Whether you
want to sample fiery Sìchuān dishes, the Central Asian-inspired Uighur cuisine or the del-
icate flavours of the southwest, there's a restaurant serving it here.
Imperial Delights
No other city in China can match the extraordinary historical panorama on display in
Běijīng. At its heart is the magnificent Forbidden City, a royal palace on a scale that beg-
gars belief. Běijīng is also home to sublime temples that aspire to cosmological perfection,
while the city centre is crisscrossed by the enchanting hútòng, ancient alleyways that teem
with life, as they did hundreds of years ago. As if that's not enough, the majestic Great
Wall snakes its way across the hills north of town.
Architectural Ambition
The locals think they live at the centre of the world, and the jaw-dropping structures that
line their streets are a very visible sign that Běijīng is not shy about proclaiming its status
as China's capital. Some of the world's most innovative modern buildings have sprung up
here over the last few years, as leading architects vie for the chance to make their mark on
the new global powerhouse. Like the temples and palaces of the ancient past, and the vast
and imposing socialist realist monuments of the 1950s, the latest additions are built on a
scale that screams 'look at me'.
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