Beijing. The City and People. Economy

Beijing, bay jihng (pop. 7,362,426), is the capital and second largest city of China. Only Shanghai has more people. The city's name is also spelled Peking (pronounced pee KIHNG). Beijing is famous for its beautiful palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates. Its art treasures and universities have long made the city China's cultural center. The Chinese Communists, who came to power in 1949, also made Beijing a leading industrial city. Beijing lies on a plain in northern China, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) inland from the Gulf of Zhili (also called the Po Hai Gulf or Bohai Gulf).

Beijing has been a center of government in China off and on for more than 2,000 years. Many rulers, including Mongol, Ming, and Manchu emperors, built palaces and temples in Beijing. Today, China's central government leaders live and work in Beijing.

Beijing's Forbidden City includes palaces where China's emperors used to live. Chinese Communists use one of the palace courtyards to practice for a parade, above

The city. Beijing is part of the Beijing special municipal district, which has a population of about 11 million. The district consists of the central city, called the Old City; a series of suburbs; and farmland beyond.

The Old City consists of two large, rectangular areas called the Inner Cityand the Outer City. Walls once surrounded both areas. They are gradually being torn down, but roads and subways follow the original boundaries of the Old City.

The Forbidden City and the Imperial City live within the Inner City. The Forbidden City includes palaces of former Chinese emperors. It is so called because only the emperor's household could enter it. The buildings in this part of Beijing are now preserved as museums. The Imperial City surrounds the Forbidden City. It includes lakes, parks, and the residences of China's Communist leaders. The Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) stands at the southern edge of the Imperial City. This gate overlooks Tiananmen Square, where parades and fireworks displays take place on national holidays. The Great Hall of the People—China's parliament building—and the Museum of the Revolution and the Historical Museum border the square.

Beijing. The municipality of Beijing, shown below, lies in Hebei province, but is administered as a special district. The map at the right shows many of Beijing's historical and architectural landmarks

Commercial areas, residential areas, and parks make up much of Beijing's Outer City. The Temple of Heaven stands at the southern end of the Outer City. Chinese emperors used to go there to pray for a good harvest. The Summer Palace, where many of China's emperors lived during the summer, and tombs of Ming emperors lie northwest of the Old City of Beijing. Part of the Great Wall of China runs just north of Beijing.

In Beijing, as in cities elsewhere, many of the houses are old. Many people in the Old City live in one-story houses that border narrow, tree-lined alleys called hutongs. The hutongs branch out from the main boulevards. Peddlers walk up and down the hutongs selling such foods as fish, noodle soup, and vegetables. Suburbs to the north and northwest have many new apartment buildings. The Communists have built factories in the suburbs east and south of the Old City. Beijing and Qinghua universities are located in the northwest suburbs.

Carved stone gateways lead to a garden near Beijing's Temple of Heaven. Many buildings in Beijing have stone carvings

People. Most of Beijing's people belong to the Chinese nationality called Han, which is the largest ethnic group in the country (see China [Nationalities]). Some Manchus and Mongols also live in the city. Most of the minority people in Beijing have adopted the customs and clothing of the Han people. Nearly all the people speak Northern Chinese (Mandarin), China's official language.

Education and cultural life. Nearly all children in Beijing go to elementary school. Most of them attend secondary school for at least a year. Beijing has more than 30 colleges, universities, and technical schools.

The National Library in Beijing is the largest in China. The city has more than 25 theaters. Beijing opera and ballet companies perform throughout China.

Economy. The Communists built many factories in Beijing after they took over. Beijing's factories produce chemicals, electronic equipment, farm machinery, iron and steel, and textiles. Coal mines in the city provide one of the raw materials of steel. Craft workers in Beijing make porcelain, tapestries, and tiles.

There are many farms in Beijing outside the Old City. The farmers grow cotton, fruits, grains, and vegetables. They raise ducks, fish, and pigs. They also make light industrial products, such as baskets and furniture.

Government. Beijing lies in Hebei Province, but its government is independent of the provincial government. The Chinese Communist Party establishes government policies, and local leaders carry them out.