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THE
CAPITAL:
Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China, has an area of
16,800 square
kilometers and a population of nearly 13 million. Renowned in the world
as an ancient
capital with a brilliant culture, Beijing has a history of more than
3,000 years and has
been the capital of the Jin - 1115 to 1234, Yuan - 1271 to 1368, Ming -
1368 to 1644 and
Qing - 1644 to 1911 dynasties over 700 years. The rise and fall of the
dynasties left
behind a host of cultural relics and ruins. The city now possesses 2,600
temples, 51
historic sites and 24 key units under the state preservation program.
Beijing is a hub of
transportation and communication in China. Hotels, multi-fare
restaurants and services of
international standards are available here for local and overseas
tourists to Beijing. The
Capital International Airport is 30 kilometers northeast of the city
center.
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THE GREAT
WALL: The most magnificent man-made project on earth,
the Grea t Wall was built 2,500
years ago and stretched more than 6,000 km. It is one
of the most spectacular architectures and fortifications of ancient
China. It was also one
of two structures that astronauts could see from the moon. An ancient
Chinese saying: -You
cannot be called a hero if you have never been to the Great Wall-. You
can only truly
experience the vastness of China and the essence of the Chinese spirit
when you stand on
the Great Wall. The Great Wall is about 70 km from the city centre and
is open from 8:00
am to 5:30 pm.
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THE
FORBIDDEN CITY: The Imperial palace for the emperors
and their families
during the Ming - 1368 to 1644 and Qing - 1644 to 1911 dynasties. The
largest and the most
complete and well preserved among the palaces existing in China now, and
one of the most
sublime and luxurious ancient palatial architectures in the world. The
Forbidden City was
home to 24 emperors in its over 500 years of history. This is also
China's largest
cultural museum, where more than 900,000 pieces of cultural relics and
ancient art are
kept and displayed. Located in the city center, open from 8:30 am to
3:30 pm.
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THE
SUMMER
PALACE: The Summer Palace, a classical imperial garden,
was originally a
temporary abode for Qing royalties during hot summers. They often held
their birthday
celebrations here. Within the Palace are towering hills, meandering
paths and long
corridors. Over 3,000 architectures are scattered among its hills and
around lakes. The
Summer Palace is about 20 km from the city center, open from 6:30 am to
6:00 pm.
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THE
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN: Where emperors of the Ming and Qing
dynasties made
sacrifices and worshipped Heaven. They also performed their prayers for
good harvests
here. The main architectures of the Tiantan Park are the Qinian Hall,
the Imperial
Mausoleum of Emperor Qianlong, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the
Circular Mound Altar.
The famous Echo Wall and Triple-Sound Stones are housed within the
Imperial Vault of
Heaven. Tiantan Park, situated on the south of the city, is open from
6:30 am to 8:00 pm.
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TOUR TO
THE HUTONGS: Special tours can be arranged to the
surviving traditional
residential quarters, which are called Huntong, in Beijing. The Hutongs
are lanes or
alleys that are flanked by quadrangle courtyards. The quadrangle
courtyard is an enclosure
of one-storied houses on four sides. Two thirds of these houses that
existed hundreds of
years have now been replaced by modern buildings. One third, however,
still remain, and
many of the Hutongs with their quadrangles are well preserved. Visitors
may see how the
local peoplet adapt to life in modern times while residing in their
centuries-old
neighbourhoods.
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