9781422283592

MA J O R World Cities

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BEIJING

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Words in bold are explained in the glossary on pages 46 and 47.

MA J O R World Cities BEIJING BERLIN

LONDON MOSCOW NEW YORK

PARIS ROME SYDNEY

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CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Maps of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6-7 Beijing’s early history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 20th-century Beijing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 The people of Beijing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Architecture .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Open spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 Homes and housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 Religion .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 Industry and agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Crime and punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 Getting around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-29 Shops and markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31 Food and drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35 Museums and galleries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Special events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 City characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41 Beijing’s future .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-43 Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44-45 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46-47 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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INTRODUCTION The city of Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China and stands in the northeast of the country. Its urban area covers just over 528 square miles

(about 1,300 square kilometers), but the municipality is about 6,336 square miles (16,800 square kilometers) and contains more than 21 million people. Beijing is the country’s political and cultural heart, even though it is only the second largest city. The largest is Shanghai, further south, with a population of more than 15 million.

Beijing is a striking mix of old and new. In this view of the capital, the palaces of the 15th-century Forbidden City stand in front of towering modern skyscrapers.

City layout The center of modern Beijing is known as the Old City. It is symmetrical , and divided into two parts, called the Inner City and the Outer City. Both were once enclosed in high walls. The Inner City was built in the 15th century. This area contains the Forbidden City, a collection of palaces where China’s emperors lived, and the Imperial City, where nobles lived. The 16th-century Outer City, to the south, was built for ordinary people.

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Building boom A Communist government came to power in China in 1949 (see page 11). Under its rule, Beijing rapidly expanded beyond the Inner and Outer Cities. Builders knocked down the old city walls and other ancient structures. They created large numbers of new buildings, including high- rise tower blocks and factories. Building and demolition work still goes on all day and night. Local government Beijing is an independent municipality, one of four in China. Its central area is divided into ten districts and the countryside around is divided into eight counties. Beijing is run by a group called a Congress, chosen by the Chinese Communist Party. Congress members elect the city government.

FAST FACTS BEIJING STATUS Capital of the People’s Republic of China; one of China’s four independent municipalities AREA (municipality) 6,336 square miles (16,800 square km) POPULATION 21,150,000 (2013) GOVERNING BODY People’s Congress of Beijing Municipality; Beijing People’s Government CLIMATE Temperatures average 14 to 34°F (-10 to 1°C) in January and 70 to 88°F (21 to 31°C) in July TIME ZONE Greenwich Mean Time plus 8 hours CURRENCY Renminbi (People’s Money ) I yuan = 10 jiao = 100 fen

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese)

The Zhongnanhai compound is guarded by soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army. ⌂

National government China’s national government is based in Beijing. Its members belong to the Chinese Communist Party. The government meets in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square (see page 14). Top government members live in the Zhongnanhai compound. This is known as the New Forbidden City because the public are not allowed inside.

⌂ Heavy downpours of warm rain are common during Beijing summers, but the city’s many cyclists are well prepared.

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MAPS OF THE CITY These maps show you Beijing as it is today. The street map shows you where many of the buildings, parks, and other places mentioned in this book are located. The inset map gives a closer view of the halls and palaces of the Forbidden City, at the very center of the Chinese capital.

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THE FORBIDDEN CITY

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Temple of the White Cloud Niujie Mosque Natural History Museum Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Liulichang Street Dazhalan Hutong South Cathedral Beijing Concert Hall

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Great Hall of the People Qianmen (Front Gate) Mao Zedong Mausoleum Monument to the People’s Heroes Tiananmen Square Museum of Chinese History and Revolution

The Forbidden City Zhongnanhai area Beihai (North Lake) Park Jade Island

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Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) Wumen (Meridian Gate) Hall of Supreme Harmony Hall of Middle Harmony Hall of Preserving Harmony Hall of Mental Cultivation Palace of Heavenly Purity Hall of Union Palace of Earthly Tranquility Hall of Clocks Hall of Jewellery Palace Moat

White Dagoba Jingshan Park Beijing Zoo Beijing Exhibition Center Theatre Confucius Temple Lama Temple China Art Gallery Dongsi Mosque

10 11 12

Jianguomenwai area Ancient Observatory Main Railway Station

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BEIJING’S EARLY HISTORY The area of China where Beijing now stands became important because

Invaders from the north In the 10th century bce , northern China was invaded by the Khitan . They took over the city, made it their second capital, and called it Yanjing. In the 12th century the Khitan were defeated by another tribe from the north, the Jurchen . They made the city their capital and renamed it Zhongdu. In 1215 Zhongdu was burned to the ground by the Mongols , led by the mighty Genghis Khan .

it was a meeting place for traders. The first city grew up there about 2,500 years ago. It was destroyed in the 3rd century bce, and a new city was built. For centuries afterwards the Chinese fought northern nomads for control of the area, and the city changed hands, and names, several times.

Khubilai Khan was Emperor of China from 1279 until 1294. He died in 1295 and his body was taken back to Mongolia. No one knows where he was buried.

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Mongol rule In 1266 Khubilai Khan, grandson of Genghis, began to build a new city just north of where Zhongdu had stood. It became the capital of the Mongol Empire. The city had two names—Dadu, Chinese for “Great Capital”; and Khanbalik, Mongolian for “City of the Khan.” Its Imperial Palace and other grand buildings made it a splendid sight. The Italian traveller Marco Polo carried reports of its magnificence back to Europe. Khubilai Khan also founded the Yuan dynasty , which ruled China from 1279 to 1368.

⌂ This painting on silk shows the Forbidden City’s magnificent palaces and courtyards. They were built by 200,000 workers.

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In the 18th century, demand grew in the

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West for Chinese goods such as tea. China limited trade and made all foreign merchants live in the port of Guangzhou (Canton). This painting shows the Danish, British, and Dutch embassies there.

The Ming dynasty In August 1368 Chinese rebels drove the Mongols from Dadu. The rebels then set up the Ming dynasty and moved the capital city south to Nanjing. The Ming emperor Yongle came to power in 1403. He wanted to move back to northern China, to keep a watchful eye on the Mongols over the border. So in 1406 construction work began on a new city just south of Dadu. The Forbidden City and many other structures that make up Beijing’s Old City were then built. In 1421 Yongle moved in, and the city became known as Beijing, meaning “Northern Capital.”

The Qing dynasty In 1644 the Manchus invaded China, drove out the Ming, and set up the Qing dynasty. The Qing emperors constructed many new buildings in Beijing, in places such as the Summer Palace (see page 17). They treated Chinese people badly, and only Manchus were allowed to live in the Inner City.

War and rebellion At first Qing rule brought peace and wealth to China. But by the 19th century, the dynasty was corrupt and weak. The Chinese were defeated by Europeans in the Opium Wars , while the Qing rulers were almost toppled by the Taiping Rebellion . In 1895 Japan defeated China in war. Meanwhile, countries such as Britain began to take over Chinese land and industry. But Dowager Empress Cixi did not allow any reforms to be made.

The Taiping Rebellion lasted from 1850 to 1864. The British and French helped the imperial army defeat the rebels. ⌂

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20 th -CENTURY BEIJING In 1900 a group of Chinese peasants known as the Boxers decided to end foreign interference in China. They went to Beijing, surrounded its embassies and killed many people. The siege lasted 55 days, ending only when a force of 20,000 foreign troops came to the rescue. The Qing then

had to pay a huge fine and give more rights to foreigners. From empire to republic

Despite reforms, the Qing remained weak. In 1908 they grew weaker when Cixi died and was replaced by Puyi, a three-year-old boy. Meanwhile, reformers led by Dr Sun Yat-sen were plotting to end the empire. Sun’s chance came in 1911 when revolts broke out. He took over and, in 1912, set up a republican government in Beijing, with himself as president.

⌂ These Boxers were captured by American cavalry troops during the rebellion. The troops are just visible in the background.

Republican failures Sun Yat-sen was unable to restore order in China, so he gave up the presidency. Rival warlords began to fight in the north, and Beijing fell into decay. Republican rule also failed to end foreign influence. After the First World War (1914–18), areas of German land in China were given to Japan. This led to protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. Communist ideas began to spread, and then, in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was founded.

The reign of the child-emperor Puyi came to an end in 1911, but he lived in the Forbidden City until 1924. ⌂

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The People’s Republic In 1937 the Japanese army attacked Beijing and took over the city until the end of the Second World War . The Kuomintang returned to power after the war, but fighting began between Nationalists and Communists. The Communists won. On October 1, 1949, their leader, Mao Zedong, proclaimed the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in Tiananmen Square. Communist government Under Communist rule, Beijing became China’s capital again. Tiananmen Square was rebuilt and has been the site of many events, including ceremonies to mark the death of Mao in 1976. In 1989 a pro- democracy demonstration took place there, when the army killed many protesters. Communist rule continues under new President Jiang Zemin. But Beijing is changing fast.

In this 1949 poster, Mao Zedong stands in front of the five-starred flag of the People’s Republic of China and the hammer-and- sickle flag that represents Communism. ⌂

Civil war In 1923 Sun Yat-sen and his Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) set up a government in the southern port of Guangzhou. When Sun died in 1925, Chiang Kai-shek took over. He led Nationalist and Communist troops north, hoping to defeat the warlords and unify the country. Instead, civil war broke out between the Nationalists and Communists. In 1928 Chiang seized power from the warlords in Beijing. He set up a government in Nanjing, to the south, which became China’s capital.

The 1989 demonstrations in Tiananmen Square were led by students. After six weeks, people watching television all over the world saw the People’s Liberation Army crush the peaceful protests. ⌂

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THE PEOPLE OF BEIJING

In 1949, when the Communists took power in China, only about one million

people lived in Beijing. Since then, millions more have poured into the city to work in its new government offices and industries. In the early Communist years, the population grew because Mao Zedong encouraged people to have many children to make China strong. Now the government is trying to stop Beijing’s population of about 21 million from growing any larger. Population control The government decided to stop population growth in Beijing, and in China as a whole, because it feared that farmers would not be able to grow enough food for all the people. So in the late 1970s, the government ruled that people could have only one child. It was not until 2016, with much of the population growing older and leaving the work force, that the government changed its policy to two children per family.

After nearly four decades, China’s one-child policy was relaxed in 2016.

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Old and young There is a growing difference between the lifestyles of the old and young in Beijing. Many people who grew up in the Mao years cling to strict Communist ways. They work hard and do not spend money on luxuries. Most walk or cycle around Beijing, and dress in plain, dark clothes. Young people are making the most of Beijing’s growing wealth. Many buy fashionable clothes and drive cars.

These women are doing their morning dance exercises in the Temple of Heaven park. ⌂

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Population mix About 96 percent of people living in Beijing are ethnic Chinese , known as Han-Chinese. Members of China’s 55 minority groups also live in the city. The Hui (Chinese people who converted to Islam in the 10th century ad ) are one of the largest minority groups in Beijing. More than 400,000 of them live in the city. Their main place of worship is the Niujie Mosque (see page 23). There are two other large minority groups in Beijing: the Manchu s and the Mongols .

BEIJING MAN

People have lived in the Beijing region for thousands of years. In 1929 a skull was found near Zhoukoudian, about 34 miles (55 km) from central Beijing. It belonged to a member of an early human species and was about half a million years old. The species is now known as Beijing Man. The model above shows what a member of the species probably looked like.

⌂ People from East and West now more commonly meet and conduct business in Beijing than ever before.

Newcomers In the Mao years, people from the countryside were not allowed to move to cities. Now many waidiren (people from outside towns) come to Beijing looking for work. China also opened up to foreigners after Mao’s death, so Beijing contains a growing number of foreign business people. The government did not like the Chinese to come into contact with foreigners and their democratic ideas, and the two groups still live in separate areas.

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ARCHITECTURE Beijing’s Forbidden City is one of the architectural masterpieces of the world. Many other amazing structures are scattered among the busy streets of the capital, as well as in the surrounding countryside.

The Forbidden City The Forbidden City, once the private domain of the emperors, was built from 1406 to 1421. Its 800 buildings cover about 250 acres (101 hectares) and are enclosed by a moat and a high wall. The Outer Court contains the Halls of Supreme Harmony, Middle Harmony, and Preserving Harmony, where the emperors carried out public duties. The Inner Court contains the Palace of Heavenly

Purity, where the emperors lived, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and the Hall of Union.

This statue outside the Mao Zedong Mausoleum shows young people marching onwards to serve Communism. ⌂

This entrance is part of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, which contained the bedroom of the Ming emperors. ⌂

Tiananmen Square Tiananmen (The Gate of Heavenly Peace) is south of the Forbidden City and leads into Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world. Standing here is the Monument to the People’s Heroes, dedicated to the soldiers who died fighting for the Communist revolution. Also here are The Great Hall of the People and the Mao Zedong Mausoleum.

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