INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BEIJING

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BEIJING

1. Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Bei means northern, and jing means capital. Beijing literally means the north capital.

2. Beijing is the center of the nation’s politics and international exchanges, and it is also China’s second largest city after Shanghai.

3. Mandarin is the official language in China, and it is mostly based on the Beijing dialect. 

4. The cuisine in Beijing is known as Jing Cuisine, and the popular dishes include Hot and   Sour Soup, Moo Shu Pork, and Peking Duck, which is a roast duck sliced in a very specific way.

5. The chrysanthemum and the Chinese rose are Beijing’s official flowers.

6. Beijing is considered to be the bicycle capital of the world because there are a lot parking lots dedicated to bikes alone.

7. Beijing opera or Peking opera, a traditional form of Chinese theater, is an important part of the Chinese culture. This art form consists of a combination of song, spoken dialogue, and codified action sequences. People practice their opera singing at parks around the city as well as in opera houses.

8. Beijing hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics games with an official logo “Dancing Beijing.” Also, the Chinese athletes won the most gold medals in the 2008 Olympics.

9. The Forbidden City (the huge palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties) consists of 800 buildings, and it is a very popular place for tourists.

10. The history sites in Beijing include the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square (largest city square in the world), and the Forbidden City.