Ancient and Modern Capital In China

Beijing, China's capital city for over 700 years, is rich in history, both ancient and modern. Beijing is home to some of the finest remnants of China's imperial past, most famously the Great Wall of China, China's legendary line of defense; the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palace complex in the world; the Temple of Heaven, fascinating site of imperial worship; and the Summer Palace, a lovely imperial garden. There is also Tian'anmen Square where the People's Republic of China was inaugurated by Chairman Mao, whose body still resides there in its show casket. Beijing has a glorious past, but is by no means stuck in the past. Standing side-by-side with old Beijing's crimson palace complexes are the city's modern buildings, the super-modern Olympic Village, with the Bird’s NestStadium and Water Cube; the dazzling shopping malls in Wangfujing Street and the colorful entertainment center of Houhai. Despite all the changes in recent years, traditional lifestyle has been well-preserved in the oldest neighborhoods of the city — the Hutongs, which are mazes of narrow alleyways and old traditional courtyard houses. A tour by rickshaw through the Hutongs will give travelers a glimpse of old Beijing.