The capital city of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Beijing (Peking) is a fast-growing, dynamic metropolis that, while courting foreign businesses and visitors, maintains a firm grip on its rich cultural heritage and a strictly Communist social order. It is a monolithic showcase that can give a distorted view of China to foreign visitors. Beijing is a modern city with high-rise buildings, shopping malls and vast international hotels connected by an intricate freeway system crisscrossing the city. However, the modern buildings conceal traditional hutongs (alley ways), parks, numerous architectural treasure and exquisite yellow-tiled temples whose prayer flags and wind chimes move in the breeze created by the passing traffic. An unmissable experience is a morning visit to one of Beijing's public parks. This is when people let their hair down by indulging in their particular favorite physical activity, be it tai'chi, jogging, singing or even ballroom dancing. The population of Beijing is about 15 million.
Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn. Autumn is a particularly pleasant time to visit as the days are warm and the leaves of the many trees in the city turn glorious shades of red and gold. The heat and humidity of the summers and the biting wind in winter can be extreme.
The local highlights: Chinese Opera, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven,Summer Palace,Badaling Great Wall,Hutong ,Tian'anmen Square,Forbidden City, Ming Tomb(Dingling),Sacred Way and Xiushui Street.