Table of Contents
Fast Facts
Quizzes
Beijing
national capital, China
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Recent News
Jun. 6, 2023, 11:46 PM ET (AP)
Senior US, Chinese diplomats hold 'candid' talks to avoid escalation of tensions
Jun. 4, 2023, 8:42 PM ET (AP)
China tightens access to Tiananmen Square, 32 detained in Hong Kong on anniversary of 1989 protests
Jun. 4, 2023, 11:32 AM ET (AP)
China defends buzzing American warship in Taiwan Strait, accuses US of provoking Beijing
Jun. 3, 2023, 9:26 PM ET (AP)
Hong Kong detains 8 people on eve of Tiananmen Square anniversary
Jun. 3, 2023, 1:44 PM ET (AP)
US defense secretary says Washington won't stand for 'coercion and bullying' from China
Top Questions
What Chinese language is spoken in Beijing?
What UNESCO World Heritage site is found at the heart of Beijing?
What is the former name of Beijing?
How long has Beijing been the capital of China?
When did Beijing host the Summer Olympics?
Beijing, Wade-Giles romanization Pei-ching, conventional Peking, city, province-level shi (municipality), and capital of the People’s Republic of China. Few cities in the world have served for so long as the political headquarters and cultural centre of an area as immense as China. The city has been an integral part of China’s history over the past eight centuries, and nearly every major building of any age in Beijing has at least some national historical significance. The importance of Beijing thus makes it impossible to understand China without a knowledge of this city. More than 2,000 years ago, a site north of ...(100 of 13841 words)