Brief Introduction to Beijing
3 min readBeijing is the one of the birthplaces of Chinese Civilization and one of the six ancient capital cities in China.During the last 3000 years it served as a capital for several dynasties.Since the discovery of a complete skull of Peking man living approximately 200000 to 500000 years ago in Zhoukoudian，situated 50 kilometers to the southwest of Beijing proper，Zhoukoudian became world-famous as the home of the Chinese ape-man.
Beijing is the political center of China where the Party’s Central Committee，the State Council，ministries and commissions under the government，and more than 140 foreign embassies are located.It is also an international exchange center.
Being one of the biggest industrial bases in China，Beijing’s industrial production is the second largest in value among all Chinese cities.An industrial system with iron and steel，coal，machinery，chemical and petroleum，textiles，electronics and other industries as its mainstays has already taken shape.Beijing’s arts and crafts are famous for their long history，great variety，and superb workmanship.The most popular ones among them are cloisonne，ivory carving，jade ware，carved lacquer ware，snuff bottles，silk flowers and Beijing’s embroidery etc.
As the country’s center of culture，education，science and technology，Beijing has more than forty state scientific research institutions，over thirty universities and various exhibition halls，museums，cinemas and palestras.The National Library of China is the largest library in Asia.
It is a hub of communications，with good railroad and air links with all parts of China，as well as with major international cities，thus facilitating the rapid development of tourism as an important industry in Beijing.
In Geography
Beijing China，a municipality directly under the Central Government is the capital of the People’s Republic of China and the country’s political，economic，cultural and transportation center as well as a famous historic city.Geographically located in the northwest part of the North China Plain，and covering an area of 16800 square km.Beijing is the second largest city in China with a population of more than 11 million.It has a semi-humid continental climate in the warm temperate zone.With an annual average temperature of 12 degrees Centigrade and rainfall of 641 millimetres，Beijing is neither cold in winter nor very hot in summer.The best seasons in Beijing are Spring and Autumn.Beijing China is indeed an ideal place to visit all round the year.
Official Tree and Flowers
official city trees:the Chinese scholar tree and oriental cypress The stately cypress symbolizes the courage and strength of the Chinese people，their simple，and hard working nature and their defiance in the face of aggression.
The scholar tree is a symbol of good fortune，joy and well-being.
official city flowers:China rose and chrysanthemum The rose，a Chinese native，has been cross bred many times，but it still has half of the original Chinese traits.Known as Perpetual Spring，Monthly Red，Snow Challenger and Victorious，it grows quickly，regenerates easily and is graceful and long blooming（May to October）.
The chrysanthemum has many names and varieties.In Beijing potted chrysanthemums may be seen year round.They flower in summer and fall naturally but can be forced to bloom any time of year.
Education
Beijing is home to a number of colleges and universities，with more in Beijing than any other city in China.Most of these institutes of higher learning are located in the northwestern section of Beijing.
Two notable institutions are Beijing University，which was founded in 1898，and Qinghua University（1911）.As well as having a beautiful campus，Qinghua University is the most esteemed and notable technical and scientific institution in China.
There are also language institutes for foreigners to go and learn Chinese，suchas Beijing Language and Culture University（formerly known as Beijing Language Institute）in Haidian District.Many foreigners from around the world congregate in this area to learn or improve their Chinese.
