什麼是北京

Beijing，亦拼作Pei-ching、Peking。

城市，直轄市，中國首都，人口數約為：市區為6,633,929人，含所屬各縣計12,570,000人（1999）。北京位於中國鄰近東北方的寬闊平原上，自古以來即有人類在此定居。北京擁有多個不同名稱，其中之一為1264年忽必烈的皇廷所駐蹕、馬可孛羅曾經探訪的大都城（Khanbalik）（Cambaluc）。西元1421年，明朝政府遷都北京。在滿族的統治下，它仍保持其原有的地位。北京於1860年和1900年間兩度為歐洲軍隊所佔領（另見義和團事件），遭受重大破壞。西元1928年，民國將首都遷至南京，將舊都改稱為北平。西元1937年，離北京不遠之處發生盧溝橋事件。西元1949年，共產黨內戰勝利後，重新恢復北京原名及其首都的地位。北京乃是中國的文化與教育中心，其古老的紫禁城包含過去的帝王宮殿；緊鄰在外的天安門廣場，則為世界上最大的公共廣場。興建於15世紀的北京城牆，有部分於文化大革命中被炸燬。西元2001年，北京獲選主辦2008年夏季奧運。

1928～1949年間，稱為北平。

Beijing

City, municipality with provincial status, and capital of China (pop., 1999 est.: city, 6,633,929; municipality, 12,570,000). Lying on a broad plain in northeastern China, the city has been settled since ancient times and has been known by various names, including Khanbalik (or Cambaluc), when it became the royal residence of Kublai Khan in AD 1264, and was visited by Marco Polo. It was chosen as the capital in 1421, which it remained under the Manchus. It suffered heavy damage when it was occupied by European forces in 1860 and 1900 (see Boxer Rebellion). In 1928 the capital was moved to Nanjing, and the name Peiping was given the former capital. Nearby, in 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident took place. Beijing's capital status and its former name were restored following the communist victory in 1949. It is China's cultural and educational center. The old Forbidden City contains the former imperial palace. Abutting it is Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public square. Beijing's 15th-century walls were partly demolished in the Cultural Revolution. In 2001 the city was selected as the site for the 2006 Summer Olympic Games.