Beijing Travel Guide - History

Successive periods in history saw the city given different names with the name Zhuojun used during the period of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and the name Youzhou during the period of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Later, during the Five Dynasties period it was named Nanjing, then Yanjing during the Liao Dynasty, Zhongdu throughout the period of the Jin Dynasty, Dadu throughout the Yuan Dynasty period.

Moving into the Middle Ages, the Ming Dynasty period saw the city named Beiping then during the Qing Dynasty it was called Beijjing. The name Beiping was reinstated in the period 1912 to 1949 during the Nationalist Party control then finally Beijjing again following the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

In modern times the city gained notoriety for the political rallies in Tiananmen Square of 1989 that led to the deaths of hundreds of protesters.

Today, the city is a lot more stable and sees a growing tourism industry. The locals are proud of their culture and ancestors and this is displayed in a number of historical sights which can be visited throughout the city.