Beijing is centered around the Forbidden City and Tian Anmen Square. You need at least 6 days to cover its important attractions.
Tian Anmen Square, with an area of 98 acres, is the world's biggest public square. On the east is the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and Chinese History, and on the south the impressive Qianmen Gate. In the center are the Monument to the People's Heroes and Mao's Memorial Hall. On the west is the Great Hall of the People, seat of China's congress. On the north is Tian Anmen Gate ( Gate of Heavenly Peace), from whose balcony the imperial edicts were read in ancient times. And this is where Chairman Mao proclaimed the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949. China's leaders stand here on national days to review the parades and festivities.
The Forbidden City was the home and audience hall of the Ming and Qing emporers. It was originally built from 1406 to 1420. It contains over 9000 rooms and covers over 720,000 square meters of land. The surrounding wall is over 10 meters high. Inside the stately buildings of red and golden yellow, the imperial color, there are on display historic relics from all over China, including jadewares, bronze containers, gold and silver utensils used by imperial families, clocks, paintings and carvings. Rich in color and elaborate in form, they fully reflect the splendor and luxury in which the emporers had lived.
There is also Summer Palace, an imperial garden. The imperial court lived here during summer. It was originally built in the 12th century.
In the suburbs, there are Ming Tombs and the Great Wall. Ming Tombs were built from 1409 to 1644. There are altogether 13. Now 2 of them are open to visitors.
If you have enough time, you may find it worthwhile to visit the Lama Temple, a Mongolian-Tibetan yellow-sect temple with startling figures, the largest 18 meters high, carved from one piece of sandalwood from Tibet.
Beijing is a gourmet's delight, with excellent food from all over China and the world. There is of course the famous Beijing-duck. Also imperial dishes, Mongolian hot-pot and barbecue, Korean pickled vegetables and barbecue, Mcdonald's, Japanese cooking and all kinds of snacks you can imagine or can never imagine.
Beijing's hotels grow fast in recent years both in number and in service quality. There are Beijing Hotel Palace Tower, the Palace and the Shangri-La, the classiest. North American styles include the Great Wall Sheraton, Jianguo and Holiday Inn Lido. Japanese style is Chang Fu Gong. There are also Beijing-Toronto and the Kunlun. You may find western luxury and comfort are combined amazingly here with oriental beauty and charm.