Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China with an estimated population of 15 million. It’s name, designated by the third Ming emperor, means ‘œnorthern capital’. A shortened version is ‘Ji’. Because it was improperly pronounced in the West, the city was known as ‘Peking’ for many years. Beijing is known for its parks, artificial lakes and temples and contains many fine examples of architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Beijing is one of the most vibrant cities in China and the hub of its future. Though many older conclaves of the ancient city are quickly being replaced by modern skyscrapers, the historic hutong quarter with its narrow alleyways still winds throughout the city. Hutongs are created by walls of the courtyard houses grouped together where the well-to-do once lived. Today they are state owned and many Beijing residents still live here.

The Great Wall is the most significant symbol of China which has become one of the widely known artificial constructions in the world today. This structure has contributed to the development of China’s history and continues to pay a major role in the culture and tourism development of China. Travel to China without visiting the Great Wall is like not accomplishing anything which is the reason why many people want to start off their China tour itinerary in Beijing. Aside from the historical feel of Beijing, it is the best city in China to visit the Great Wall. A brief history about the Great Wall tells us that it was built over two thousand years ago as a key to protect the agricultural lands from invasion. The wall was built in sections in between years by peasants, villagers and prisoners; which also reflects the reason why the different sections of the wall portray different looks due to the types of materials used in the construction. These materials varied from grass, stones, earth and wood. Although the construction of the wall started in the early seventh century B.C., it was later during the Qin dynasty; the sections were further built and renovated to become a whole structure. This was the period when China derived its English name from the word “Qin” pronounced as “Chin”. Today, the Great Wall of China stretches to a length of over 6,700 kilometers winding through hills, cliffs, plateaus and deserts from across the east coast to the northwest of China. At present, there are nine sections of the Wall opened to tourists from all over the world which include Liaoning sections of the wall, Hebei sections, Tianjin sections, Beijing sections, Shanxi sections, Shaanxi sections, Inner Mongolia sections, Ningxia sections and the Gansu sections. However, out of all these sections, the most visited are the sections of the Wall in Beijing; this is because the wall is well preserved and showcases the remains from the Ming dynasty, an era when the wall was in tremendous construction. The main sections of the Great Wall in Beijing are: Badaling, Simatai, Jinshanling, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Huanghuacheng and Jiankou.

Badaling section is famous for it imposing structures, completeness, and the famous Juyonguan Pass. Most of the pictures of the great wall published in guidebooks were taken at the Badaling section of the Great Wall. The Mutianyu section also provides great viewing pleasure for tourists. Jinshanling, Simatai and Gubeikou sections of the wall is narrower and quieter than the Badaling and Mutianyu sections of the wall, while the Huanghuacheng and Jiankou sections have become an ideal choice for adventure hikers. The fascinating aspect of the Great Wall is that no matter what section of the Wall you visit, the outstanding engineering of this structure tells you a lot about the history of China.