Beijing

 

Today I am looking a bit more at the town of Beijing, the capital of China.

Beijing is a city with a rich and extensive history, with evidence of human habitation dating back hundreds of thousands of years. It has served as the capital of various Chinese dynasties for most of the past eight centuries and has played a central role in the country's political and cultural development.

The area around modern-day Beijing has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The discovery of "Peking Man" fossils in Zhoukoudian, dating back 230,000 to 250,000 years, provides evidence of early human ancestors.

Beijing's rise to a major imperial capital began in the 10th to 13th centuries, when nomadic peoples from beyond the Great Wall made the city their capital.

In 1215, the Mongol armies of Genghis Khan captured and destroyed the city. However, Kublai Khan, a successor of Genghis Khan and founder of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), decided to rebuild the city and make it his capital, renaming it Dadu ("Great Capital"). It was during this time that the city first became the political centre of a unified China. The Venetian merchant Marco Polo visited Dadu and was astonished by its grandeur.

In 1644, the Manchu people conquered China and established the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), with Beijing as their capital. The city's layout and many of its iconic landmarks, such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, remained largely the same, though new palaces and gardens were added outside the city walls, including the Old Summer Palace and the Summer Palace. The Old Summer Palace was famously destroyed by British and French troops during the Second Opium War in 1860.

The Qing dynasty was overthrown in 1912, and the Republic of China was established. Beijing remained the political centre for a time but was renamed Beiping ("Northern Peace") in 1928 when the capital was moved to Nanjing.

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China from Tiananmen Gate, and Beijing was once again declared the nation's capital. The city has undergone significant changes since then, with the development of modern infrastructure and the expansion of the urban area. Notable recent historical events include the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 and the hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

According to official data, the permanent population of Beijing was 21.832 million at the end of 2024. This marked a decrease of 26,000 from the previous year.

The housing market in Beijing is complex, with a mix of ownership and rental options. The government has played a significant role in housing policy, with a shift from subsidized public housing to a more commercialized market since 1978. This has led to a variety of housing tenures, including public rental, private market rental, and several types of home ownership (e.g., purchasing former public housing or market-rate homes). Residence status and income are major factors that determine the type of housing a person can access.    

The majority of Beijing's population lives in multi-story apartment buildings, a trend driven by rapid urbanization and the need to house a massive population in a limited space.

The most common form of housing is apartment buildings, these range from older, multi-story buildings (typically 4-7 stories) to modern high-rise towers with over seven floors and elevators. They are found throughout the city, with prices and quality varying significantly depending on the location. Modern, high-end apartments are common in the central business district and upscale neighbourhoods, while more functional and affordable apartments are found in the suburbs.  

There are also siheyuans which are courtyard houses, these are Beijing's traditional and iconic residential dwellings. A siheyuan consists of buildings arranged around a central courtyard. While they were once the dominant housing style, many have been demolished to make way for modern apartment buildings. Today, the remaining siheyuans are highly sought after and expensive, often found in the historic "hutong" (narrow alley) areas of central Beijing. Some have been converted into boutique hotels, restaurants, or shared by multiple families.  

Found predominantly in the city's suburbs are villas, which are Western-style, single-family homes or townhouses. They are a much rarer and more expensive housing option compared to apartments.  

A significant portion of the migrant worker population and some state employees live in dormitories or other forms of collective housing provided by their employers. These are often located near factories or construction sites and are generally considered a more temporary or basic form of accommodation.