Beijing

Beijing, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital of China. With more than 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city as well as China's second largest city after Shanghai. It is located in Northern China, and is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of the State Council with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts. Beijing is mostly surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin to the southeast; together, the three divisions form the Jingjinji megalopolis and the national capital region of China.

Some of the key events about Beijing

1215
The Mongols sacked and burned Beijing during their conquest of China
1421
The Forbidden City, an imperial palace complex, was completed
1644
Beijing fell to rebel forces, leading to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty
1751
The Summer Palace, a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces, was established
1860
Anglo-French forces occupied and looted Beijing during the Second Opium War
1900
Foreign troops invaded Beijing to suppress the Boxer Rebellion, resulting in widespread destruction
1906
The first public school for girls in China opened in Beijing
1915
Tsinghua University, one of China's most prestigious institutions, was founded
1937
Japanese forces captured Beijing, beginning a brutal eight-year occupation
1949
Beijing was proclaimed as the capital of the People's Republic of China
1966
The Cultural Revolution began in Beijing, leading to widespread persecution and destruction of cultural heritage
1976
The Tangshan earthquake near Beijing killed over 240,000 people
1979
Diplomatic relations between China and the United States were formally established in Beijing
1989
The Beijing Subway opened its first line, marking the beginning of the city's modern rapid transit system
1989
A violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters occurred in Tiananmen Square
2001
Beijing was selected to host the 2008 Summer Olympics
2003
The SARS epidemic originated in southern China and spread to Beijing, causing panic and economic disruption
2008
The Beijing National Stadium ("Bird's Nest") and National Aquatics Center ("Water Cube") were completed for the Olympics
2013
Beijing experienced severe air pollution, with PM2.5 levels reaching hazardous levels
2019
The Beijing Daxing International Airport, one of the world's largest airports, opened

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.