Beijing

Beijing is an intimate and informed portrait of a city at the centre of one of the world's oldest civilizations and the capital of one of its newest superpowers. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans and their ancestorsPeking Man among themhave lived here. For three and a half thousand eventful years, cities have risen and fallen in this place, five of them the capitals of dynastic empires. Among these legendary incarnations is the Cambaluc about which Marco Polo wrote in awe. For centuries, the stage for sieges, massacres, rebellions, and political spectacle, Beijing has produced some of China's greatest and most iconic works of literature, theatre, and music.
At the book's heart is a concise, lively history of the city, full of big and charismatic personalities and dramatic events. Thought-provoking essays on present-day topics ranging from the elemental problems of water and air to the vibrant art scene and the architectural adventurism of the city's hyperbuildings" take the reader to the shores of the city's lakes, down into its subway system and into the bustling art districts. Generously illustrated and containing a number of useful listings,Beijing is the ultimate introduction to this extraordinary city for travelers and general readers alike.
Linda Jaivin has been a regular visitor and occasional resident of Beijing since 1980. Fluent in Chinese, she brings toBeijing not only her love of the city but a background in Chinese history, a keen eye, and the assured pen of a widely published essayist and novelist.