Traditional arts such as Peking opera, calligraphy, and classical music have long flourished in the city, supported by imperial patronage in the past and by state institutions and popular enthusiasm in the present. Peking opera, with its stylized movements, elaborate costumes, and symbolic language, is particularly a… Read More

of profound uncertainty. Beijing, no longer the seat of an emperor, struggled to redefine its identity amid political fragmentation and foreign influence. The city witnessed warlord conflicts, intellectual ferment, and the rise of new ideologies. Universities and cultural institutions became centers of debate and ref… Read More

but also as a ritual and cultural capital. The emperor was seen as the Son of Heaven, responsible for maintaining balance between the human realm and the cosmos. This belief was expressed through ceremonies performed at sites such as the Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests, and the Altar of Eart… Read More

Yanjing, serving as a strategic settlement on the northern frontier of early Chinese states. Its location was both a strength and a challenge. Situated near the boundary between agrarian Chinese societies and the nomadic cultures of the northern steppe, the city occupied a liminal space that shaped its character. Thi… Read More