Beijing

Listen. Can you hear the cheerful ringing of bicycle bells as they zip down my lanes? Can you smell the warm, yummy steam from delicious buns being cooked for breakfast? Look up. Colorful kites that look like dragons and birds dance in the sky. My narrow, gray alleyways, called hutongs, are full of secrets and stories from long ago. Right next to them, shiny glass buildings stretch up so high they almost tickle the clouds. I am a city of surprises, a place where old memories and new dreams live together. I am Beijing, the heart of China.

My story is very, very long. People have called me their home for over 3,000 years. A long time ago, a great ruler named Kublai Khan decided I would be the perfect place for his capital. In the year 1271, he made me the grand center of his empire and gave me the name Dadu. I felt so important. Hundreds of years passed. Then, in the year 1406, another powerful leader, the Yongle Emperor, had a big idea. He wanted to build a magnificent palace right in my center, a place so special it would be like a secret world. Thousands of people worked day and night. Finally, in 1420, it was finished. It was called the Forbidden City. Can you guess why? Because for a very long time, only the emperor, his family, and his special helpers could go inside. It was a beautiful and mysterious place. The Yongle Emperor also built the wonderful Temple of Heaven, where he would go to pray for good weather so that farmers could grow lots of food for everyone. For centuries, I have watched emperors and empresses in silky robes, artists painting beautiful pictures, and families just like yours walking along my streets.

My story did not stop in the past. It keeps going. In the year 2008, something very exciting happened. Friends from all over the world came to visit me for the Summer Olympics. It was a huge party. To get ready, I built a special stadium that looks just like a giant bird's nest. Everyone loved it. Today, I am still a busy and happy city. You can visit my ancient temples in the morning to see dragons carved in stone, and then ride a super-fast train in the afternoon. I love being a place where the past and the future hold hands. I am here to share all my stories with you and to be a place where new adventures can always begin.