A series of events and exhibitions got under way in Beijing yesterday to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the city's establishment as the national capital.
The city became the capital of China in 1153, when emperor Wan Yanliang of the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) moved the seat of power from Acheng in Heilongjiang province to Zhongdu, or 'middle capital', as a challenge to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The modern city of Beijing now stands on the site of Zhongdu.
As the anniversary celebrations unfold, some residents are learning for the first time about the city's rich past.
'It really came as a pleasant surprise to me to hear that Beijing has such a long history,' said 31-year-old Cui Yuming.
A centrepiece of the festivities is an exhibition of cultural relics from Zhongdu which has opened at the China Millennium Monument Art Museum.
The show includes examples of traditional art and more than 50 ancient relics, some of which are being displayed for the first time since they were discovered.
