Beijing, the capital city of China, has been in existence for more than 700 years. In this time, many remarkable landmarks have been built and many lives - remarkable or otherwise - have been spent here. This book presents some of the old landmarks of the city, including palaces, gates, parks and schools, as well as some of the forgotten and extinct trades, in the form of black-and-white photographs and detailed captions. On each facing page is a contrasting image of modern China that leaves no room for doubt that the country has taken the express route to modernisation.