An exhibition that opened at the Capital Museum on March 28 is bringing the origins of Beijing's layout into the spotlight.
One notable exhibit is a 16-meter-long table-top model of its famed Central Axis, a 7.8-km-long line that runs through the center of the city, upon which are built ancient landmarks including the Drum and Bell towers in the north, Jingshan Park and the Palace Museum, and Yongding Gate in the south.
The exhibition is in celebration of the 870th anniversary of Beijing being named the capital of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). Jin Emperor Wanyan Liang moved the nation's capital to the site that is now Beijing in 1153, the first time for the city to become a dynastic capital.
(Text and photos by Wei Yao)
