Welcoming the New Year with a symphony concert has become a ritual for Beijing's musical circle for decades. Each December, the sound of an orchestra rising in harmony marks a ceremonious farewell to the past and the beginning of a hopeful year ahead.
The typical Beijing tour includes the Great Wall, the Palace Museum, the Summer Palace, and a wander around the venues of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Since Beijing has been the capital of China for centuries, Beijing cuisine, also known as Jing cuisine, is influenced by culinary traditions from all over China.