Beijing Facts

2. Interesting fact: After Shanghai, Beijing is China's second largest city.

3. Trivia fact: the China Rose is Beijing's city flower.

4. Fun fact: the guard towers around the Forbidden City are said to be modeled after cricket cages.

5. Fact: Beijing dialect is the basis for the entire Mandarin standard language.

6. Interesting fact: basketball and football are the two top sports in China, and especially so in Beijing where you can see them played at major parks around the city.

7. Fun fact: McDonald's is the city's most popular fast food restaurant.

8. Food fact: Beijing is famous for its Peking Duck, which is a roast duck sliced a specific way and served with specific side dishes.

9. Weird fact: Beijing's most popular surname is Wang, with an estimated 11% of the city sharing the name.

10. Fact: 800 buildings make up the Forbidden City, one of Beijing's hottest tourists spots. There is also a Starbucks inside the city now.

11. Odd fact: The Beijing zoo was once called the 'Ten Thousand Animal Zoo.'

12. Interesting fact: Beijing Opera is an important part of local culture, locals practice their opera singing at parks around the city as well as frequent the opera houses.