There’s an old Chinese saying—You are not a true man if you haven’t been to the Great Wall; it’ll be a great pity if you don’t try Peking Duck.

Each time when my foreign friends asked me about the can’t-miss things in Beijing, I always told them—the Great Wall and Peking Duck.

Born and raised in Beijing, I think Beijing is the heart of China—it’s one of the cities with the richest cultural backgrounds in China.

Beijing is an ancient yet modern city; It’s an ideal place to explore ancient China’s magnificent civilization and stately history.

Hike on the Great Wall at Badaling, which has functioned both as a barrier to marauding “barbarians,” and as an elevated highway for people and goods.

Visit to the fabled Ming Tombs, resting place of 13 emperors and their treasures to peer at the luxurious imperial tombs and their stories.

Enjoy a slice of Beijing life when tour the Hutongs via a pedicab.

Sit in an old-world Beijing setting, drink the best teas in China and watch all kinds of trditional Chinese performance at Lao She Teahouse.

And the list goes on…

But I’d say that the most fansinating side of Beijing is its people. Beijingners are famous for their hospitalities and passion. To prepare for the Olympic Games in 2008, even people at the age of my grandparents’ are learning English now!

As a Beijingner, I’m proud. I’d say, China-truly Asia and Beijing-truly China!