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What did the names Beiping and Beijing mean?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map of eastern Asia highlighting China and its neighboring countries, with an arrow pointing to Beijing Municipality in northeastern China. The map includes international boundaries, disputed borders, and lines of control, and shows major surrounding countries such as Russia, Mongolia, India, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. An inset at the bottom left shows the location of China within Asia.
Beijing Beijing city and municipality, China.

The names Beiping and Beijing reflect the city's historical shifts in status and political function:

  • Beiping translates to "Northern Peace". This name was used during the early Ming dynasty when the capital was moved to Nanjing, as well as during the period between 1928 and 1949 when the Nationalist government again designated Nanjing as the capital.123
  • Beijing translates to "Northern Capital". This name was adopted when the city was established as the imperial seat of the Ming dynasty in the 15th century and remains its name today as the capital of the People’s Republic of China.123