OriginallyknownastheImperialUniversityofPeking,PekingUniversitywasestablishedin1898.TheestablishmentoftheUniversitymarkedthebeginningofhighereducationinChina'smodernhistory.InmodernhistoryofChina,itwasacenterforprogressivethoughtandwasinfluentialinthebirthofChina'sNewCultureMovement,theMayFourthMovementandmanyothersignificantevents.Today,PekingUniversitywasplacedbymanydomesticuniversityrankingsamongstthetopuniversitiesinChina.Theuniversitylaysemphasisonbothteaching,andscientificresearch.Ithasmadegreateffortstoimprovetheundergraduateandgraduateeducation,andmaintainitsroleasaleadingresearchinstitution.Inaddition,theUniversityisespeciallyrenownedforitscampusenvironmentandthebeautyofitstraditionalChinesearchitecture.