Beijing,thecapitalofthePeople'sRepublicofChina,isthenation'spoliticalandculturalcenter.Some700,000yearsago,PekingmanappearedatZhoukoudian,48kilometressouthwestofBeijing.Atthebeginningofthe10thcentury,itbecamethesecondcapitaloftheLiaoDynasty.Fromthenon,BeijinghadbeenthecapitaloftheJin,Yuan,MingandQingDynastiesuntil1911.OnOctober1st,1949,ChairmanMaoproclaimedtothewholeworldthefoundingofthePeople'sRepublicofChinainBeijing.Beijinghasapopulationofover20million;about10millionliveinthecityproperandtherestonthesuburbs.