Axis is central to capital's appeal

An ensemble of landmarks representing the backbone of Beijing was envisioned centuries ago and still plays vital role in modern life, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

Those taking a trip to central Beijing are often recommended to ascend Jingshan Hill and be treated to a rare bird's-eye view of the capital's old city. Its summit offers a panorama of the Forbidden City, with its palaces in vermilion and imperial yellow laid out in all its sublimity.

When turning around and facing north, the equilibrium of symmetry rooted in traditional Chinese aesthetics and beliefs is more readily apparent — the Hall of Imperial Longevity resting downhill, beyond it the Di'anmen Inner and Outer streets splitting the view in half, further extending to the Bell and Drum Towers.

Such structural balance can be found throughout Beijing's old city, from the Yongdingmen Gate in the south, running through the Tian'anmen Square Complex and the Forbidden City, up to the Bell and Drum Towers in the north, stretching a total of 7.8 kilometers.