Beiping

Beiping, also written Peiping in older sources, is the historical toponym for the urban area around present-day Beijing in northern China. The name 北平 literally means “Northern Peace,” and it was used to distinguish the northern region from Nanjing, the “Southern Capital.”

The term Beiping appeared in imperial records during various periods when Beijing was not the supreme seat of the central government or when northern and southern capitals were contrasted. As a geographic and administrative designation, Beiping referred to the city and its surrounding prefecture, encompassing parts of the area that today falls within the Beijing municipality and nearby counties.

In the 20th century, after the Nationalist government established Nanjing as the capital, the northern city was officially renamed Beiping in 1928 and continued to be used until 1949. During this era Beiping functioned as a major political and cultural center in northern China even though the national capital was located farther south. In 1949, with the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Beiping was renamed Beijing, the name it has today, meaning “Northern Capital.” Since then, Beiping survives mainly in historical contexts, archival sources, and references to older texts or institutions associated with the city.