Reproduced with permission from China 11th Edition © Lonely Planet 2009” www.LonelyPlanet.com

ORIENTATION

With a total area of 16,800 sq km, Běijīng municipality is roughly the size of Belgium. The city itself may appear unforgivingly huge, but Běijīng is a city of very orderly design. Think of the city as one giant grid, with the Forbidden City at its centre. The historical central areas east and west of the Forbidden City are Dongcheng and Xicheng, respectively. South of Tiananmen Square the districts of Xuanwu and Chongwen, while the huge district of Chaoyang occupies much of Běijīng’s east and north. The large district of Haidian ranges to the northwest. Street names can be confusing. Jianguomenwai Dajie (建国门外大街) means ‘the avenue (大街; dajie) outside (外; wai) Jianguo Gate (建国门; Jianguomen)’ – that is, outside the old wall – whereas Jianguomennei Dajie (建国门内大街) means ‘the avenue inside Jianguo Gate’. The gate in question no longer exists, so it survives in name alone. A major boulevard can change names six or even seven times along its length. Streets and avenues can also be split along compass points: Dong Dajie (东大街; East Ave), Xi Dajie (西大街; West Ave), Bei Dajie (北大 街; North Ave) and Nan Dajie (南大街; South Ave). All these streets head off from an intersection, usually where a gate once stood.

Unlike countless other Chinese cities, Běijīng is one place where you won’t find a Jiefang Lu (Liberation Rd), Renmin Lu (People’s Rd), Zhongshan Lu (Zhongshan Rd) or a Beijing Lu (Beijing Rd).
Six ring roads circle the city centre in concentric rings, while a seventh is rumored to be forming. Bus, taxi and train are the main methods of transport to the city centre from Běijīng’s Capital Airport, 27km away.

Medical Services

Běijīng has some of the best medical facilities and services in China. Ask your embassy for a list of English-speaking doctors and dentists, and hospitals that accept foreigners.
Bayley & Jackson Medical Center (Bìlì Jíchén Yīláo Zhōngxīn; 8562 9998; www.bjhealthcare.com; 7 Ritan Donglu) Full range of private medical and dental services; attractively located in courtyard near Ritan Park.
Beijing Union Medical Hospital (Běijīng Xiéhé Yīyuàn; 6529 6114, emergencies 6529 5284; 53 Dongdan Beidajie; 24hr) Foreigners’ and VIP wing in the back building.

Beijing United Family Hospital (Běijīng Hémùjiā Yīyuàn; 6433 3960, 24hr emergency hotline 6433 2345; www.unitedfamilyhospitals.com; 2 Jiangtai Lu; 24hr) Can provide alternative medical treatments along with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient care, as well as a critical care unit. Emergency room staffed by expat physicians.

International SOS (Běijīng Yàzhōu Guójì Jǐnjí Jiùyuán Yīliáo Zhōngxīn; clinic appointments 6462 9112, dental appointments 6462 0333, emergencies 6462 9100; www.internationalsos.com; Suite 105, Wing 1 Kunsha Building, 16 Xinyuanli; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Expensive, high-quality clinic with English-speaking staff. Identified by green crosses, pharmacies selling Chinese (中药; zhōngyào) and Western medicine (西药; xīyào) are widespread. Some pharmacies offer 24-hour service; typically this means that you can get your medicine through a window during the night, after the pharmacy itself is officially shut.
Branches of Watson’s (Qūchénshì; Chaoyangmenwai Dajie 1st fl, Full Link Plaza, 19 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie; Dongchang’an Jie CC17, 19, CC21, 23, Oriental Plaza, 1 Dongchang’an Jie) purvey some medicines, but are more geared towards selling cosmetics, sunscreens and the like.

Wangfujing Medicine Shop (Wángfǔjǐng Yīyào Shāngdiàn; 6524 0122; 267 Wangfujing Dajie; 8.30am-9pm) has a large range of both Western and Chinese medicine.

Money

Foreign currency and travelers cheques can be changed at large branches of the Bank of China, CITIC Industrial Bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, HSBC, the airport and hotel money-changing counters, and at several department stores (including the Friendship Store), as long as you have your passport. Hotels give the official rate, but some will add a small commission. Useful branches of the Bank of China with foreign-exchange counters include a branch next to Oriental Plaza on
Wangfujing Dajie, in the Lufthansa Center Youyi Shopping City, and in the China World Trade Center. For international money transfer, branches of Western Union can be found in the International Post Office and at the post office at No 3 Gongrentiyuchang Beilu (6416 7686).

If you have an Amex card, you can also cash personal cheques at CITIC Industrial Bank and large branches of the Bank of China. ATMs that take international cards can now be found in abundance. The best places to look are in and around the main shopping areas (such as Wangfujing Dajie) and international hotels and their associated shopping arcades; some large department stores also have useful ATMs. There’s a Bank of China ATM in the Capital Airport arrivals hall.

Other useful ATMs:

Bank of China Lufthansa Center; 1st fl, Lufthansa Center Youyi Shopping City, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu); Novotel Peace Hotel (foyer, Novotel Peace Hotel, 3 Jinyu Hutong); Oriental Plaza (Oriental Plaza, corner Wangfujing Dajie & Dongchang’an Jie); Peninsula Beijing (2nd basement level, Peninsula Beijing, 8 Jinyu Hutong); Sundongan Plaza (next to main entrance of Sundongan Plaza, Wangfujing Dajie); Swissôtel (2nd fl, Swissôtel, 2 Chaoyangmen Beidajie) Citibank (6510 2933; 6th fl, Tower 2, Bright China Chang’an Bldg, 7 Jianguomennei Dajie) Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC; 6526 0668, 800 820 8878; China World Hotel Suite L129, Ground fl, China World Hotel, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie); COFCO Plaza; Ground fl, Block A, COFCO Plaza, 8 Jianguomennei Dajie); Lufthansa Center; Ground fl, Lufthansa Center, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu) All have 24-hour ATMs. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (Gōngshāng Yínháng; Wangfujing Dajie) Opposite Bank of China ATM at entrance to Sundongan Plaza. 08-