This Map clearly show the lay-out of Beiping - The Northern Capital (as Beijing was called at the Time), in 1916 AD, five years after the End of the Ching-Dynasty and the 1911 AD Xinghai Revolution. De-throned Emperor Pu Yi still inhabited The Imperial Palace, outside Beijing was modernizing and China was experiencing the industrial Revolution.
Among the most noteworthy features of this Map are: 1) The QianMen Railway Station, at the Time the First and Main Railroad Station of Beijing.
2) The small railway station outside and West of XizhiMen Gate, built in 1905 AD and diverting the Central Water supply of Beijing underground. Today Xizhimen Station is Beijing north Station - one of the Main Stations for Travel into Beijing's 6 Outer Suburban Districts and beyond.
Clearly visable on this Map from the year 1916 are the Feng Shui-important Central City Axis with from South to North : YongDingMen , QianMen , TiananMen, WuMen, The Dragon Throne (inside TaiHeDian), Coal Hill and Drum- and Bell-Towers. All other former Gates are depicted and a number of ancient landmarks & temples marked. Click sections of map to highlight individual city districts of XiCheng, DongCheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu with The Imperial Palace (Forbidden) City in the Center and the (then) Villages of Fengtai and Chaoyang in the West and East.
XiCheng and DongCheng were part of the Inner City, the Southern Districts were considered outside the Imperial Capital City proper, as they lay south of Qian Men, the Front Gate. Both Chongwen and Xuanwu were brought inside the protection of a City Wall and Moat, during the early Ching Dynasty Years.
Introduction to Map Beijing (Beiping) in 1916 AD - Beijing 1916 AD City Plan
