A Short History of Beijing

Jonathan Clements is an author and TV presenter specialising in the history of the Far East. He has been a consultant and talking head on numerous TV programmes, including New Secrets of the Terracotta Warriors (Channel 4). Since 2016, he has fronted the award-winning series Route Awakening (National Geographic Asia). His most recent book is The Emperor's Feast: A History of China in Twelve Meals (2021).

Before China's capital became a sprawling megacity and international centre of business and culture, its fortunes fluctuated under a dozen dynasties. It has been a capital for several states, including those headed by Mongolian chiefs and the glorious Ming emperors, whose tombs can still be found on its outskirts. And before all that, it was a campsite for primitive hominids, known as the Peking Man. A Short History of Beijing tells the story of this remarkable city, from its more famous residents - Khubilai Khan, Mulan, and Marco Polo - right up to the twenty-first century, as modern construction wipes out so much of the old city to make way for its twenty-million-strong population. Through his timely and intimate portrait of the world's most populous capital city, Jonathan Clements reveals the history of China itself. This first paperback edition includes a new introduction and a section on Zhangjiakou, where many of the 2022 Winter Olympics events will take place.