Beijing was shaped by state planning and investment across the Yuan and Ming dynasties, built in part on the legacy of the Jin capital, Zhongdu. The Yuan established its grand layout; the Ming adapted and transformed it. By the Jiajing reign, the city had taken on the form we recognize today.

This volume traces this evolution through themes of urban change, imperial capital formation, military strategy, officialdom, ritual, education, commerce, and daily life. Drawing on historical sources, the book vividly recounts the growth of Ming-era Beijing—from the Yongle Emperor's decision to move the capital north, to the city's physical structure and cultural flowering. In clear and engaging prose, it offers a comprehensive portrait of a Ming capital in all its complexity.

LI Baochen, Researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences and Member of the Beijing Research Institute of Culture and History.