Xicheng () is a district of the city of

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. Its cover the western half of the old city (largely inside the 2nd Ring Road; the eastern half is Dongcheng District), and has 1,106,214 inhabitants (2020 Census). Its

postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or numerical digit, digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, inclu ...

is 100032. Xicheng is subdivided into 15 subdistricts of the city proper of Beijing. The former Xuanwu District was merged into Xicheng in July 2010. The Xidan commercial district, Beijing Financial Street,

Beihai Park Beihai Park is a public park and former imperial garden immediately northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. First built in the 12th century, Beihai is among the largest of all surviving Chinese gardens and contains numerous histo ...

, Jingshan Park, Shichahai, and

Zhongnanhai Zhongnanhai () is a compound that houses the offices of and serves as a residence for the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the State Council of the People's Republic of China, State Council. It was a former imperial gard ...

are all within its jurisdiction. The popular

Houhai Houhai () is a lake and its surrounding neighborhood in Xicheng District of central Beijing, China. Houhai is the largest of the three lakes, along with Qianhai 'Front Lake' and Xihai 'Western Lake', that comprise Shichahai, the collective ...

bar area is also in Xicheng Precinct. Before the

1911 Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The revolution was the culmination of a decade ...

, most royalty and aristocrats resided in the precinct. The oldest Catholic church in Beijing, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is located in Xicheng.

Administrative divisions

There are 15 subdistricts in the district:

Economy

COSCO China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) was a former shipping corporation from 1961 to 2016, owned by the State Council of the People's Republic of China, State Council of China. The company merged with China Shipping Group, China Shipping Grou ...

has its headquarters in the Ocean Plaza building in Xicheng. The

Xinhua News Agency Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: ),J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. It is a ...

has its headquarters in the Dacheng Plaza (大成大厦 ''Dàchéng Dàshà'') in Xicheng. In addition

Bank of China The Bank of China (BOC; ; Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Banco da China'') is a state-owned Chinese Multinational corporation, multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Beijing, Beijing, China. It is one of ...

China Construction Bank The China Construction Bank Corporation (CCB) is a Chinese partially state-owned Multinational corporation, multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Beijing, Beijing, China. It is one of the "Big four banks, big ...

, the

State Grid Corporation of China The State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), commonly known as the State Grid, is a Chinese state-owned electric utility corporation. It is the largest utility company in the world. , State Grid is the world's third largest company overall by re ...

, China National Nuclear Corporation, and Taikang Life Insurance also have their headquarters in Xicheng.

Government

The

Chinese Ministry of Education The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China is a constituent department of the State Council, responsible for basic education, vocational education, higher education, and other educational affairs throughout the country. Th ...

is headquartered in Xidan, Xicheng District. The

Chinese Academy of Sciences The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; ) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 106 research i ...

is headquartered in Xicheng District. The China Food and Drug Administration is headquartered in Xicheng District. The

Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office The Hong Kong and Macao Work Office, concurrently known as the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HMO), is an administrative office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for promoting cooper ...

headquarters is in Xicheng District. The Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing is in Xicheng District.

Important areas in Xicheng District

* Imperial City * Beijing Financial Street *

* Jingshan Park * Shichahai * Drum Tower and Bell Tower * Prince Gong's Residence (Gongwang Fu) * Xinjiekou * Xidan * Xisi * Qianmen * Dashilar *

Liulichang Liulichang () is a street in Xicheng, Beijing, Xicheng District, Beijing that is known for a series of traditional Chinese stone dwellings selling various craftwork, artistry, and antiques. It is one of Beijing's traditional old quarters. Histo ...

(an ancient antiques market since Qing Dynasty) *

Beijing Zoo Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Xizhimen, Xicheng District, Beijing. Founded in 1906 during the late Qing dynasty, it is the oldest zoo in China and oldest public park in northern China. The zoo is also a center of zoological research that ...

* Fayuan Temple * Huguang Guild Hall * Miaoying Temple * Niujie Mosque

Transport

Metro

Xicheng is served by seven metro lines of the

Beijing Subway The Beijing Subway is the rapid transit system of Beijing Direct-controlled municipality, Municipality that consists of 29 lines including 24 rapid transit lines, two airport rail links, one maglev line and two light rail, light rail tram line ...

: * -

Muxidi Muxidi Station () is a station on Line 1 of the Beijing Subway. The Line 16 station opened on December 31, 2022, and currently serves as an out-of-system interchange (OSI) with Line 1. It will connect with Line 18 in the future. Station lay ...

, Nanlishilu, , Xidan , Tian'anmen West * - Guloudajie , Jishuitan, Xizhimen , Chegongzhuang , Fuchengmen, , Changchunjie, , Hepingmen * - Xizhimen , , Ping'anli , Xisi, Lingjing Hutong, Xidan , , Caishikou , Taoranting * - Chegongzhuang West, Chegongzhuang , Ping'anli , Beihai North * - Wanzi, Daguanying, Guang'anmennei, Caishikou , Hufangqiao * - , Guloudajie , , , * - Xizhimen

Suburban Railway

Xicheng is served by one commuter line operated by Beijing Suburban Railway (BCR). * - Beijing North railway station

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University is in Xicheng; it was located in Xuanwu District before Xicheng absorbed Xuanwu. Beijing No.4 High School is also in Xicheng District. One school in Niujie, the Beijing Xuanwu Huimin Elementary School (S: 北京市宣武回民小学, P: ''Běijīng Shì Xuānwǔ Huímín Xiǎoxué''), serves the

Hui people The Hui people are an East Asian ethnoreligious group predominantly composed of Islam in China, Chinese-speaking adherents of Islam. They are distributed throughout China, mainly in the Northwest China, northwestern provinces and in the Zhongy ...

living in the area. It used to be in Xuanwu District. The Beijing Municipal Commission of Education (), the local education authority, used to be headquartered in Xicheng District.

Post-secondary schools

* People's Public Security University of China * Central Conservatory of Music is based in Xicheng, near Fuxingmen and Changchunjie stations.

References

External links

Official website of Xicheng District Government
* Includes 20 high quality photographs * Includes 20 high quality photographs {{authority control Districts of Beijing National Civilized City