Some half a million years ago, Peking man lived in Zhoukoudian, in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing.
There were cities in the vicinity by the 1st millennium BC.
21st century Beijing will host the 2008 Summer Olympics from August 8 to August 24.
Some events will be held outside the city, namely soccer (in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang and Tianjin), equestrian events (in Hong Kong) and sailing (in Qingdao).
The official website includes a wealth of Olympic info plus a sidebar just for travelers. There are recommended itineraries and links to all of the co-host cities mentioned above.
The Library has added lots of new guidebooks to both Beijing itself and greater China in anticipation of increased travel there for the games.
If you are planning to go, check out TravelChinaGuide.com, a comprehensive website that will answer any questions you may have and help you find just the right itinerary for yourself.
Lonely Planet has a city guide on-line that also has an all-you-need-to know quality to it.
They describe Beijing as “a new millennium rollercoaster... where the mojo of MTV and mobile phones has eclipsed the magic of Mao.”