Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dan Snow explores the historic, 600-year-old Central Axis of Beijing in China to tour the temples and explore the historic origins of the remnants of the ancient Mongol capital Dadu, the 2,000-year-old Han Chinese blueprint used by the Ming dynasty, and the engineering marvels of the Forbidden City.
0:00 Introduction
0:37 The origins of Beijing's central axis
2:33 Exploring the ancient walls of Dadu
4:49 Marco Polo's impressions of the grid city
6:18 The Ming dynasty and the ancient Han blueprint
11:50 Timekeeping at the drum and bell towers
15:28 Feng shui principles at Jingshan Park
18:37 Architecture and engineering of the Forbidden City
24:17 Inside the private life of the emperor
27:52 Preserving community life in the hutongs
30:35 Sacred rituals at the Temple of Heaven
34:38 The modern extension of the historic axis
#ChineseHistory #Beijing #History
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Dan Snow explores the historic, 600-year-old Central Axis of Beijing in China to tour the temples and explore the historic origins of the remnants of the ancient Mongol capital Dadu, the 2,000-year-old Han Chinese blueprint used by the Ming dynasty, and the engineering marvels of the Forbidden City.
0:00 Introduction
0:37 The origins of Beijing's central axis
2:33 Exploring the ancient walls of Dadu
4:49 Marco Polo's impressions of the grid city
6:18 The Ming dynasty and the ancient Han blueprint
11:50 Timekeeping at the drum and bell towers
15:28 Feng shui principles at Jingshan Park
18:37 Architecture and engineering of the Forbidden City
24:17 Inside the private life of the emperor
27:52 Preserving community life in the hutongs
30:35 Sacred rituals at the Temple of Heaven
34:38 The modern extension of the historic axis
#ChineseHistory #Beijing #History
You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.
Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: youtube.com/channel/UCZwU2G-KVl-P-O-B35chZOQ/join
