Beijing lies on a plain that faces south, considered the sphere of warmth and enerosity. The city's symmetry unfolds along a north-south axis, giving it eastern and western halves in which buildings were created in mirror image. For example, the Alter of the Sun on one side of the city is complemented by the Altar of the Moon on the other. While Beijing's city limits sprawl for 80 kilometers,it's actually quite orderly and easy to get around. The lies on the north-south line.
Major roads run east-west and streets are also split off compass points.
The primary points of interest are mostly on the main avenues and boulevards, making it possible, if armed with the right references, to get around on foot. Nowadays the streets of Beijing are an eclectic encounter, with everything from Harley-Davidsons and haute couture to Mao and militaristic memorabilia on display. In this modern socialist metropolis, the most popular store and the only place where the locals queue - is McDonald's hamburgers on Wangfujing. The streets crawl with Mercedes limos, portable phones ring constantly,and cadres swagger by in sharply cut suits. A place of profound political undertones, Tiananmen is the beginning of a journey back through time, starting with the creation of the Republic itself.