Beijing is a place.
Beijing ( formerly romanised as Peking ) is the capital of the People 's Republic of China and the world 's third most populous city proper . As a city combining both modern and traditional architecture , Beijing is an ever-changing megacity rich in history but also truly modern , exemplified in its global influence in politics , business & economy , education , history , culture , language , music , sporting , architecture , civilization , fashion , art , entertainment , innovation and technology .