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  Beijing's history as a city goes back some 3,000 years. It is also the capital of five ancient dynasties, starting with the Liao (907-1125) and ending with the Qing (1644-1911). But you would not know this walking around the city these days. Like most Chinese cities caught in the country's headlong rush to modernise, Beijing has been bulldozing in record time many of its old neighbourhoods and hutong – the narrow, ancient alleyways which gave old Beijing much of its charm. In their place are skyscrapers, malls, offices and broader roads. The historic neighbourhood of Qianmen and the adjoining 600-year-old Dashilan shopping area, a short walk south of the Tiananmen Square, are two of the most notable victims of Beijing's extreme facelift.  
 
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