About 460,000 years ago, Beijing was merely a primitive settlement. Later it grew into a political center of Yan and Ji, two kingdoms in north China, then the Capital of six feudaldynasties. Today, the capital of the People's Republic of China is an everexpanding international cosmopolis.As a city, Beijing has an uninterrupted history of over 3,000 years, which makes it unique in the world. The cultural antiques and historical artifacts bestowed by each era were passed down from one generation to another, turning the city into a huge museum itself. There are some 130 officially registered museums in Beijing, preserving 3.2 million artifacts in total.