Dictionary

Peking en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• peʹkǐngʹ
• /piːˈkɪŋ/
• pāʹkǐngʹ
• (Southern-England) audio
• pēʹkǐngʹ

Etymology

c. 1655 romanization of the Nanking court dialect Mandarin pronunciation of Chinese 北京 (Běijīng), reinforced by Postal Romanization from before the modern palatalization of [k] to [t͡ɕ]. The early Portuguese and Jesuits such as Francis Xavier used the spelling Paquim; Abraham Ortelius used C. Paquin for his 1572 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas; Italian Jesuit Martino Martini used Peking in his 1654 Latin De Bello Tartarico Historia and 1655 Novus Atlas Sinensis, which were quickly translated into English and later used by Joan Blaeu for his 1665 Atlas Maior. Peter Heylyn's Cosmographie changed its spelling from Paquin in the 1652 edition to Peking in the 1658 edition, but both Pekin and Peking were used interchangeably in English until the Chinese Imperial Post adopted Peking as its official transcription in the 1890s. (Note that Peking is not derived from Wade-Giles romanization- see Pei-ching and Peiching.)

Meanings

1. (alt-of, dated) Dated form of Beijing: a direct-administered municipality, the capital city of China.
   alt of Beijing
   • The Emperour hearing of the ill ſucceſſe of this Affairs, began to think of leaving the Northern parts, where his Royal City of Peking is ſituated, and to paſſe to Nankuing which is far more Southward; but he was diſſwaded from this intended courſe as well by his loyal, as diſloyal ſubjec͡ts : by theſe, that they might give him up more ſpeedily into the enemies hands, before their treachery was diſcovered; and by the others, leſt his flight might trouble the Kingdome more, and diſcourage all his Subjec͡ts from giving their beſt aſſiſtance; for they thought the City impregnable, being fortified with ſo ſtrong a Garriſon; nor did they doubt that the Kings preſence would draw the ſources of the whole Kingdom to him. 1655, The History of That Great and Renowned Monarchy of China, page 273:
   • The noise of gunfire rose from all over the center of Peking. It was unremitting. 1989 June 4, Kate Adie, 0:02 from the start, in Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square - BBC News, Peking: BBC News, published 2014:
   • Third, after Ukraine wins its war with Russia, we must aim to split the Russia-China axis. Moscow’s defeat could unseat Mr. Putin’s regime. What comes next is a government of unknowable composition. New Russian leaders may or may not look to the West rather than Beijing, and might be so weak that the Russian Federation’s fragmentation, especially east of the Urals, isn’t inconceivable. Beijing is undoubtedly eyeing this vast territory, which potentially contains incalculable mineral wealth. Significant portions of this region were under Chinese sovereignty until the 1860 Treaty of Peking transferred “outer Manchuria,” including extensive Pacific coast lands, to Moscow. Russia’s uncontrolled dissolution could provide China direct access to the Arctic, including even the Bering Strait, facing Alaska. 2023 April 12, John Bolton, “A New American Grand Strategy to Counter Russia and China”, in The Wall Street Journal, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2023, Opinion:
   • This is not a time for a long speech but, I would not want this opportunity to pass without saying just a word with regard to the significance of this moment. Some of you may recall that it was two and a half years ago that right here in Guam, I announced a new direction for American foreign policy based on the principles of self-reliance, self-respect- equal dignity for all nations, large and small throughout the world. And tomorrow, I will take off from Guam for Shanghai and Peking, the first President of the United States ever to visit China. Guam, I know it is said, is where the American day begins. And I would hope that all of you today would join me in this prayer, that with this trip to China, a new day may begin for the whole world. Thank you very much. 1972 February 20, President Richard Nixon, 15:48 from the start, in Nixon in China (The Film), Agana, Guam: Richard Nixon Presidential Library:
2. (alt-of, dated, metonymically) Dated form of Beijing: the government of the People's Republic of China; the central leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
   alt of Beijing

Forms

Coordinates

Nanking

Deriveds

Peking duck · Peking ravioli · Peking opera · Pekingologist · Pekingese · Pekinger · Pekingology

wikipedia: Chinese Imperial Post · wikipedia: Martino Martini · wikipedia: Francis Xavier · wikipedia: Atlas Maior · wikipedia: Postal Romanization · wikipedia: Novus Atlas Sinensis · wikipedia: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum · wikipedia: Peter Heylyn · wikipedia: Joan Blaeu · wikipedia: De Bello Tartarico Historia · wikipedia: Abraham Ortelius · wikipedia: Mandarin (late imperial lingua franca)