Urban planning plays a leading role in city development, and the central axis is the ultimate manifestation of China’s urban planning philosophy. The book is a record of the author’s field trip to investigate sections and buildings along the Beijing Central Axis, Beijing’s urban planning with the Central Axis as the core, the city’s water systems, and the evolution of Shichahai, the location of Wanning Bridge, the first bridge on the Axis. The book is a collection of knowledge as well as the author’s experiences and emotions, in which he shows his love for Beijing as a Beijing native, and interprets the planning and conservation of Beijing city as an expert in cultural relics protection and urban planning. By reviewing changes in culture along the Beijing Central Axis, the author reflects on a question of our times—what kind of capital to build and how to build it.