Current time in Beijing

China uses a single timezone for the entire country — despite being almost as wide as the continental United States. In western China, the sun doesn't rise until 10 AM.

Beijing's Great Wall at sunrise in winter fog — the ancient stones glowing amber through the mist — is one of the most photographed golden hour scenes in Asia.

The Forbidden City was designed so the Emperor's throne room faces south — to capture maximum sunlight at solar noon. Imperial architecture was literally built around the sun's schedule.

China has its own internet and apps — and its timezone means Chinese social media peaks when Silicon Valley is asleep. The tech world effectively has two separate daily cycles.

In Xinjiang — western China — the sun sets at 11 PM in summer because Beijing time is applied 3,000 km away from where the sun actually is. Many locals use informal 'Xinjiang time'.

China tried daylight saving from 1986 to 1991 then abandoned it. The government decided a country this large with one timezone didn't need more clock confusion.