I have to agree with you there.

The city is sprawled like a beached whale, and it takes ages to get from one place to another. In winter it's horribly cold, in summer you get the heat without the sun (just a brownish-yellow cloud), it's humid, it's the most populated city in China.

Yea, um...I guess it's got the culture that Shanghai doesn't have? But I mean, you can pretty much see it all in two weeks or less.

Nothing

It's the people, the underground culture and creativity that you have to seek out to discover, the fact that Beijing has more culture to offer in terms of music, art etc., the northern Chinese cuisine, the street food, the challenges that you have to overcome to settle in and the rewarding feeling that ensues when you've mastered these hurdles...

When the olympics came to Beijing this was the place to be. Even after the olympics more and more tourists came to visit Beijing. Being the host city of the olympics would have to help the cause of people loving to living in that city. Also it's closest place to get to the great wall one of the seven wonders of the world. Other than that a lot of different restaurants to choose from and a lot more space to travel and to go sightseeing. Not to mention it's the capital of China and it is the home to several important people in the world.

Going with Minhoutao with this. Spent a month on business in Beijing, and between the transport, the filth, and the ugliness, I wanted to kill myself by the end. Even the interesting touristy places are a horrible experience because the constant bothering by the most persistant scam artists it the friggin world, who will not give up no matter what you do or say.

Aside from that, you lose the major economic benifit of living in China, as the signifigantly higer cost of living isn't really compensated by the slightly higher wages (as it would be in Shanghai or Hangzhou). Plus, few places that hire foreigners in Beijing will want to give you a legit visa.

And let's not forget the wonderful people. I expect to get the hello-screaming in a little city with few foreigners, but in the capital? They were worse than a farming village for treatment of foreigners.

Screw Beijing. Worst city in China, and the most arrogant idiots on the face of the earth.

It used to be nice, especially the underground music scene and bars streets without tourists. Nowadays... it's mostly tourist attractions, shopping malls and unfriendly people.

Expats say it's nice because it's full of creature comforts you can't get in other cities. It's easy for me to go out and get a non-mcdonald's hamburger. I can go to an April gourmet and get tons of different western food. Things like that. 

The variety of things to do, see and all. I was in Guilin for 4  years and after three was bored out of my mind! Here there is more variety and people are lless taken by foregners. Besides, for me, nature is overrated!