Peking Duck or Beijing Duck: Are They the Same Thing?
If you have seen both names—Peking Duck or Beijing Duck—don’t worry.
They refer to the same famous dish.
In daily life, Chinese people almost always say Beijing Duck.
The name Peking Duck exists mainly because of history, not because it is a different style or recipe.
Why Is It Called “Peking Duck”?
The name “Peking” comes from an older European way of translating Chinese place names.
Before modern pinyin was introduced, China did not have a unified romanization system.
Foreign scholars, missionaries, and travelers could only approximate Chinese pronunciation using their own languages. Based on how “北京” sounded when spoken, they recorded the name as Peking.
This spelling became widely used in Europe and later in the English-speaking world, long before pinyin existed.
From “Peking” to “Beijing”
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, pinyin was officially promoted and standardized as the national system for romanizing Chinese.
Under pinyin, 北京 began to be spelled as Beijing, which more accurately reflects its Mandarin pronunciation.
However, many names that had already become well known internationally kept their historical spellings.
As a result, terms such as Peking Duck, Peking Opera, and the airport code PEK continued to be used and have remained in common international usage ever since.
These names are not mistakes—they are simply historical remnants from an earlier period of cultural exchange.
The Same Reason Behind “Peking Opera”
This is also why foreigners often ask:
“Why is it called Peking Opera?”
The answer is simple:
It was introduced to the Western world during the same historical period, when Beijing was spelled as Peking.
In Chinese, it is always called Jingju (京剧), meaning Beijing Opera.
The English name simply reflects the spelling used at the time of its introduction.
Why Does Your Luggage Tag Say “PEK”?
If you fly into Beijing Capital International Airport, you may notice that your baggage tag shows PEK.
This is not a mistake.
Airport codes were standardized internationally many decades ago, using the older spelling systems.
By the time modern pinyin spelling became common, PEK was already fixed and recognized worldwide.
Changing airport codes would cause confusion across global aviation systems, so the code remained.
Beijing Duck, Peking Duck — Which Name Should You Use?
Both names of Peking Duck or Beijing Duckare are correct.
Beijing Duck is the modern and locally used name
Peking Duck is the historical name still widely used abroad
They describe the same dish, prepared in the same traditional way.
Understanding this small detail often helps visitors better appreciate how Chinese history, language, and daily life are connected.