Holiday in Nanjing

About Nanjing

Nanjing — the "Southern Capital" — has been the political and cultural center of China for centuries: capital of six dynasties, the Ming Dynasty (before Peking took over) and the Republic of China. Today, the 9-million metropolis on the Yangtze is one of the greenest and most livable large cities in China, where imperial mausoleums stand alongside plane tree boulevards and history is palpable at every turn. The Ming City Wall of Nanjing is the longest city wall in the world at 35 kilometers — longer than those of Xi'an or Constantinople. Parts of it, especially the sections at Xuanwu Lake and the Zhonghua Gate, are walkable and offer an impressive view of the city. The Zhonghua Gate itself, the largest preserved city gate in the world with four nested gatehouses and space for 3,000 soldiers, is a monument of Ming military architecture. The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan) is Nanjing's most famous building: 392 steps lead up to the blue-and-white mausoleum of the founding father of the Republic of China, and the view from the top over the wooded hills and the city silhouette is the most iconic of Nanjing. The nearby Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum complex (UNESCO), the tomb of the first Ming emperor, leads through a hauntingly beautiful spirit avenue of stone elephants, camels, and warriors into the dense mountain forest. But the soul of Nanjing can be found at the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao): the district along the Qinhuai River is a labyrinth of lantern-lit alleys, historic examination halls, tea houses, and souvenir shops. In the evening, when wooden boats with red lanterns glide over the river and the facades shine in warm light, one understands why Nanjing is considered the most romantic of all imperial capitals in Chinese poetry.