Jiangsu Travel Guide

Jiangsu Gudie >> Nanjing

Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

About Nanjing

Nanjing, the capital of ten periods in Chinese history, is a city famed for its rich culture, long history and beautiful landscape. Nanjing, with a favorable geographical location and picturesque landscape, is also a famous tourist city. Nanjing is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River where the four seasons are clearly demarcated, bringing plenty of rainfall and abundant produce. The mountains, lakes, rivers, forests and the city proper form beautiful vistas all year round. In spring, it is common to visit Niushou Mountain scenic area's misty greenness. In summer the sunlight and clouds in the eastem suburbs is famous, while in autumn climbing the splendid Qixia Mountain is favored, Lastly, in winter it is recommended to view the stone city wall under the white snow. Nanjing's magnificent scenery extends across the seasons and across the city's reach.

Nanjing China

Nanjing is a modem city brimming with dynamism and confidence. Nanjing has comprehensive strengths and is one of the four national key cities for science and commerce Nanjing, with complete infrastructure .is an important transportation and communication hub in East China and with dynamic trade and commerce sectors is the most important commercial city in the Yangtze River delta region after Shanghai. As an ancient capital city, green city, cultural city, riverside city and city of Fraternity, Nanjing has emerged as one of China's most attractive destinations for investment and living. Nanjing has been awarded several honorable title for its outstanding achievement including: "National Advanced City for Scientific and Technological Progress", "National Excellent Tourist City", "National Hygienic City” and "National Model City for Environmental Protection”. Nanjing, as one of the "forty Chinese cities with best environments for investment”, is also regarded as one of the Asian-Pacific Rim cities with the best development prospects in the 21st century.

History Of Nanjing

Nanjing has been cursed with an interesting history. Due to its strategic position on the Chang Jiang, it was a disputed prize during the Warring States period (476-221 BC). Under the Qin dynasty, which finally unified all of China, Nanjing enjoyed a period of stability as it served as the administrative center for the surrounding region. Its importance grew during the Western and Eastern Han dynasties, until the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty in 220 AD, when Nanjing became the capital of the state of Wu. With the overthrow of the Wu state however, Nanjing suffered from the strife that wracked China for the next 300 years. The years 507-589 in particular brought Nanjing a series of natural disasters, rebellions and invasions. In 589 General Wen Di captured Nanjing and destroyed all its important buildings, in order to firmly establish Beijing as the only capital of a united China. Nanjing enjoyed peaceful obscurity until 1368, when the first emperor of the Ming dynasty established his capital there. A brief period of prosperity followed with the building of new fortifications and the establishment of many commercial, administrative and educational institutions. But in 1420 the capital was returned to Beijing and Nanjing fell again into relative obscurity.

When British warships sailed up the Chang Jiang during the Opium War of 1842 they forced the Chinese government to sign the Treaty of Nanjing, which has been known ever since in China as the first of the "unequal treaties" it was to suffer under the western imperial powers. During the Taiping Rebellion of 1851-1864, it was the base of the rebel leader Hong Xiuquan, which ended when Nanjing was stormed by a combined army of Chinese and foreigners. Yet another upheaval came after 1911, when the Guomindang (Chinese Nationalists) under Sun Yatsen overthrew the Qing dynasty and eventually moved the capital from Beijing to Nanjing. During the Japanese invasion of 1937 Nanjing resisted strongly, but when it finally fell the Japanese subjected the city to what has been known ever since as the Nanjing Massacre, in which an estimated 300,000 people were murdered. After the Second World War ended in 1945 the nationalists again established their capital in Nanjing, but this period ended in 1949 with its capture by the Communists and the establishment of Beijing as capital of the People's Republic of China.

Culture & Food

Nanjing is the home of many important educational and research institutions. Handwoven silk brocades are a famous handicraft of Nanjing, particularly "cloud brocades" which portray the sky at sunset.

Nanjing cuisine is typified by finely chopped ingredients, with natural flavours highlighted through the use of original stocks and broths. One of the most famous dishes is Nanjing salted duck.

• Travel in China - Nanjing Tour Packages