ThecitywallbuiltintheMingDynastywasaslongas33,676meters.Morethan600yearslater,21,351metersofwallstillstands,makingitChina’slongestextantcitywall.NANJING,whichusedtobeknownasJinlingorJiankang,isthecapitalcityofJiangsuProvince,onChina’seastcoast.Asoneofthefourancientcapitals,NanjingisacradleofChinesecivilizationaswellasapolitical,economic,andculturalcenter.
SunQuan,EmperorofWu(222-280)wasthefirstrulertomakeNanjingthecapitalin229AD.ThelasttimethecitybecamethecapitalwasduringtheRepublicofChinaperiod(19121949).Nanjinghasbeenacapitalcity,onandoff,overalongerperiodoftimethananyoftheotherancientcapitals.Thesuccessivedynastiesandhugesocialchangesthatoccurredoverthatperiodendowedwealthonitsresidentsduringtimesofprosperityandwroughtpenuryonthemonitsdecline.Nanjingnonethelessprovedresilient,recoveringtimeandtimeagaintowitnessthecountry’srevitalizationandplayinganintegralroleinpreservingChinesecultureandpassingitdownthegenerations.
ThecitywasalsothesiteofmajoreventssuchasthesigningoftheTreatyofNanjing,whichmarkedthestartofthemodernperiodofChina(1840-1949),andtheestablishmentoftheRepublicofChina,heraldingtheperiod’smorefavorableconclusion.
Nanjing’sgloriousculturalheritage,formedovercenturies,isevidentinthehistoricalsitesinterspersedamongitsmodernskyscrapers.Thecityis,ineffect,amuseumofChinesehistory.AvisitthereoffersthechancetorecallandreflectonChina’sgloriousbutoftenturbulentpast.AmuseumthatreflectstheChineseimperialcivilexaminationsystemisbuiltonthesiteofJiangnanExaminationHall.CapitalofSixDynasties
NanjingwasinfactChina’scapitalformorethan10dynasties.SowhyisitgenerallyknownasCapitalofSixDynasties?
TheSixDynastiesreferstothespecificperiodofChinesehistoryfrom222to589,duringwhichtimetherewereWu(222-280),EasternJin(317420),andfoursuccessivedynasties–Song,Qi,Liang,andChen–whicharenormallycollectivelycalledtheSouthernDynasties(420-589).
AllthesestatesmaintainedtheircapitalatNanjing,hencethenickname,“CapitalofSixDynasties.”
AtthattimeNanjingwasametropolisbyanystandards,withapopulationexceedingonemillion.Thefirstcitytoadoptasymmetricallayoutwiththenorth-southaxisatitscenter,Nanjing’sarchitecturaldesignexertedafar-reachinginfluenceonlatergenerationsbothinChinaandotherEastAsiancountries.ItisoutstandinginthehistoryofdevelopmentofChina’sancientcapitals.
NanjingwasnamedcapitalupontheestablishmentoftheSouthernTangDynasty(937-975).Thestablesocialenvironmentoverthenext39yearsbroughtbotheconomicandculturaldevelopment,particularlyinliterature,art,calligraphy,andmusic.
LiYu(937-978),thelastSouthernTangruler,wasculturallyversatile,excellingincalligraphy,painting,poetry,andmusic.Hispoeticworks,especiallyintheformofCi(alsocalledlinesofirregularlengths),havebeenappreciatedforgenerations.
In1368,ZhuYuanzhang(1328-1398)proclaimedhimselfemperorinNanjingandestablishedtheMingDynasty(1368-1644).Nanjingthusbecamethedesignatednationalpolitical,economicandculturalcenter.Zhuspent27yearsdesigningandbuildingacitywall–33,676meterslong–toencirclehiscapital.Morethan600yearslater,21,351metersofwallstillstands,makingitChina’slongestsurvivingcitywall.
In1421,thethirdMingemperormovedthecapitaltoBeijing,andNanjingwasdemotedtoasecondarycapital.ThegrandMingPalacewasdestroyedbysuccessivewarsanddisastersinlatercenturies,butpeoplecanstillcatchaglimpseofitsarchitecturalstyleandinnovationthroughBeijing’sForbiddenCity,whichwasmodeledontheMingPalace.
In1842,attheendoftheFirstOpiumWar,BritainandthegovernmentofQingDynasty(1644-1911)signedtheTreatyofNanjing,markingthestartofthemodernperiodofChina.
In1853,duringtheTaipingRebellionlaunchedbypeasantsfromSouthChina,theTaipingArmycapturedNanjingasitsseatandheldthecityfor11years.
In1912,Dr.SunYat-senannouncedtheestablishmentoftheprovisionalgovernmentoftheRepublicofChinainNanjing,andwasinauguratedasProvisionalPresidentoftheRepublic.
SunYat-senMausoleum:Dr.SunYat-senwasthe“forerunnerofthedemocraticrevolution”inChina.HismausoleumisintheZhongshanScenicAreaamidthesouthernZijinshanMountain.
Recliningonamountainslope,themausoleumencompassesamemorialarchwaybearingthetwoChinesecharacters“BoAi,”meaninguniversallove,apathleadingtothemausoleum,gate,stonestepstopavilionshousingstelae,themainhall,andthecoffinchamber.Allarealignedonacentralaxis,sohonoringthetraditionallayoutofaChinesearchitecturalcomplex.
Abird’s-eyeviewrevealsthemausoleum’sresemblancetothe“LibertyBell.”Itscyanglazedtilesandgraniticwallgivethemausoleumasolemnandawe-inspiringambience.
Transportation:Busroutes9,34(theBoaiLine),201,202,and203gototheMausoleum.
MingXiaolingMausoleum:LocatedinthesouthernfoothillsofZijinshanMountain,themausoleumcontainsthetombofEmperorZhuYuanzhang,founderoftheMingDynasty,andEmpressMa.
AsthefirstMingimperialtomb,itexemplifiesthearchitecturalandstonecarvingexcellenceofthatage.ItsdesignandarchitecturehaddirectinfluenceontombconstructionduringtheMingandQingdynastieswhichlastedfor500-oddyears.
Althoughallitswoodenstructuresweredestroyed,themausoleumstillhasthepowertoimpressbyvirtueofthegrandandopulentscaleonwhichitwasbuilt.Theundergroundchamberandmainbuildingsarewellmaintained,sopreservingtheintegrityandauthenticityoftheoverallmausoleumlayout.
Transportation:TakeSubwayLine2andgetoffatXiamafangStation.
OnApril23,1949,thePeople’sLiberationArmycapturedNanjing,soendingtheKuomintang’sstatusastherulingpoliticalpartyofChina’smainland.
AfterthefoundingofthePeople’sRepublicofChinain1949,NanjingwasdesignatedcapitalcityofJiangsuProvince.
HomeofTalents
Nanjinghasatraditionofreverenceforcultureandeducation,andsohasthereputationforbeinga“centerofcultureunderheaven.”
ThefirstImperialCollegeinNanjingwasestablishedwaybackinthethirdcentury.TheSixDynastiesperiodsawtheestablishmentofschoolsspecificallyforteachingConfucianism,metaphysics,literature,andhistory.
DuringtheMingDynasty,theGuozijian(ortheImperialAcademy),thehighestinstitutionoflearningofthattime,wasestablishedinNanjing.ItwasgenerallyassumedthatthosewhocouldenterGuozijianwouldbecomevirtuousandknowledgeable,andhenceusefulandimportanttothestate.
JiangnanExaminationHall,whichhasthecapacityfor20,000examineesatonetime,wasthelargestofitskindinancientChina.ItwasusedtohostprovincialandnationallevelexaminationsforstudentsfromJiangsuandneighboringAnhuiProvince.
DuringtheMingandQingdynasties,halfthecandidatesforallsessionsofthenationalexaminationscamefromtheJiangnanExaminationHall.AmongthemwereTangBohu,oneofthe“fourliterarymastersoftheJiangnanregion;”WuCheng’en,authorofJourneytotheWest;WuJingzi,authorofthenovellaTheScholars(Rulinwaishi);ZhengBanqiao,painterandoneof“eighteccentricpaintersofYangzhou;”andChenDuxiu,aforerunnerofthemoderndemocraticmovement.
NanjingisthebirthplaceofCaoXueqin(c.1715c.1763),authorofADreamofRedMansions,whichisregardedoneofthegreatestworksofChineseliterature.AshisclanhadheldtheofficeofImperialTextileCommissionerinJiangning(anothernameofNanjing)forthreegenerations,Cao’schildhoodwaswell-to-doandcarefree.
However,asfamilyfortunesdeclined,CaomovedwithhisfamilytoBeijing.ThislossofstatusandthesufferingitbroughttoeachfamilymemberisreflectedinCao’smasterpieceADreamofRedMansions.
Thevoluminousnovel,known,admired,andenjoyedthroughouttheworld,isgenerallyacknowledgedastheepitomeofChineseliteraryexcellence.
TheCompendiumofMateriaMedica,(BencaoGangmu)waswrittenbyLiShizhen(1518-1593)duringtheMingDynastyandfirstpublishedinNanjing.Lispentalmost30yearsonthefirstdraftofthebook,whichdetailedallknownmedicalknowledgeandexperience.Itrecorded1,095herbalremedies,accountingfor58percentofallknownmedicines.
In1590,itwasfinallyprintedandpublishedinNanjing,12yearsafterLicompletedthebook.Widelyacclaimed,ithasbeenreprintedcountlesstimes.
TheYongleEncyclopedia(knownasYongleDadianinChinese),thelargestofitskindinancient
FuziMiao:LocatedonthenorthernbankoftheQinhuaiRiverinsouthernNanjing,theNanjingFuziMiao,orConfuciusTemple,iswherepeoplegotoworshipConfucius.AculturalandcommercialhubduringtheMingandQingdynasties,buildingsinthecomplexincludetheConfuciusTempleitself,theJiangnanExaminationHall,andtheXueGong(theImperialAcademy).
TheLanternFair,apopularfolkcelebrationthatmarkstheendofthehalf-monthlongSpringFestival,isalsoheldhere.
Transportation:TakeSubwayLine3toFuzimiaoStation.
MostcopiesoftheYongleEncyclopediawerestolenordestroyedduringyearsofwarsandsocialturbulence,andtodayonlyaround800scrollsoftheoriginalmanuscriptarepreservedaroundtheworld.
TheprominentChinesemathematicianandastronomerZuChongzhi(429-500)wasalsoborninNanjing.HewasthefirsttocalculatethesixthandseventhdecimalplacesofPifrom3.14159to3.1415927.TheaccuracyofZu’sestimateremainedunsurpasseduntilthePersianAstronomerandmathematicianAl-Kshn(1380-1429)tookPitothe16thdecimalplaceabout1,000yearslater.
UnforgettableHistory
Nanjinghasexperiencedbothboundlessprosperityandbitterdeprivation.
Forthemostpart,thecityhistoricallyservedasacenterforrumpstates.Itwasbothblessedandcursedbyitssuperiorlocationandidealculturalenvironment.Completelydestroyedsixtimesduringyearsofwars,itbouncedbackandcontinuedtothrive.
Thefirstdevastationoccurredin327duringtheEasternJinDynasty(317-420),whenalargescalerebellionbrokeout.Therebelarmycapturedthecityandburneddowntheimperialpalaces,leavingthecapitalinruins.
Thesecondwasin548,whenarebellionbrokeoutagainsttheLiangDynasty(502-557).TherebelarmycapturedNanjing,burningdownthehomesoflocalinhabitantsaswellasprominentbuildingsandthecitygates.RebeltroopsthenchanneledwaterfromXuanwuLaketoinundatetheimperialpalaceandcentraloffices.Theonceprosperouscitywaspillagedandlaidtowaste,itscivilianseitherkilledorlefttostarvetodeath.
ThethirdannihilationoccurredwhentheSuiDynasty(581-618)overthrewtheChenDynasty(557589).FoundingEmperorWendiofSuiorderedthecompletedestructionofNanjing.Theofficialmansionsandgrandimperialpalaceswereaccordinglydismantled.
AnaerialviewofZhonghuamenGateintheMingCityWall,Nanjing.DuringtheSuiandTang(618-907)dynasties,thecentralauthoritiesgavelessfinancialsupporttoNanjingasitwasnolongerthecapitalcity.However,itsadvantageousgeographicallocationpropelledtheregion’seconomicandculturalprogress.DuringtheSouthernTangDynasty(937-975),Nanjingwasoncemoredeclaredthecapital,andthecityexpandedwiththelaunchofvariousconstructionprojects.NanjinghassincecontinuedtoplayamainroleinSoutheastChina’seconomicdevelopment.
AttheonsetoftheSouthernSongDynasty(11271279),althoughNanjingwasnolongerthecapital,itsufferedafourthdisasterduetoitslocation.RivalsfromnorthernChinamovedsouthtoattacktheSouthernSong,andcapturedNanjingontheirwayin1129.Thefollowingyear,afterransackingandconfiscatinglargefortunes,theyinternedciviliansandburneddowntheentirecity.
Nanjing’sfifthdevastationcameinthe19thcentury.In1853,theTaipingRebellionforcescapturedthecityandmadeittheseatoftherebellion.TheydestroyedNanjing,demolishingthepalaceandmanyancienttemplesbuiltduringtheMingDynastytoobtaintheconstructionmaterialsnecessarytobuildtheirownpalace.
EvenworsewasthehavoctheQingarmywroughtin1864,whenitcapturedNanjingfromrebelsandreportedlykeptthecityburningforsevendays,completelydestroyingitsfinearchitecture.
Nanjing’sfinaldevastationoccurredonDecember13,1937,thedaythatJapaneseinvadersoccupiedNanjing.Inthecourseoftheensuingmonth,JapanesetroopscarriedouttheinfamousNanjingMassacre,killingcivilians,desecratingculturerelics,andburningdownancientresidentialhousesandculturalsites.
ItisdifficulttobelievethatNanjing,thebeautifulandprosperouscityoftoday,survivedsomanycatastrophes.Historyservesasareminderofourneedtorespectandpreserveapeacefullife,anddoourutmosttoavoidthemiseryanddeaththatwarsbring.
(CompiledbyChinaToday)
NanjingMassacreMemorialHall:
ThememorialhallislocatedatNo.418,ShuiximenStreetinJianyeDistrict,alocalityalsoknownasJiangdongmen,closetoasitewherethousandsofpeoplewerekilledandburied.
Thehallcomprisesfoursections:exhibitionzones,theshelteredskeletalremainsofvictims,anoutdoorsquare,andanexhibitionhalldisplayinghistoricaldocuments.
Theentireedificeisbuiltingreyishwhitemarbleandexudesanimposingsolemnity.ThehallhighlightseveryaspectoftheNanjingMassacrewithhistoricalmaterials,culturalrelics,architecture,sculpture,andfilm.Itoccupiesatotalareaof120,000squaremeters.Anareaof18,000squaremetersisgivenovertoexhibitionswhoseexhibitsinclude200,000ormorehistoricalitemsrelatedtothemassacre.