Nanjing
Nanjing is the beautiful capital of the Jiangsu province in Eastern China. There are numerous wide boulevards and many trees that provide necessary shade in this hot city. Especially during the summer the heat can be unbearable and it is for this reason that Nanjing is known as one of China's 'three furnaces'.
Nanjing was the capital of several of China's dynasties. During the Ming dynasty the city bloomed and nowadays several reminders from that period can be found in and around Nanjing. The 33 km-long Ming city wall was the world's longest city wall and some 20 km still remain today. Not far east of the city is the Sun Yatsen Mausoleum. Sun is recognized as the 'father of China', by both the Kuomintang and the communists.
Nanjing boasts a wide variety of other interesting buildings, temples and parks. They can be divided into two categories; those inside the walled city and those outside of it.
Inside the walled city:
- City Wall of Nanjing (南京城墙)
- Zhonghua Gate (中华门)
- Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple; 南京夫子庙) and Qinhuai River (秦淮河)
- Jiangnan Examination Hall (江南贡院)
- Zhan Garden (瞻园)
- Mendong (Laomendong; 老门东)
- Taoye Ferry (桃叶渡)
- Ming Palace (明故宫)
- Xu Garden (煦园)
- Jiming Temple (鸡鸣寺)
- Beiji Ge (北极阁)
- Drum Tower of Nanjing (南京鼓楼)
- Chaotian Palace (朝天宫)
- Stone City (石头城)
- Yuejiang Tower (阅江楼)
- Jinghai Temple (静海寺)
- Purple Mountain Scenic Area (紫金山)
- Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and its surrounding complex (明孝陵)
- Linggu Temple (灵谷寺)
- Xuanwu Lake (玄武湖)
- Qixia Temple (栖霞寺)
- The Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing (restored) (大报恩寺琉璃塔)
- Mochou Lake(莫愁湖)
- Yangshan Quarry (阳山碑材)
- Southern Tang Mausoleums (南唐二陵)
There are numerous hotels and restaurants in Nanjing. The city has excellent rail, road and air connections with most other places in China. Nanjing is 800 km south of Beijing.