Nanjing, Jiangsu
Nanjing is a city known around the world for its unfortunate, bloody history. Recent in time, the events that happened in this city are taught in history classes all over the globe. Fortunately, however, these days Nanjing is now a vibrant city and the provincial capital of Jiangsu province, located on the Yangtze river delta which has helped it become a crucial trade hub on the eastern seaboard.
Nanjing has countless attractions, things to do and places of importance that a week might not be enough time to do everything. It has withstood an immensely rich, long history and has always been a city of significance within China. In fact, the earliest administrative establishment in Nanjing has been dated back to almost 2,700 years ago during the State of Chu. Nanjing would then go on to become the capital city of six dynasties, its importance spanning centuries all while seeing prosperous times followed by times of hardship. Nanjing has experienced it all. In fact, Nanjing directly translates to
“south capital” similar to the “north capital” being Beijing
Of the notable places to visit, The Presidential Palace of Nanjing, Sun Yatsen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum are high on the list of historical attractions. You can find more information about them and other general attractions here to get an idea about what you can do. I was pressed for time and didn’t make it to these places so instead, I will write about my visit and offer alternative recommendations.
YueJiang Tower
One of my favorite places in Nanjing is the Yuejiang Tower (阅江楼). It is a representation of Ming style architecture located in the northwest of the city center in the GuLouqu District (鼓楼区). It is perched up on a hill called Lion Mountain or 狮子山. You are able to see the great Yangtze river in the distance on the north side of the complex, the river, from which, the tower in part derives its name. The tower was actually built in 2001 to reflect the wish of Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋), the Hongwu Emperor, who ordered it to be built in 1374 to commemorate his victory over Chen Youliang on the spot 14 years earlier, though construction never began.
The Lion Mountain scenic area is quite large with many different parts to explore. The main entrance is located on Jianning Lu (建宁路) right in front of the towering Yifeng Gate (仪凤门). After purchasing your ticket, which should be 40rmb, you can then climb the steps to reach the foot of the tower. The climb is not very strenuous but expect a few hundred steps. From the base of the tower you are able to enter and explore the structure at your leisure. Inside, there is an elevator if you would not like to climb its six stories to the top. It takes a few hours to fully visit and enjoy so it is recommended to go mid to late afternoon to visit and catch the sunset.
Yuejiang Tower is brilliantly colored with great attention to detail. You are able to explore the inside of the tower and get an excellent view from the observation decks. The surrounding area also has a garden which I believe boasts the best view of the tower itself. There is also a walking path along an ancient wall running along the boundaries of the scenic area and Lulong Lake (卢龙湖). There are many interesting pavilions, statues, small temples and points of interest along the way. The path also lends a view above Nanjing Jinghai Temple Museum (南京静海寺纪念馆) as you wind back to Yifeng gate effectively finishing your visit.
Jiangnan Examination Hall
This happens to be one of my favorite museums in China because it really gave you a sense of how significant and rigorously awesome the imperial exams were. Individuals and families could be made or broken by the outcomes of these exams and the scholars who progressed through the ranks were the most important people in government. It is awe-inspiring to learn about the journey many of the examinees went through in the hopes of making something out of themselves. The examination hall was originally built in 1168 and was in use until the imperial exams were abolished in 1905. At its height, Jiangnan Gongyuan (江南贡院) held the provincial imperial exams for present day Jiangsu, Anhui and Shanghai and had 20,644 examination cells where participants would test, eat and sleep over the course of several days. There are a few cells still preserved which you can visit.
Nanjing city walls
Nanjing is home to one of the largest city walls ever constructed in China. At their oldest point they are nearly 700 years old. The walls encompass a 55 square kilometer area around part of Nanjing City. The building of the walls was ordered by the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty and required the labor of over 200,000 workers.
The walls still stand today and you can walk next to them to feel their impenetrability. You are also able to visit the top. There is a station by the top of the south gate where you are able to rent bikes to ride on the wall. It is a great way to pass a few hours and check the view of Qinhuai District (秦淮区) from above.
Qinhuai district
Qinhuai District (秦淮区) is downtown Nanjing and a very popular tourist destination. Especially the streets of the 秦淮风光带 area where you can find bustling avenues, souvenir shops, more street food than you could ever eat and a few popular attractions such as Zhonghua Gate, Fuzimao the Confucius Temple of Nanjing, the Imperial Examination Hall and more. You can stroll through the streets and soak in the scene of the Qinhuai river with classic old Chinese architecture. It is especially beautiful at night when the shops and buildings are lit up but you will have to fight the crowds.
Nanjing also has two notable dishes which are very popular. Beef potstickers and Duck Blood & Vermicelli soup are classics in Nanjing cuisine. You can find the beef potstickers rather easily when you are walking around the city and exploring small streets. There is also 七家湾 which is a chain with a number of locations around Nanjing. You can also look up their Chinese name – 牛肉锅贴 or walk around until you see someone hovering over a huge metal drum with dozens of golden potstickers simmering in oil. They are best sampled hot and dipped in a classic side of vinegar. The duck soup is something for the adventurous in Nanjing. The blood is congealed in iron red cubes the size of a small die floating in a bowl of hearty soup (with an actual heart). You can pick through a few noodles and the vermicelli. Many shops also offer dumplings of the same variety.
nanjing massacre memorial hall
Nanjing suffered greatly during the Japanese invasion in 1937 but the city is resilient and with international attention, due in part by Iris Chang’s book, Nanjing has flipped the script regarding its violent past to call for peace. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall is an essential and humbling place to visit. Entry is free.The halls are extensive with the documentation of the build up of invasion, the atrocities committed and personal accounts. I won’t go into detail about the history and events themselves so if you would like to know more I suggest you read more here or read Iris Chang’s book titled “The Rape of Nanking”. They have a deep respect for the work Iris Chang did and when I went in the spring of 2021 there was a whole section devoted to her life, research and journey. It is an emotionally heavy visit to say the least.
On a final note, there are two parks that I would also like to recommend if you have the time during your visit. I really enjoyed visiting the Nanjing Muyan Binjiang scenic area (南京慕燕滨江风貌) and taking a stroll through the hills where you can see the mighty Yangtze river from above. The park is very big though so expect to do a lot of walking. I would also recommend paying a visit to Xuanwu lake and park (玄武湖公园) where you can enjoy the fresh air, stroll around the lake and even rent low-power motorboats.