Nanjing
INTRO
Nanjing is a delightful modern city in China with a staggering cultural and historic heritage that would marvel even the least passionate traveller. Nanjing is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China that has been transformed into a rapidly changing 21st-century metropolis. It offers fantastic sightseeing, authentic cultural experience and varieties of modern tastes of China.
City Profile
City: Nanjing
Country: China
Area: 6,598 square km
Population: 8,200,000
Districts: 13
Mayor: Jiang Hongkun
Language: Mandarin
LOCATION
As the capital of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing is strategically situated on the lower Yangtze River drainage basin just 300km west of Shanghai and around 1200km south of Beijing. In addition, the city is located on one of the major economic zones in the country and has always served as a transportation, educational and economic centre.
TIME TO VISIT
Considering the fact that Nanjing enjoys splendid nature and vivid colours during the autumn, the most appropriate time to spend some time here is between September and December. In general, the city has a temperate climate that is distinguished with very hot summers - temperatures sometimes reaching 43 degrees Celsius, and relatively warm winters. Rainfall is a common weather condition for Nanjing, especially from mid-June till the end of July as that is the plum blossom seasons. The remaining months of the summer, however, are less rainy and suitable for outside activities and sightseeing.
POPULATION
Just like the other provincial capitals in China Nanjing is the home of many people. The number of the city's urban population exceeds 6 million while that of the total metropolitan area is over 8 million. Although the majority of Nanjing's residents belong to the Han nationality, small percentages of other minority groups also reside here. These include Hui nationality, Manchu and Zhuang nationalities. In general, even though many business people speak and understand English, it is not a commonly known language. Officially, Mandarin is the language of use for Nanjing's residents.
DISTRICTS
Currently, Nanjing is divided into 11 urban districts and 2 counties.
- Xuanwu District
- Baixia District is mostly renowned for it houses the famous Confucius Temple.
- Qinhuai District
- Jianye District
- Gulou District
- Xiaguan District
- Pukou District includes the city's international airport and several places of interest such as Praying Hill Park, Huiji Temple Park and Laoyingshan Tower.
- Liuhe District
- Yuhuatai District
- Jiangning District
- Qixia District
- Lishui County
- Gaochun County
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
The amount of tourist attractions and places of interest in Nanjing is truly overwhelming. One can easily spend a whole week here and still not manage to visit all places of interest. There are several sights, however, that you should make sure to visit while staying in Nanjing.
- Temple of Confucius was originally built in 1034 during the reign of the Song Dynasty. It used to be a holy place in worship of the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius. Later, the temple was expanded to become a complex of typical Ming and Qing Dynasties architectural style which included the Place of Imperial Examination and the Imperial Academy. Presently, the area around the temple overlooking the river is lined with many souvenir shops, snack bars, restaurants and teahouses, all in Qing and Ming style.
- Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum is considered the Holy Land of Chinese people as Dr. Sun Yat-Sen was the father of the Republic of China, the forerunner of the democratic revolution who set the people free from the monarchy regime. This majestic building was constructed in 1929 on top of the Zhong Mountain, from where a breathtaking view of the area is revealed. The mausoleum's layout is in the form of a bell and almost 400 stairs await you in order to be able to see the pavilion, the entrance, the tomb passage, the sacrificial hall and the coffin chamber.
http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/nanjing/mausoleum.htm - Nanjing Museum is a very well known museum in China and thus carefully maintained with explanations on both English and Chinese. Its exhibits are indispensable in covering the history and culture of the country. The museum is mostly known for its exquisite jade armour collection.
http://www.njmuseum.com - The Zhonghau Gate is a precious historical relic. It is the southern gate of Nanjing city that was constructed 1386 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. It is referred to as the greatest and most complex, castle-like city gate in China. It was designed to hold up to 3000 people in case of enemy attack and is one of the largest in China.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_of_China%2C_Nanjing - Linggu Temple and Pagoda is considered to be the best Buddhist temple in the world built in 515 during the Liang Dynasty. One of the highlights here is the Beamless Hall that is widely respected because of its unique architectural techniques. At first it was dedicated to the Buddha of Infinite Life but later became a memorial of the soldiers who passed away in the War of Northern Expedition.
- Yangtze River Bridge is the first double-decker, double-track highway and railway bridge constructed by the Chinese alone and the longest bridge in the world listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was completed in 1968 and was the second bridge over the Yangtze River.
AIRPORT
Nanjing airport serves many domestic and international flights every day.
- Lukou International Airport is located 29 km away from Nanjing. Getting from here to downtown is convenient as there is an airport shuttle bus that costs 20 Yuan and takes about 40 minutes. Another option is to take a taxi that will cost around 100 Yuan.
More info at: www.njiairport.com
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
The local transportation network in Nanjing is very well arranged though crowded. Several options are available for the independent traveller.
- The Bus transportation system in Nanjing is very tourist friendly as the city has special tourist buses marked with Y in front of their route number. These buses cover all the important tourist destinations and cost only 1 Yuan for a hard-seated bus and 2 Yuan for a soft-seated one. The name of each bus stop is announced in Chinese and in some buses in English.
- Taxis are easy to find and cheap. The prices begin at 9 Yuan and usually don't cost more than 30 Yuan for destinations around the city. Note that taxis get difficult to find after 5.30pm.
- Bicycles can be hired or bought for very reasonable prices in Nanjing. It is a good choice of transportation if you want to feel like a Chinese and become a part of Nanjing's public transport. The locals prefer riding a bike or a motorcycle over driving.
- The Subway in Nanjing is very reliable and fast means of transport. Fares: 2RMB.
HISTORY
According to the legends, Nanjing was first established in 495 BC by the Lord of the State of Wu. From a historical point of view, the city has played a significant role in the Chinese past as it served as the capital for six Chinese Dynasties. Nanjing was the country's capital during the Three Kingdoms Period, during the Tang Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty and the Taiping Kingdom. Nanjing was also chosen to be the capital of the Republic of China in 1912 but was soon replaced with Beijing. Due to its long and heroic past, the city is abundant in relics and landmarks that attract millions of tourists from both China and abroad.
CITY LINKS
- Qingdao Daily Press: A Daily Online Newspaper in English: http://eng.qingdaonews.com//
- Nanjing Travel Guide: http://www.synotrip.com/nanjing/
- Useful Tips: http://wikitravel.org/en/Nanjing
- Nanjing Official Website: http://www.nanjing.gov.cn/pub/njgov/
UNIVERSITY LINKS
- Nanjing University: www.nju.edu.cn/
- China Pharmaceutical University: http://www.cpu.edu.cn/English/index.htm
- Hohai University: http://en.hhu.edu.cn/
- Nanjing Normal University: http://www.njnu.edu.cn/english/index.asp
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology: http://www.njust.edu.cn/