Of all China’s great cities, Nanjing, as it was once known, is the most attractive. The capital of Jiangsu province, it is picturesquely set on the banks of the Yangzi, close to the magnificent Purple Mountain. This city of lakes is still enclosed within its grand city wall, and its streets are shaded by plane trees. Meaning “southern capital,” it was the capital of several regional kingdoms up to AD 220. Later, it was China’s capital under the early Ming. It was also the capital of the 19th-century Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the first Chinese Republic under Dr. Sun Zhong Shan. Today, Nanjing is a fast developing city, with good restaurants and a lively nightlife.

Zhonghua Gate

Built under the orders of the first Ming emperor, Hongwu, from 1368 - 86, the walls surrounding the capital were the most extensive in the world at the time. The 12 m high walls snaked 33 km around the city’s natural contours. Given that the city was elsewhere protected by river and mountain, Zhonghua Gate was a key element in Nanjing’s southern defence. Its walls were cemented by a super-strong mortar made with glutinous rice. Certainly the Emperor’s show of defense was effective — no enemy attempted to breach the walls via Zhonghua Gate. Today the gate’s impressive remains are open to visitors and an interesting museum has been built into the battlements.

Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum

This museum commemorates the anti-dynastic Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Rebellion of 1851 - 64. The building was used by one of the rebellion’s leaders, or Heavenly Princes, while one section — the Zhan or Enthusiasm Garden - originally belonged to the first Ming emperor, Hongwu. Today, the halls are filled with memorabilia and photographs relating to the rebellion, which overran large parts of China. After the rebels claimed Nanjing as their base, they came very close to toppling the Qing dynasty in Beijing, but were eventually defeated by the Qing army in 1864. On display are weapons and uniforms, samples of Taiping currency, and documents explaining the Heavenly ideology, which aimed to change China’s feudalistic society into one based on equality. Their aims included the modernization of the education system that was still based on Confucian classics, the redistribution of land, and equality of the sexes.

Chaotian Gong

The substantial Chaotian Gong (Heaven Palace) was once a place of ancestor worship, a seat of learning, and a Confucian temple. Its mid-19th century buildings such as halls, towers, and walkways, stand on an ancient temple site dating to AD 390. It now houses the Municipal Museum, displaying Shang bronzes and fragments of the legendary porcelain pagoda, destroyed in the Taiping Rebellion. The pagoda was built in the 15th century by the Ming Yongle emperor to honor his mother, and was covered in glazed white bricks. There are daily shows of Ming-dynasty Court Rites in the palace square. Nearby along Tangzi Jie, house No. 74 has colorful paintings dating to the Taiping occupation that were discovered in 1952. The house was occupied by a follower of the Taiping Eastern Prince, Yang Xiuqing. The paintings — of animals and birds — are more interesting for their historical associations than for their deft execution.

Ming Palace Ruins

The old Ming Palace (Ming Gugong) was built in the 14th century for the first Ming emperor, Hongwu, who made Nanjing his capital. Within a century of its construction, this splendid palace was severely damaged by two fires. Later, the Manchus and then the Taiping soldiers completed its destruction. All that remains are ten marble bridges, the old Wu Men or Meridian Gate, and a large number of pillar bases worth examining for their finely sculptured details. The pillars also give an idea of the layout of the palace buildings. Along its main axis, the palace would have had three major courtyards enclosed by enormous halls raised on platforms. These were flanked on either side by altars and temples. Beijing’s Forbidden City is a larger version of this palace complex. The grounds have plenty of trees, which offer shade in the summer months.

Purple Mountain

Overlooking the city, the Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan), is said to take its name from the color of the rocks. It is a picturesque area of gentle hills shaded by woodland and bamboo groves, dotted with villas. It also contains several of the most important points of interest in Nanjing such as the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Zhong Shan, Ming Xiao Ling, and the Linggu Temple complex. Seeing everything will take a whole day and, although there are food stalls around, visitors are advised to take along a picnic. The energetic can make the long climb to the summit for splendid views over the city; alternatively you can take a cable car from outside the eastern wall.