Nanjing

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. This city has been very important in Chinese history and culture. It has been the capital for many different governments and dynasties over the past 1,800 years, from the 3rd century until 1949. Because of this long history, Nanjing is sometimes called one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

Today, Nanjing is a busy and modern city. It has many universities, including Nanjing University, which is well known around the world. The city also has important research centers and is a leader in science, especially in areas like earth and environmental sciences, chemistry, and physical sciences.

Nanjing is also famous for its beautiful places, like the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and Purple Mountain. These sites attract many visitors each year who come to learn about the city’s rich past and enjoy its scenery.

Names

The name "Nanjing" means "Southern Capital." It began as a nickname in the 6th century during the Northern and Southern Dynasties time. Over the years, leaders gave the city different names. For example, in the Warring States Era, it was called Yuecheng or Jinling. In the Three Kingdoms Era, it was known as Jianye, and later as Jiankang.

When the Ming dynasty started, the city became an important capital. It was named Nanjing, meaning the southern capital, to be different from the northern capital in Beijing. Today, Nanjing is still a major city in China, and people still remember its old names.

History

See also: Timeline of Nanjing

Prehistory

The discovery of "Nanjing Man" in Hulu Cave in Jiangning District showed that Homo erectus reached eastern China around 600,000 years ago. After Homo sapiens arrived and the end of the Last Glacial Period, the area had Neolithic settlements. Agriculture began in Qixia District by 5000 BC, and a local culture had special vessels by about 3000 BC.

Ancient history

In 571 BC, the state of Chu set up a place called Tangyi in Liuhe. Later, Wu built a town in Gaochun or Gucheng. The Wu king fortified a place in Nanjing in 495 BC. Wu was taken over by Yue in 473 BC, and the city was rebuilt. Yuecheng was built on the outskirts of today’s Zhonghua Gate. In 333 BC, Chu defeated Yue and built Jinlingyi in the western part of Nanjing. In 210 BC, the First Emperor of Qin visited and renamed the city Moling. The area was part of several prefectures under the Qin and Han dynasties.

Capital of the Six Dynasties

The Six Dynasties all had their capitals at Jiankang. They were the Eastern Wu (AD 222–280), the Eastern Jin (317–420), and four Southern Dynasties of the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang, and Chen (420–589).

At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, the warlord Sun Quan moved his office to Moling in 211. He built the Stone City at the site of Jinlingyi and renamed Moling to Jianye. After Sun Quan became emperor in 229, Jianye was the capital of his Eastern Wu dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period. When Wu was taken over by the Western Jin dynasty in 280, Jianye had become a major center.

Jianye was renamed Jiankang in 313. It became a safe place during troubles in the north. In 318, Sima Rui made himself emperor and started the Eastern Jin dynasty. Jiankang was the center of administration in the south for over two and a half centuries. After the Eastern Jin fell in 420, it was the capital for the Southern dynasties of Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang and Chen. During this time, Jiankang was a major international hub.

Destruction and revival

The period ended when the Sui dynasty reunified China and almost destroyed the city. It was renamed Shengzhou under the Tang dynasty and revived during the late Tang.

It was chosen as the capital and again called Jinling under the Southern Tang (937–976). It was renamed Jiangning in the Northern Song and again renamed Jiankang in the Southern Song. Jiankang’s textile industry grew a lot during the Song despite threats from the north by the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty. The court of Da Chu, a short-lived state set up by the Jurchens, and the Song court were once in the city. In 1129, Jiankang became the temporary capital of the Song.

The Southern Song were destroyed by the Mongols. During the Mongols' rule as the Yuan dynasty, the city’s status as a textile center grew. According to Odoric of Pordenone, the prefectural capital of Jinling ("Chilenfu") had 360 stone bridges, finer than anywhere else in the world. It was well populated and had a large craft industry. In 1239, Jiankang was renamed Jiqing (集庆).

Southern capital of the Ming dynasty

In 1365，Zhu Yuanzhang captured Ziqing Circuit and changed its name to Yingtian Prefecture. In 1364, he was enthroned as the King of Wu and established the capital at Yingtian. He rebuilt and expanded the city of Jiankang. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan and renamed the city Nanjing, making it the southern capital in 1368. In 1379, Nanjing became the capital of the Ming dynasty, called Jingshi (京师 "The Capital").

The Hongwu Emperor built a 48 km (30 mi) long city wall around Nanjing, as well as a new Ming Palace complex, and government halls. It took 200,000 laborers 21 years to finish the wall, which was meant to defend the city. The present-day City Wall of Nanjing was mainly built during that time and remains in good condition. It is among the longest surviving city walls in China.

Having taken power from his nephew, the Yongle Emperor moved the capital in 1421 to Beiping, where he had long served as the regional governor. Because the new status of Yingtian was included in the Hongwu Emperor's "ancestral injunctions" for his dynasty, however, the Yongle Emperor was obliged to preserve its special status. The "northern capital" came to be known as Beijing and the 'southern capital' as Nanjing.

The Hongxi Emperor wanted to restore Nanjing as the sole imperial capital and took steps to do so. On February 24, 1425, he appointed Admiral Zheng He as the defender of Nanjing and ordered him to continue his command over the Ming treasure fleet for the city's defense. The emperor died on May 29, 1425, before this could have taken place.

The succeeding Xuande Emperor preferred to remain in Beijing, leaving it the primary capital and Nanjing as permanent secondary or reserve capital. Owing to the continuing importance of the ancestral injunctions, however, Nanjing was designated in official documents as the actual capital and Beijing as a temporary capital from 1425 to 1441. In 1441, the Yingzong Emperor ordered the "provisional" or "temporary" prefix removed from Beijing's government seals and further ordered that the southern imperial administration would henceforth be required to prefix "Nanjing" to their own seals to distinguish them.

Besides the city wall, other Ming-era structures in the city included the famous Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Porcelain Tower, although the latter was destroyed by the Taipings in the 19th century. A gigantic stele, cut on the orders of the Yongle Emperor, lies abandoned in the Yangshan Quarry some 15–20 km (9–12 mi) east of the walled city.

As the center of the empire, early-Ming Nanjing had worldwide connections. It was home of the admiral Zheng He, who sailed the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and it was visited by foreign dignitaries, such as a king from Borneo who died during his visit to China in 1408. The Tomb of the King of Boni, with a spirit way and a tortoise stele, was discovered south of the walled city in Yuhuatai District in 1958 and has been restored.

Nanjing briefly again became the capital of the Southern Ming emperor from 1644 to 1645. After the fall of Beijing to rebel forces and then to the Manchu-led Qing dynasty in the spring of 1644, the Ming prince Zhu Yousong was enthroned in Nanjing in June 1644 as the Hongguang Emperor.

Qing dynasty and Taiping Rebellion

"Tianjing" redirects here; not to be confused with Tianjin.

Under the Qing dynasty from 1645 to 1911, Nanjing returned to its previous name Jiangning although it continued to be referenced as Nanking in foreign sources. At first, it continued to administer the territory of Nanzhili under the name Jiangnan ("Area South of the Yangtze") but this administration was soon broken up into "Right" and "Left" governments based in Suzhou and Jiangning respectively. After a series of reorganizations, at some point under the Qianlong Emperor, Jiangnan was fully divided into the present provinces of Anhui and Jiangsu. Separately, however, these provinces were reunited under the supervision of a new Viceroy of Liangjiang after 1723, whose seat was based in Jiangning. It was the site of a Qing Army garrison. It had been visited by the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors a number of times on their tours of the southern provinces. The 1842 Treaty of Nanking, ending the First Opium War, was signed in the city harbor on Royal Navy warships.

The Taiping Rebellion secured the city in the mid-19th century, taking it as their capital under the name Tianjing. The rebellion destroyed most of the former Ming imperial buildings in the city, including the Porcelain Tower. When Qing forces led by Zeng Guofan retook the city in 1864, great harm was done.

Capital of the Republic and Nanjing Massacre

See also: Battle of Nanking and Nanjing Massacre

The Xinhai Revolution led to the founding of the Republic of China in January 1912 with Sun Yat-sen as the first provisional president and Nanjing was selected as its new capital. However, the Qing Empire controlled large regions to the north, so the revolutionaries asked Yuan Shikai to replace Sun as president in exchange for the abdication of Puyi, the last emperor. Yuan demanded the capital be moved to Beijing (closer to his power base).

In March 1927, after the capture of Nanjing by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) in their Northern Expedition, foreign warships bombarded the city to defend foreign residents against rioting and looting.

The Kuomintang (KMT; Nationalist Party) under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek again established Nanjing as the capital of the Republic of China, and this became internationally recognized once KMT forces took Beijing in 1928. The following decade is known as the Nanjing decade. During this decade, Nanjing was of symbolic and strategic importance.

In 1937, the Empire of Japan started a full-scale invasion of China after invading Manchuria in 1931, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War (often considered a theater of World War II). Their troops occupied Nanjing in December and carried out great harm. The city itself was also damaged during this time. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall was built in 1985 to remember this event.

A few days before the fall of the city, the National Government of China was relocated to the southwestern city Chongqing and resumed Chinese resistance. In 1940, a Japanese-collaborationist government known as the "Nanjing Regime" or "Reorganized National Government of China" led by Wang Jingwei was established in Nanjing as a rival to Chiang Kai-shek's government in Chongqing. In 1946, after the Surrender of Japan, the KMT relocated its central government back to Nanjing.

People's Republic

See also: Yangtze River Crossing campaign

In April 1949, Communist forces crossed the Yangtze River and the Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA) captured Nanjing. The KMT government retreated to Canton (Guangzhou) until October 15, Chongqing until November 25, and then Chengdu before retreating to the island of Taiwan on December 10 where Taipei was proclaimed the temporary capital of the Republic of China. By late 1949, the PLA was pursuing remnants of KMT forces southwards in southern China, and only Tibet and Hainan Island were left.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, Nanjing was initially a province-level municipality, but it was soon merged into Jiangsu and again became the provincial capital by replacing Zhenjiang which was transferred in 1928, and retains that status to this day.

Geography

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu, in East China. It covers an area of 6,600 square kilometres and has over 9 million people. The city is in the Yangtze River Delta, a very important economic area. The Yangtze River flows past Nanjing, helping shape the city's landscape and providing important water routes.

Nanjing has four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, and winters can be cold. The city gets a lot of rain, especially during the rainy season. Nanjing is also known for its natural beauty, with parks, lakes, and historic sites like Purple Mountain. The city has many bridges and tunnels crossing the Yangtze River, connecting different parts of Nanjing.

Government

Nanjing is led by the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. The city is guided by the Chinese Communist Party. The Party Secretary is the main leader, and the mayor takes care of everyday tasks.

Nanjing is split into 11 areas called districts. These districts help manage local services and government work.

Demographics

See also: Population of Nanjing in December of 1937

At the time of the 2010 census, Nanjing had about 8 million people. The area around it had about 12 million people. By 2011, the city's population had grown to about 8 million. The city had slightly more boys than girls.

Most people in Nanjing are from the Han nationality, which makes up over 98 percent of the population. Small groups of other nationalities also live there.

Languages

Most people in Nanjing speak Nanjing Mandarin, but some areas speak Wu Chinese. In 2017, about 73 percent of people in the city used Mandarin regularly.

Religion

Nanjing is home to many religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, and Islam. The city has many important temples and is a center for Buddhist culture. Catholicism began in Nanjing over 400 years ago, and the city has important Christian institutions. Nanjing also plays a big role in Chinese Islamic culture.

Economy

Nanjing's economy is mainly based on services. These services make up about 60 percent of the city's total wealth. Important areas include finance, culture, and tourism. The city is also strong in technology, energy saving, and making smart equipment and tools.

Nanjing is home to many big companies, both from China and other countries. It is a key place for research and development, especially in electronics, computers, and medicine. The city has grown a lot in recent years, with its total wealth increasing steadily. It is also a major center for farming, especially for rice and fish, thanks to the rich soil near the Yangtze River.

Suburbanization

Since the 1990s, Nanjing has grown quickly. Areas outside the city center have become suburbs. This growth happened because of changes in housing rules and many new people moving in.

As more people lived in the suburbs, the city center became less crowded. The way land was used changed.

Universities helped this growth a lot. Places like Xianlin University Town, with many schools and research centers, brought more homes, shops, and better transportation to the area. New planned places such as Hexi New Town and Jiangning also became important spots for living and business. They helped Nanjing grow in many directions.

Transport

Nanjing is an important place for travel in eastern China. The city has many ways to get around, including roads, water routes, and airplanes. There are many bridges and tunnels over the Yangtze River, connecting different parts of the city.

Nanjing has several big train stations, like Nanjing Station and Nanjing South Station. Trains can take you quickly to other cities. The city's airport, Lukou International Airport, has flights both inside and outside of China. Nanjing is also a big port on the Yangtze River, with many ships and goods. The city has many highways, buses, and a subway system, making it easy to travel around.

Culture and art

Nanjing is one of the four ancient capitals of China. It has always been a cultural center that attracts people who love learning.

In the Tang and Song dynasties, poets gathered in Nanjing and wrote poems about its history. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the city was the official test center for the Jiangnan region, bringing together many ideas and thoughts.

Today, Nanjing is often called a "city of culture" and is one of the more pleasant cities to live in China.

Some of China's leading art groups are based in Nanjing. These include the Qianxian Dance Company, Nanjing Dance Company, Nanjing Little Red Flower Art Troupe, Jiangsu Peking Opera Institute, and Nanjing Xiaohonghua Art Company. Jiangsu Art Gallery is the largest gallery in Jiangsu Province, showing traditional and modern art pieces. Many smaller galleries also have special exhibitions. Nanjing has many cultural centers, libraries, movie theaters, and museums.

Nanjing is important for Chinese painting and writing. Many famous painting and writing masters lived and worked here. The city has many museums, including Nanjing Museum, which has a large collection from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Other museums in Nanjing include the City Museum of Nanjing, the Oriental Metropolitan Museum, and the China Modern History Museum.

Jiangsu Province Kun Opera is one of the best theaters for Kunqu, China’s oldest stage art. Nanjing also has professional opera groups for many kinds of Chinese opera, as well as spoken theater and puppet theater. The city has many theaters for different kinds of shows.

Traditional folk dances in Nanjing include styles such as Luoshan Dragon and Dongba Dama Lantern. The Nanjing Art Primary School, also called Nanjing Xiaohonghua Art Troupe, is the first professional children’s art school in the country. It brings together learning, art, and performances.

Education

Nanjing is an important city for learning and science. It has many places for students to study, including universities and schools. The city has been a learning center for over 1,700 years.

Nanjing is also strong in science. It does well in areas like earth and environmental sciences, chemistry, physical sciences, and natural sciences. Some famous universities in Nanjing are Nanjing University and Southeast University. There are also many good high schools in the city.

Sister cities and twin towns

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Nanjing is twinned with several cities around the world. Its relationship with Nagoya, Japan, was paused in 2012 after the mayor made some upsetting comments. Since then, friendly connections between the two cities have been rebuilt by other groups.

Notable people

Nanjing has been home to many famous people throughout history.

• Tao Hongjing lived from 456 to 536. He was a Taoist scholar, alchemist, and pharmacist.
• Xueqin Cao lived from 1715 or 1724 to 1763 or 1764. He was a famous writer and wrote Dream of the Red Chamber.
• Fu Shanxiang was born in 1833. She was the only female champion in Chinese history.
• Yu Guangzhong was born in 1928. He was a well-known writer, poet, scholar, and translator.
• Anhua Gao was born in 1949. She is a Chinese-British author.
• Zhang Guiping was born in 1951. He became Chairman of Suning Global Group.
• Hsiao Sa was born in 1953. She is a Taiwanese author.
• Gang Tian was born in 1958. He is a mathematician and professor at Princeton University.
• Luan Jujie was born in 1958. She is a Chinese fencer and won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics.
• Wang Shuo was born in 1958. He is a Chinese writer and screenwriter.
• Zhang Xu was born in 1961. He is a Chinese neuroscientist.
• Wu Jianmin was born in 1962. He is a Chinese democracy activist.
• Pan Deng was born in 1964. He is an artist and painter.
• Deng Zhonghan was born in 1968. He is a Chinese electrical engineer and entrepreneur.
• Lu Kang was born in 1968. He served as China's ambassador to Indonesia.
• Pu Shu was born in 1973. He is a Chinese singer-songwriter.
• Mei Ting was born in 1975. She is a Chinese actress.
• Hai Qing was born in 1978. She is a Chinese actress.
• Ni Ni was born in 1988. She is a Chinese actress.
• Shiran Wang was born in 1989. She is a Chinese pianist.
• Wu Lei was born in 1991. He is a Chinese footballer.
• Xu Anqi was born in 1992. She is a Chinese fencer.
• Zhang Zetian was born in 1993. She became the youngest Chinese female billionaire.
• Lu Keran was born in 1995. She is a Chinese singer and dancer.
• Cenyu Han was born in 2004. She is a racing driver.