Nanjing

Nanjing has seen its shares of ups and downs – from an imperial capital to the capital of the Taiping Rebellion in Chinese history and later became capital of the Republic of China. Sights telling the story of China's past and memorials to the events that shaped modern China are strewn all over this pleasant city.

The capital of Jiangsu has seen its fair share of crucial historical events. With the Yangtze River on one side, surrounded by the Purple Mountain and shielded by massive city walls, Nanjing was perceived as impenetrable – but the city has been destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions. Today Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province, one of Chinas most economically vibrant provinces, receiving a big chunk of the foreign investments in China.

Nanjing, meaning southern capital, was the seat of six dynasties and more recently, the Republic of China when under Nationalist leadership. In the context of Chinese politics, Nanjing came into the spotlight when a peasant revolt ousted the Yuan dynasty from the city in 1356. The rebel leader later became the first emperor of the Ming dynasty. Nanjing was bombarded by the British during the First Opium War, which lasted from 1840 to 1842, and the subsequent Treaty of Nanjing, the first of the unequal treaties that China was forced to sign after its defeat gave foreign powers privileges over China that would cripple the nation. During the Taiping Rebellion, from 1850 to 1864, Nanjing was made capital by rebels who controlled most of southern and central China. The city was renamed The Heavenly Capital and only with the help of foreign powers and after untold carnage, was the Qing dynasty able to retake Nanjing.

Nanjing Memorable Experience
Immersing ourselves in China's ancient and not so ancient history on the Purple Mountain.
Strolling around the Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River area, tasting the snacks and watching romantic couples sailing around in boats.
Getting wiser on Nanjing and Chinese history in one of the city's museums.