Nanjing a Window of Real China

Nanjing is the capital city of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. Simplified as “Ning”, it has another name Jinling. It is situated in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, at 32°03’N and 118°47’E. It borders with the Yangtze River Delta to the east and the hilly areas of South Anhui to the west, adjacent to the water network of Taihu Lake in the south and the Jianghuai Plain in the north. With the “golden waterway” Yangtze River flowing through the city, it is 380 km from the Yangtze River’s estuary to the sea, and about 300km to Shanghai, China’s largest city The total area of Nanjing is 6598 square km; 4728 square km out of this is urban area.

The total population of the city is over 10 million. It is in the monsoon climate area of north subtropical zone, with clearly-divided four seasons. Its annual average temperature is 16 °C and the annual average precipitation 1034 mm.

In this city, the ancient Qinhuai River of Nanjing is curved and extended like a jade belt and Xuanwu Lake and Mochou Lake are situated on both sides. The winding Zhongshan Mountain and Qixia Mountain have continued their guard like dragons for thousands of years.There is lots to excite tourists here. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s Mausoleum located in the city could inspire the spirit of fearlessness in tourists. With academic flavor of antique beauty, Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) could provide the tourists with the experience of prosperity of the marketplace in Ming and Qing dynasties centuries ago. Standing in the city of thick barriers and watching the crafty-designed Zhonghua Gate with magnificent momentum, one can even hear the neigh of war horses.

Nowadays, local life in Nanjing is much slower and more relaxed than in Beijing or Shanghai. It is common to see senior citizens playing chess in the sun or enjoying a radio show next to a busy thoroughfare. Local citizens are chatty and friendly, though most can speak only Chinese. English is better understood in high-end hotels and restaurants or in international hostels. Now, more and more Indians are coming to this city for business, education or other purposes.

With a history of over 2,500 years as a city and nearly a history of 500 years as a capital, it is one of the 4 major ancient capitals in China. In 2014 it was the host city of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games. Indeed, Nanjing is a window for foreign visitors to get a glimpse of the real China.