Located in Eastern China, Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province, an important city on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtse River.

Nanjing enjoys a worldwide reputation for its history and culture. It enjoys a long historical heritage and has twice served briefly as the nation's capital (AD 1368-1644 and again in the early 20th century).

Archaeological findings show that human ancestors lived in the Nanjing area around 300,000 years ago, and primitive villages took shape 6000 years ago. In the 19th century the Opium Wars brought the British to Nanjing and it was here that the first of the 'unequal treaties' were signed, opening several Chinese ports to foreign trade, forcing China to pay a huge war indemnity and ceding the island of Hong Kong to Britiain. Just a few years later Nanjing became the Taiping capital during the Taiping Rebellion (1851-64) which succeeded in taking over most of southern china. The Rebellion was finally crushed in 1864.

In the 20th century Nanjing has been the capital of the Republic of China, the site of the worst war atrocity in Japan's assault on China (the 1937 'Rape of Nanjing' in which as many as 300,000 people may have died) and the Kuomintang capital from 1928 to 1937 and 1945 to 1949 before the Communists made China their own.

Today Nanjing is a major international commercial port in the Yangtse delta region, second only to Shanghai. The region has developed into an important industrial base, producing electronics, automobiles, and chemicals amongst other products. It is also one of China's four major scientific research and educational cities.

Like many other Chinese cities, Nanjing is developing fast; vast construction projects are visible everywhere. Nanjing is home to several colleges and universities and a large foreign student population. Total population now stands at 5 million.

How to Get There

Nanjing has regular air connections to all major Chinese cities. There are also daily flights to/from Hong Kong. Nanjing airport is approcimately one hour south of the city.

Where to Stay

Ramada Plaza, 45 Zhongshan Beilu, Tel 330 8888, Doubles $70-140.

Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley Hotel, 169 Hanzhong Lu, Tel 666 8888, Doubles $80-160.