Ming history, city walls & autumn ginkgoes
Nanjing
Nánjīng · Ancient southern capital
Capital of six dynasties and a city that wears its history openly — Ming tombs, the longest ancient city wall on earth, and tree-lined boulevards that turn gold in autumn. A cultured, leafy foil to nearby Shanghai.
Top sightsSights
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
A monumental stairway of white stone climbing Purple Mountain to the tomb of modern China's founding father.
Ming City Wall & Zhonghua Gate
The world's longest surviving city wall, with a colossal fortified gate you can walk atop.
Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River
A lantern-lit temple quarter and pleasure-boat river — the beating heart of old Nanjing at night.
Xuanwu Lake
An imperial lake park of causeways and islands ringed by the city wall.
Nanjing Massacre Memorial
A sobering, powerful memorial to the events of 1937 — essential to understanding the city.
What to eatFood
Salted duck
Nanjing's signature — tender, subtly brined duck.
Duck blood & vermicelli soup
A beloved local bowl of silky noodles, duck blood and broth.
Pan-fried buns
Juicy soup buns from the Qinhuai snack streets.
Good to know
- Visit late November for the famous golden ginkgo and plane-tree avenues.
- Only 1–1.5 hours from Shanghai and Hangzhou by high-speed rail.
- Purple Mountain's sights are spread out — allow a full day.
Getting there
Lukou International Airport (NKG) and a major high-speed rail hub to Shanghai (1.5h), Beijing (3.5h) and Xi'an (3.5h).
Next city
Wuhan