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| Hello, China! > Nanjing |
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Nanjing
October-November 2008
Nanjing is situated in 260 km to the north-west from Shanghai at the southern bank of the Yangtze river. The city was founded in 472 B.C. During its history it was the capital three times: once in XIV century and two times in XX century.
Nanjing proved to be a very interesting city, but with very tragic pages in its past. I hope to come there once more.
> To see pictures - Nanjing streets (19)
> To see pictures - Also Nanjing streets (18)
Nanjing Massacre Memorial
For the Chinese people the Second World war started on July 7, 1937, when Japan unleashed an open aggression against China. In that war China suffered very heavy human losses — 17.5 million of people were killed, 90% of which were civilians.
During seizure of Nanjing in December 1937 the Japanese fascists made a real massacre. It is impossible to count those who were killed. At least 300 thousand are thought to be killed! Chinese captive soldiers, ordinary civilians — old men, women, children, - were ruthlessly annihilated within a couple of days after Japanese army seized Nanjing, which was then the capital of Kuomintang China.
To commemorate that tragedy the mournful Nanjing Massacre Memorial was erected. Symbolic common grave is a pebbly ground, where each pebble is a massacre victim. It is not possible to count pebbles as it is not possible to count those perished.
The territory of the complex has quite a lot of distinctive monuments. And with every passing year they are getting more and more. Not long ago they unveiled a 40 meter bronze lane with bare feet imprints of 222 Chinese — those, who miraculously remained alive then.
The underground museum displays numerous material evidence of that monstrous crime committed by the occupants. Especially impressive is the common grave cut, which is displayed behind the glass in one of the halls: dozens sticking from the ground human bones, crushed skulls. As witnessed those few that managed to stay alive, the driven together people first were point blank machine gunned, and then finished off by buttstocks, mattocks and entranching shovels. Dead bodies were thrown down to the waters of the nearby running Yangtze river or just left at the place of execution.
A very bitter trace is left in the soul by the pictures of massive executions, barbarity of occupants, written and video evidence of survivors of that horrible slaughter.
> To see pictures (22)
Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan)
At the north-east of Nanjing there is a Purple Mountain, which, along with its slopes, makes a big and beautiful woodland park. Apart from being a spot of wonderful nature in the city, at the slope of the Purple Mountain there are a lot of interesting places, such as the burial vault of the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty, the first and the biggest observatory in China, the Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, the Linggu pagoda.
You can ascend to the mountain top on the cable railway, the length of the route is 2.2 km, and the time of complete ascend is 25 minutes. Approximately in the middle of the way there is an intermediate stop at the observatory.
Web site: http://www.zschina.org
> To see pictures (9)
Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, Linggu pagoda
On the slope of the Purple Mountain there is a Mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen.
> To read about Sun Yat-sen in Wikipedia.
To the east from the Mausoleum in about 1.5 km there is a 9-storied Linggu pagoda that emerged there in 1381. You can have a free ride to it from the Mausoleum in a auto-locomotive.
The pagoda in its modern shape was built from 1931 through 1933 in memory of officers and soldiers of national revolutionary army.
The most beautiful view to all sides is opened from the Linggu pagoda. The only hindrance while enjoying the landscape — were large wasps that were flying around.
A craftsman making Chinese stamps is working in the park not far from the pagoda. There is some resemblance of actor Steven Seagal to this craftsman. Walking in the park Chinese men ordered each a stamp worth of 300 yuans ($45 USD), and after they were ready, they were running around the table fighting for the right to pay for them.
The craftsman, having noticed my interest, made a tempting discount for me and I decided to order a stamp from him.
> To see pictures (21)
Yuejiang tower
Yuejiang tower, at the Lion hill, was planned for building for almost 600 years, but they managed to start construction only in 1999, and unveil it for visitors in 2001. In the vicinity of the Lion hill in 1360 Zhu Yuanzhang, who later became the Emperor of China of the Ming dynasty with its 80 thousand army defeated 400 thousand army of Chen Youliang. 14 years later being a Hongwu, he took a decision to built the tower, but due to some unknown to me reasons, that decision was never realised at that time.
In good weather there opens a wonderful view to the city, Yangtze river and bridge across it from the hill on which the Yuejiang tower stands.
Site: http://www.yuejiangtower.com/ListView.Aspx
> To see pictures (19)
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There is a Tianfei temple at the foot of the Lion hill.
> To see pictures (6)
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Nanjing city wall
Having become an Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang shifted the capital to Nanjing. At the same time construction of the city wall, the longest in China and the world — its length was 33.5 km — already started. Presently its length is 19 km. It took 21 years for 200 thousand workers to build that wall! Average height of the wall is like a 4-storied house — 12 meters. At certain points its height goes as high as 21 meters. Previously there existed another outer wall made of earth. Only 8 gates remained out of 13.
You can go for free to the section of the Nanjing wall near the Yuejiang tower. For entering the southern section with the Zhonghua gates you have to pay.
> To see pictures (16)
Yuhuatai (Rain Flower Terrace) hill
The Memorial to the Martyrs of the Revolution
The Memorial at the Yuhuatai hill produces a great impression. During the Chiang Kai-shek dictatorship here they executed the opponents of the regime. According to the official data in this district of 7 hills at least 100 thousand communists and supporters of revolution were executed and buried. In 1950 the hill and its surroundings were transformed into a big (54.2 hectares) memorial park. Ceremonial alleys among luxurious flower beds lead to the memorial places.
At the highest hill of the park there is an obelisk with carved words of Mao Zedong about immortality of heroes of revolution. Main monuments of the Memorial: to Fighter, breaking the chains and Martyrs of the revolution are also impressive.
The monument to Martyrs of the revolution, carved of stone, looks very powerful. 9 human figures depict politicians, workers, peasants, intelligentsia thus pointing out that representatives of all social layers used to fight and die for the revolution and decent life of all Chinese people.
The places, where communists have been executed, are specially marked out. Here you stand in the silence minute. The Memorial is completed by Historical museum, which exhibits unique materials about life of people who perished for the Revolution.
> To see pictures (21)
Bailuzhou park (Egret Island Park)
I would call the Bailuzhou park a park of pensioners. It seemed to me that but for me and them there was nobody else in the park. Without a pensioners certificate you enter the park for 20 yuans.
The Bailuzhou park as all in China that I have seen is beautiful and it is a pleasure to walk in it. In ancient China it was the garden for only high ranking officials. The Nanjing city wall, overgrown by green plants, passes along its eastern side.
Next to the park from the northern side there is a birds market. Hardly had I looked at it, I immediately thought, how many birds die there? Near the closest rubbish bin I at once saw a little bright dead bird with a thread tied to its leg.
> To see pictures (10)
The Confucius temple
The Confucius temple is very popular among foreign tourists, most of all in Nanjing I met them particularly there, including Russians.
The streets around are designed in ancient China style, there are a lot of small shops there. Right in front of the Confucius temple you can go boating along the Qinhuai river.
> To see pictures (20)
Nanjing Zoo
I was unlucky with zoos in China. When in Beijing I went to the zoo, the day became cloudy and dark, and then, all the same all pictures remained in the photobank. As soon as I came in the zoo in Nanjing, it started to rain a little, then the rain turned into a downpour. In addition to this I stopped to take a picture of a cat mewing under the rain, then a man with two women and two children stopped, he gently called the cat and when it approached he immediately caught it by the tail and started to lift it, bursting his sides with laughter. In the Russian language I told him to let it go and he did it.
Stupidity of Chinese visitors to the zoo is not different from the Russian one: they use everything to beat on the glasses and bars to catch attention of animals, feed them where the notes requesting not to feed are displayed.
> To see pictures (7)
Nanjing subway
Subway in Nanjing is very much similar to the one in Shanghai and Beijing. Only instead of the cards for a single trip they use a token which, when entering is pressed against the turnstile and at exit is dropped into a special slot. Depending upon the distance the fare is between 2 to 4 yuans. Between the Sanshan Street and Zhonghuamen stations the train goes up from under the ground and runs under the Nanjing city wall.
The second line of the subway is under very rapid construction, judging by the map, it would become easier to reach many important and interesting places in the city.
I have never seen so many forbidding notices as in the Nanjing subway. Some of them should also be put in Moscow.
> To see pictures (10)
White Palace Hotel
The White Palace Hotel is quite a proper hotel for economical travellers. But the building itself is situated somehow in a strange way — it faces the railroad, which is separated from it by a fence. With this, the hotel lobby turnes out to be on the 2nd floor, and the only convenient entrance from the street leads through a parking lot. I used to walk like that.
The White Palace Hotel is situated right in between the two subway stations: Xinmofan Road and Nanjing Railway station.
The room should be taken with a view to the lake and city, i.e. facing the south. The rooms from the other side are cheaper, but the view is slightly worse and it is a little bit noisier there. The ceilings of the hotel are low. Once I even saw a little cockroach in my bathroom on the 18th floor.
You will pay 268 yuans ($40 USD) for 1 day if you book through www.elong.net. On the lobby you will see totally different, higher prices.
The room has a free internet and a small fridge.
> To see pictures (4)
All pictures on one page:
Beijing - The Great Wall of China - Kaifeng - Wuxi - Shanghai - Nanjing - Jinan
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© Rem Sapozhnikov, 2008 - <e-mail> |
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