Nanjing

Nanjing carries a weight of history that few Chinese cities can match. Capital of ten dynasties over two thousand years, seat of the first Ming Emperor, capital of the Republic of China, and site of one of the twentieth century's darkest episodes, the Nanjing Massacre of 1937 — the city wears its past with dignity and seriousness. It is not a city that performs for tourists. It is a city that rewards those who engage with it.

The centrepiece of historic Nanjing is its city wall — the longest city wall ever built, stretching 35 kilometres and largely intact. At certain sections, notably near Zhonghua Gate (a formidable fortress gate with hidden tunnels and trap rooms), the wall is among the most impressive military architecture in China. The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on Purple Mountain is a grand statement of Republican-era nation-building, reached via 392 steps through forested hills. The Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) area on the Qinhuai River is atmospheric and lively, particularly at night.

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre is a sobering but essential visit — one of the most important and respectfully curated memorial museums in Asia. It addresses the 1937 Japanese occupation and the deaths of an estimated 200,000–300,000 civilians and prisoners of war. Visitors should allow 2–3 hours and approach it with appropriate gravity.