Nanjing (εδΊ¬), the "Southern Capital," has served as the capital of China during several dynastic periods and was the seat of the Republic of China government until 1949. The city sits on the Yangtze River surrounded by forested hills, and its scale and historical weight make it one of the most important cities in eastern China.
The massive Ming City Wall β among the longest in the world β still encircles parts of the old centre. Purple Mountain on the eastern edge of the city holds the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Ming Xiaoling Tombs, and Linggu Temple. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, documenting the 1937 atrocity, is one of China's most visited and most harrowing sites.
Modern Nanjing is a large, prosperous city with a good metro system, excellent food (salt-pressed duck is the local specialty), and a lively nightlife district around the Confucius Temple area along the Qinhuai River.