Jiangsu South (Nanjing, Suzhou, Taizhou, Suqian, Zhenjiang).
This coastal province is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the third smallest, but the fifth most populous and the most densely populated of the 23 provinces of the People’s Republic of China. Jiangsu has the highest GDP per capita of Chinese provinces and second-highest GDP of Chinese provinces, after Guangdong. Jiangsu borders Shandong in the north, Anhui to the west, and Zhejiang and Shanghai to the south. Jiangsu has a coastline of over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) along the Yellow Sea, and the Yangtze River passes through the southern part of the province.
Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, Jiangsu has been a national economic and commercial centre, partly due to the Grand Canal. Cities such as Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou and Shanghai are all major Chinese economic hubs. It is widely regarded as China’s most developed province measured by HDI.
Jiangsu is home to many of the world’s leading exporters of electronic equipment, chemicals and textiles.
NANJING (pop 8,300,000)
The capital of Jiangsu The inner area enclosed by the city wall is Nanjing City while the Nanjing Metropolitan Region has a population of over 30 million. Home to one of the world’s largest inland ports. Nanjing boasts many high-quality universities and research institutes.
Nanjing is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. It was the capital of the Republic of China (1927–37, 1946–49) prior to its flight to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. In 1940–45 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, it suffered severe atrocities in both conflicts, including the Nanjing Massacre. On December 13, 1937, the Japanese Army occupied Nanjing. During the first six to eight weeks of their occupation, the Japanese Army committed numerous atrocities, including rape, arson, looting, mass executions, and torture. About 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers were brutally slaughtered. Corpses littered the streets and were seen afloat in rivers for weeks, and many structures were burned down and countless shops, stores, and residences were looted and sacked.
Japanese soldiers were also reported to have conducted killing competitions and bayonet practice using Chinese prisoners. Approximately 20,000 rapes occurred. Even children, the elderly, and nuns are reported to have suffered.
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders is near a site where thousands of bodies were buried, called a “pit of ten thousand corpses” Built in 1985 in memory of the 300,000 victims, the outdoor exhibit include statues, sculptures, relief carvings, tablets, and a large wall listing the names of victims, as well as an atonement tablet and memorial walkway with footprints of survivors.
The capital of Jiangsu The inner area enclosed by the city wall is Nanjing City while the Nanjing Metropolitan Region has a population of over 30 million. Home to one of the world’s largest inland ports. Nanjing boasts many high-quality universities and research institutes.
Nanjing is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. It was the capital of the Republic of China (1927–37, 1946–49) prior to its flight to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. In 1940–45 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, it suffered severe atrocities in both conflicts, including the Nanjing Massacre. On December 13, 1937, the Japanese Army occupied Nanjing. During the first six to eight weeks of their occupation, the Japanese Army committed numerous atrocities, including rape, arson, looting, mass executions, and torture. About 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers were brutally slaughtered. Corpses littered the streets and were seen afloat in rivers for weeks, and many structures were burned down and countless shops, stores, and residences were looted and sacked.
Japanese soldiers were also reported to have conducted killing competitions and bayonet practice using Chinese prisoners. Approximately 20,000 rapes occurred. Even children, the elderly, and nuns are reported to have suffered.
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders is near a site where thousands of bodies were buried, called a “pit of ten thousand corpses” Built in 1985 in memory of the 300,000 victims, the outdoor exhibit include statues, sculptures, relief carvings, tablets, and a large wall listing the names of victims, as well as an atonement tablet and memorial walkway with footprints of survivors.
Chaotian Palace was built as an imperial palace in the Ming dynasty, and today is the Nanjing Municipal Museum. The complex of buildings, in the centre of which is the Wen Temple, which was built with precious materials, including yellow glazed tile. Within the palace are more than 100,000 cultural relics.
Ming Palace (“Forbidden City of Nanjing”) was the 14th-century imperial palace of the early Ming dynasty, when Nanjing was the capital of China, but in 1420 relocated the imperial capital to Beijing. A.series of fires, a 1860’s palace used a large amount of construction material from the remains of the Ming Palace until almost nothing remained. In 1928, one of the Qing buildings was transformed into the Presidential Palace. The National Central Museum, the present day Nanjing Museum building, was also built in the northern section. The southern portion became a small airstrip and resulted in the demolition of the two protruding arms of the Meridian Gate, the impressive former front gate of the Ming Palace complex. No building within the palace survives today. Four gates, isolated column elements and stone carvings also survive, and a number of foundations have been excavated.
Presidential Palace was the Office of the President of the Republic of China from 1927 until the capital was relocated to Taipei in 1949. It is now a museum called the China Modern History Museum and one of the largest surviving complexes of modern Chinese (1840-1949) buildings. It mainly consists of the central axis, the west garden and the east garden. The current structures were mainly built between 1870 and 1930s.
Ming Palace (“Forbidden City of Nanjing”) was the 14th-century imperial palace of the early Ming dynasty, when Nanjing was the capital of China, but in 1420 relocated the imperial capital to Beijing. A.series of fires, a 1860’s palace used a large amount of construction material from the remains of the Ming Palace until almost nothing remained. In 1928, one of the Qing buildings was transformed into the Presidential Palace. The National Central Museum, the present day Nanjing Museum building, was also built in the northern section. The southern portion became a small airstrip and resulted in the demolition of the two protruding arms of the Meridian Gate, the impressive former front gate of the Ming Palace complex. No building within the palace survives today. Four gates, isolated column elements and stone carvings also survive, and a number of foundations have been excavated.
Presidential Palace was the Office of the President of the Republic of China from 1927 until the capital was relocated to Taipei in 1949. It is now a museum called the China Modern History Museum and one of the largest surviving complexes of modern Chinese (1840-1949) buildings. It mainly consists of the central axis, the west garden and the east garden. The current structures were mainly built between 1870 and 1930s.
Linggu Temple was described as “the best Buddhist temple in the world” and is now surrounded by a large park. The temple was first built in 515. Wuliang Hall, or Beamless Hall (1381) is 22m high and 53.8m wide built entirely with bricks without a piece of wood or a single nail. Linggu Pagoda (1930-32) built in remembrance of soldiers is 9-stories and 60.5 metres high.
Qixia Temple is a Buddhist temple on Qixia Mountain, 22 kilometres (14 mi) NE of downtown Nanjing. It is one of Nanjing’s most important Buddhist monasteries, the cradle of East Asian Mādhyamaka.
Qixia Temple is a Buddhist temple on Qixia Mountain, 22 kilometres (14 mi) NE of downtown Nanjing. It is one of Nanjing’s most important Buddhist monasteries, the cradle of East Asian Mādhyamaka.
Zifeng Tower is a 450-metre (1,480 ft) supertall (6th in China and 14th in the world.s with 66-stories. The floors near the top feature the Nanjing Greenland InterContinental Hotel, numerous restaurants, and a public observatory.
Zhan Yuan Garden.
Zoos: Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo
Aquariums: Nanjing Underwater World
Aquariums: Nanjing Underwater World
SUZHOU (pop 4.33 million)
Suzhou is a major city located in southeastern Jiangsu, about 100 km NW of Shanghai. It is a major economic centre and focal point of trade and commerce, and the second largest city in the province, after its capital Nanjing. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the shores of Lake Tai and belongs to the Yangtze River Delta region. Administratively, Suzhou is a prefecture-level city with a population of in its city proper, and a total resident population (as of 2013) of 10.58 million in its administrative area. Its urban population grew at an unprecedented rate of 6.5% between 2000 and 2014, which is the highest among cities with more than 5 million people.
Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou has over 2,500 years of history. Around AD 100, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, it became one of the ten largest cities in the world mostly due to emigration from Northern China. Since the 10th-century Song Dynasty, it has been an important commercial centre of China. The city’s canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions in China. Suzhou is often dubbed the “Venice of the East” or “Venice of China”.
Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a group of gardens in Suzhou region, added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Spanning almost 1,000 years, from the Northern Song to the late Qing dynasties (11th-19th century), these gardens, most of them built by scholars, standardized many of the key features of classical Chinese garden design with constructed landscapes mimicking natural scenery of rocks, hills and rivers with strategically located pavilions and pagodas. They represent the development of Chinese landscape garden design over more than two thousand years,” the “most refined form” of garden art. These landscape gardens flourished in the mid-Ming to early-Qing dynasties, resulting in as much as 200 private gardens. Today, there are 69 preserved gardens in Suzhou, and all are “National Heritage Sites.” In 1997 and 2000, eight of the finest gardens in Suzhou along with one in the nearby ancient town of Tongli were selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
1. Humble Administrator’s Garden — Suzhou’s Largest Garden. 5.6 hectares (13.8 acres), it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. It was constructed in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty and is divided into three major parts: The Central Section is the main and elite part of the garden. It is outstanding for its smart use of ponds, interconnected via narrow streams, bridges, pavilions, corridors, rockeries, and ancient trees.
2. Lingering Garden — Famous for Its Striking Architecture. One of the best preserved gardens in Suzhou, and also one of China’s four famous gardens, along with the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Summer Palace in Beijing, and Chengde Summer Palace. Originally Ming Dynasty, it is now a classic Qing Dynasty famous for its striking architecture with artificial hills in the west, pastoral scenery in the north, halls and pavilion structures in the east, and hills and water features at the centre.
3. Master of the Nets Garden — Suzhou’s Smallest Garden. Built in 1180 during the Southern Song Dynasty, it consists of a residential quarter, a delicate landscape garden with many design techniques and a series of cultural displays.
4. Lion Grove Garden — Dominated by Elaborate Rock Formations
Built in 1342 during the Yuan Dynasty has elaborate rock formations in the shape of a lion and richly ornamental pavilions.
5. Canglang Pavilion — the Oldest Garden in Suzhou. It was built in 1044 during the Song Dynasty, the oldest in Suzhou, keeping its original Song Dynasty layout. Not surrounded by a high wall, it is between a lake and a miniature mountain. The garden is small and peaceful with fewer tourists.
More Gardens to Visit. If you want to visit more gardens, here are another four gardens listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty, Couple’s Retreat Garden, Garden of Cultivation, and Retreat and Reflection Garden.
1. Humble Administrator’s Garden — Suzhou’s Largest Garden. 5.6 hectares (13.8 acres), it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. It was constructed in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty and is divided into three major parts: The Central Section is the main and elite part of the garden. It is outstanding for its smart use of ponds, interconnected via narrow streams, bridges, pavilions, corridors, rockeries, and ancient trees.
2. Lingering Garden — Famous for Its Striking Architecture. One of the best preserved gardens in Suzhou, and also one of China’s four famous gardens, along with the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Summer Palace in Beijing, and Chengde Summer Palace. Originally Ming Dynasty, it is now a classic Qing Dynasty famous for its striking architecture with artificial hills in the west, pastoral scenery in the north, halls and pavilion structures in the east, and hills and water features at the centre.
3. Master of the Nets Garden — Suzhou’s Smallest Garden. Built in 1180 during the Southern Song Dynasty, it consists of a residential quarter, a delicate landscape garden with many design techniques and a series of cultural displays.
4. Lion Grove Garden — Dominated by Elaborate Rock Formations
Built in 1342 during the Yuan Dynasty has elaborate rock formations in the shape of a lion and richly ornamental pavilions.
5. Canglang Pavilion — the Oldest Garden in Suzhou. It was built in 1044 during the Song Dynasty, the oldest in Suzhou, keeping its original Song Dynasty layout. Not surrounded by a high wall, it is between a lake and a miniature mountain. The garden is small and peaceful with fewer tourists.
More Gardens to Visit. If you want to visit more gardens, here are another four gardens listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty, Couple’s Retreat Garden, Garden of Cultivation, and Retreat and Reflection Garden.
Museums Suzhou: Suzhou Arts and Crafts Museum, Suzhou Museum
Religious Temples Suzhou: Hanshan Temple, Lingyanshan Temple, Xiyuan Temple
Suzhou International Financial Square (IFS) is a 92-floor, 452m skyscraper in the Industrial Park, Suzhou. It is a multi-purpose building with apartments, hotels and offices.
Wuzhen Ancient Water Town is a historic scenic town that lies within the triangle formed by Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. With an area of 71 km2 and 12,000 permanent residents. ancient stone bridges, stone pathways and delicate wood carvings and the former residence of Mao Dun, the Mao family home. The “Bridge within a Bridge” is created by two ancient bridges, the Tongji Bridge which crosses the river from east to west and the Renji Bridge running from south to north that joins the former at one end. Either of two bridges can be seen through the arch of the other, hence the name. Having been rebuilt five times, Tongji Bridge is a 28.4 metres and 3.5 metres one-curvature arch bridge, with a span of 11.8 metres. Renji Bridge is 22.6m long, 2.8m wide and a span of 8.5m.
NOMAD MANIA JIANGSU SOUTH
World Heritage Sites:
Classical Gardens of Suzhou
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Grand Canal (Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest as well as the oldest canal or artificial river in the world and a famous tourist destination. Starting at Beijing, it passes through Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the city of Hangzhou, linking the Yellow River and Yangtze River. The oldest parts of the canal date back to the 5th century BC, but the various sections were first connected during the Sui dynasty (581–618 AD). Dynasties in 1271-1633 significantly rebuilt the canal and altered its route to supply their capital Beijing.
The total length of the Grand Canal is 1,776 km (1,104 mi). Its greatest height is reached in the mountains of Shandong, at a summit of 42 m (138 ft). Ships in Chinese canals did not have trouble reaching higher elevations after the pound lock was invented in the 10th century.
Historically, periodic flooding of the Yellow River threatened the safety and functioning of the canal. During wartime the high dikes of the Yellow River were sometimes deliberately broken in order to flood advancing enemy troops. This caused disaster and prolonged economic hardships. Despite temporary periods of desolation and disuse, the Grand Canal furthered an indigenous and growing economic market in China’s urban centres since the Sui period. It has allowed faster trading and has improved China’s economy. The southern portion remains in heavy use to the present day.
NOMAD MANIA Tentative WHS:
City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (28/03/2008)
The Ancient Waterfront Towns in the South of Yangtze River (28/03/2008).
2500 years ago, when Suzhou became a city, its surrounding areas sprouted a number of half-urban, half-rural towns on the live on the rivers and lakes. With the growth of economy, culture, and productive forces, the towns formed a network connected by watercourses in the 11th century that thrived in the 13th century.
Zhouzhuang Town: Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province
Luzhi Town: Wu County, Jiangsu Province
Wuzhen Town: Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province
Xitang Town: Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province
The Chinese Section of the Silk Roads (22/02/2016)
City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (28/03/2008)
The Ancient Waterfront Towns in the South of Yangtze River (28/03/2008).
2500 years ago, when Suzhou became a city, its surrounding areas sprouted a number of half-urban, half-rural towns on the live on the rivers and lakes. With the growth of economy, culture, and productive forces, the towns formed a network connected by watercourses in the 11th century that thrived in the 13th century.
Zhouzhuang Town: Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province
Luzhi Town: Wu County, Jiangsu Province
Wuzhen Town: Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province
Xitang Town: Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province
The Chinese Section of the Silk Roads (22/02/2016)
Sights:
Garden of Ecstasy’, Jiangsu
Shanjuan Cave
Wuzhen Ancient Water Town
Villages and Small Towns:
Luzhi
Mudu
Tongli
Zhouzhuang
Garden of Ecstasy’, Jiangsu
Shanjuan Cave
Wuzhen Ancient Water Town
Villages and Small Towns:
Luzhi
Mudu
Tongli
Zhouzhuang
Religious Temples:
Baohua: Longchang Temple
Jiangxin Island: Jiangxin Temple
Zhenjiang: Jinshan Temple
Jiangxin Island: Jiangxin Temple
Zhenjiang: Jinshan Temple
NANJING
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Nanjing Station, Nanjing Trams
Museums: Nanjing Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts Nanjing: Chaotian Palace, Ming Imperial Palace, Presidential Palace
Religious Temples Nanjing: Linggu Temple, Qixia Temple
Religious Temples Nanjing: Linggu Temple, Qixia Temple
Modern Architecture Buildings: Zifeng Tower
Entertainment/Things to do: Zhan Yuan Garden
Zoos: Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo
Aquariums: Nanjing Underwater World
The Dark Side: Nanjing Massacre Memorial
Aquariums: Nanjing Underwater World
The Dark Side: Nanjing Massacre Memorial
SUZHOU
World Heritage Sites: Classical Gardens of Suzhou
Museums Suzhou: Suzhou Arts and Crafts Museum, Suzhou Museum
Religious Temples Suzhou: Hanshan Temple, Lingyanshan Temple, Xiyuan Temple
Modern Architecture Buildings: Suzhou IFS
CHANGZHOU (pop 4.6 million)
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu previously known as Yanling, Lanling and Jinling. On the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the northwest, Wuxi to the east, and the province of Zhejiang to the south. Changzhou is located in the highly developed Yangtze Delta region of China extending from Shanghai going northwest. The population of Changzhou city was 4,592,431 at the 2010 census.
Museums Changzhou: Changzhou Museum, The Old Museum of Wisteria
Religious Temples Changzhou: Tianning Temple
Theme Parks: Changzhou Dinosaur Park, World Joyland
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu previously known as Yanling, Lanling and Jinling. On the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the northwest, Wuxi to the east, and the province of Zhejiang to the south. Changzhou is located in the highly developed Yangtze Delta region of China extending from Shanghai going northwest. The population of Changzhou city was 4,592,431 at the 2010 census.
Museums Changzhou: Changzhou Museum, The Old Museum of Wisteria
Religious Temples Changzhou: Tianning Temple
Theme Parks: Changzhou Dinosaur Park, World Joyland
NANTONG (pop 1,994,000) is a prefecture-level city on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth. Nantong is a vital river port with a deep-water harbour and connections to inland navigational canals. Suzhou and Shanghai are to the south across the river, and the East China Sea to the east. Its current population is census, of whom live in the built-up area made up of three urban districts.
Nantong Museum
Guangjiao Temple
RUGAO. Located in the Yangtze River Delta on the northern bank of the river.
Dinghui Temple
Red Army Park
Dinghui Temple
Red Army Park