Nanjing - Ancient Dynastic Capital

Lying in the southwestern part of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing is the provincial capital and the province's political, economic and cultural center, with an area of 860 square kilometers. The city's strategic position of being on the southern bank of the Yangtze River and the junction close to the Great Canal made it a traffic hub for centuries.

Nanjing, literally the "southern capital", is a city full of antiquity of China. As one of the nation's six ancient capitals, it was the capital city for 10 feudal dynasties or regimes. A number of prehistoric sites have been discovered in or around the city. Nanjing today looks at once new and old -- new due to the ongoing modernization drive, and old because it is already 2,460 years old.

It is also a city of beautiful natural scenery, with the Yangtse River running through the northeast of the city, mountains and hills encircling on three sides, rivers and lakes scattered about, and streets lined with shady trees.

With a much slower pace of life than Chinese metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, Nanjing remains a charming city to spend a few days in, absorbing some history and relaxing in the laid back atmosphere.