Nanjing
Nanjing - a major city and port on the Yangtze River in central China – is a historical city featuring old city gates, park lined boulevards, tea pavilions on lakes outside the city, and temples half hidden in green hills nearby. The many monuments and traditional Chinese buildings include Nanking Museum, Museum of the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (Taiping Museum) and Kiangsu Provincial Museum. The site dates back over 25 centuries ago when it was site of several castles. The old city is encircled by a gigantic 21-mile wall, with 2/3 surviving, constructed during the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644). It has average height of 40 feet and contains 13 gates. Interesting sights include Pei-chi Ko (North Pole Pavilion) and Chi-ming Ssu (Cockcrow Temple) and in forested hills to the east are the Ming emperor Hung-wu's mausoleum, the blue-tile-roofed mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, the Ling-ko Ssu (Temple of the Valley of Spirits) and the 200-ft high pagoda.
