Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 831

NANKING

蜜江

Kiáng-ning

The city owes its present name, "Southern capital," to having been many times the capital of the Empire, the last occasion before the removal there of the Seat of Government in 1927, being in the Ming dynasty at the commencement of the 15th century. Nanking is also known as Kiang Ning Fu, being the chief city of the prefecture of Kiang Ning, and the seat of government for the provinces grouped under the designation of Kiang Nan. Besides Kiang Ning Fu, an elegant Chinese name commonly used is Kin Ling or "golden mound." From the 5th or 6th century B.C. to the present there has been a walled city at this place. Nanking was specified in the French Treaty of 1858 as one of the Yangtze ports to be opened to trade, but it was not formally opened until May, 1899. In July, 1915, Pukow, the southern terminus of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway (lying across the river from Nanking), was opened to foreign trade as a branch office of the Nanking Customs.

Nanking is situated on the south bank of the Yangtsze, 45 miles beyond Chinkiang and 193 by rail or 215 by water from Shanghai. From the river little can be seen of it except the long line of lofty grey brick walls which encircle it. The walls have an elevation varying from 40 to 90 feet, are from 20 to 40 feet in thickness, and 22 miles in circumference. They enclose a vast area, a large portion of which is wilderness or uncultivated land. The busiest portion lies towards the south and west, and is several miles from the banks of the river. Whatever of architectural beauty or importance belonged to Nanking perished or was reduced to a ruinous condition at or before its occupation by the Taiping rebels. The world famous Porcelain Tower, the most beautiful pagoda in China, was completely destroyed during this period of its history, and now nothing remains of the structure that was once the glory of Nanking. It stood outside the walls on the south side of the city. The celebrated mausoleum of the Emperor Hung Wu, founder of the Ming dynasty (who died in 1398), with other tombs and monuments, known as the Ming Tombs, are just outside the eastern walls. There are many other interesting ruins in or near the city, including the remains of Hung Wu's Palace. Nanking was first brought into notice among Europeans in 1842, in which year the first British Treaty with China was signed here. During the Taiping rebellion no place suffered more. It was first taken by assault by the Taipings on the 19th March, 1853, and after sustaining a prolonged siege was recaptured by the Imperial forces on the 19th July, 1864, a fatal blow to the rebels. Although Nanking has recovered to a small extent from the prostration which attended its ill-treatment during the Taiping rebellion, it has never yet attained any commercial importance, but both coal and iron mines are known to exist in the neighbourhood and must eventually be worked, in which case Nanking will probably become a great manu- facturing centre.

The Naval College, a large pile of buildings, was opened in 1890. It was closed during the Revolution, but has since been re-opened. The Nanking University was founded in 1888 by the Central China Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now an imposing and well-appointed school, with a large roll of scholars. In December, 1923, a large quadrangle of the National South-Eastern University was destroyed by fire, the damage being estimated at $300,000. The library, containing 3,000 English and 30,000 Chinese books, was almost a total loss. The Arsenal and Powder Mills, for many years in the charge of foreigners, are now entrusted to native direction. They are situated just outside the South Gate. A macadamized road has been built from the steamer landing clear through the city to the Tung Tsi Gate in the south wall, a dis- tance of eight miles, and many similar roads in other parts of the city have been added during the last few years. A noticeable improvement to communication between the centre of the city and Hsiakwan was the construction of the Chungshan highway, the opening of which in 1929 greatly facilitated traffic and has given an impetus to motor transportation.