It’s hard to believe that in my nearly three decades in China, I never managed to visit Nanjing. I have trundled through it numerous times on a 13-hour overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai and, more recently, sped through on a 5-hour bullet train covering the same distance.
I recently ran across this short film titled “Nanjing 2014” that makes me want to visit. It is an amazing look at both the modern and historical nature of the city.
Nanjing '2014/CHINA from warrior_lmd on Vimeo.
Nanjing plays a significant role in the life of Christianity in China. It is home to the Nanjing (Jinling) Union Theological Seminary, the largest Three-Self seminary.
Amity Printing Company, the only company allowed to print Bibles in China and the largest printer of Bibles in the world, is located in the city. Check your Bible; it was probably printed in China.
It has a rich and storied history as well. It was the capital of six different dynasties.
In the 1860’s Hong Xiuquan, who thought he was the younger brother of Jesus, established Nanjing as the capital of his Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. And from 1927 to 1949, it was the capital of the Republic of China; it was called Nanking at the time.
To those in the west, it is perhaps best known as the site of the Nanking Massacre, when invading Japanese soldiers killed hundreds of thousands of citizens of the city.
Getting there is as easy as ever; China Eastern Airlines flies non-stop from Los Angeles.
Image credit: Morning Nanjing, by Gu Ming, via Flickr.
Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
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