Nanjing is one of China’s most significant cities, and is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China alongside Beijing, Xi’an and Luoyang. Due in part to its strategic location on the Yangtze River, Nanjing served as the capital of 10 Chinese dynasties and regimes spanning 1,800 years, including the Ming dynasty and the Republic of China.
Nanjing’s story begins as far back as 500,000 years ago, proven by the discovery of a prehistoric skull in a cave on the city’s outskirts in 1993. Ancient civilizations flourished in Nanjing throughout the prehistoric period, developing advanced agricultural tools, ceramics and jade carvings later recovered by archaeologists.
