Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/786



ANKING borrows its interest to-day from the glories of the past and the promise of the future. Except as the centre of Government for the two river provinces of Kiangsu and Anhwei, the former of which contains Shanghai, the city is of little importance. It is disregarded by the merchant, and, owing to the vandalism of the Taeping rebels, has lost much of its charm for the antiquarian. Signs are not wanting, however, that the old and battered capital of the Mings is waking from its long sleep into vigorous life once again. As the terminal point of three railway lines, one of which is now in full running order, it seems destined to become a centre of considerable commercial activity in the near future.

Situated on the south bank of the Yangtsze, Nanking is about 45 miles above Chinkiang, and 205 from Shanghai. A walled city existed here some five or six centuries before the commencement of the Christian era, and, as its name—"Southern Capital"—suggests, it was for a long period the seat of the Imperial Government. As Peking is now the capital, this name is, of course, never used in official documents, Kiang Ning Fu, or Kin Ling—"the golden mound"—being substituted for it. From the river little can be seen of the city. The long grey walls which encircle it vary in height from 40 to 90 feet, and in thickness from 20 to 40 feet, and measure some 21 miles in circumference. They enclose, however, a great deal of barren and uncultivated land, the inhabited portion of the city, with its population of about 350,000, lying to the south and west. The terminus of the Shanghai–Nanking Railway is outside this wall, at Hsiakuan, a few minutes' walk from the most northerly gate, while the most southerly gate is ten miles distant. To the south of the city, just outside the wall, rise the many tall chimneys of the Powder Works and Arsenal, while within the wall near the west water gate is a mint with a plant capable of producing 2,000,000 copper coins a day. During recent years many wide and good roads have been constructed by order of the Viceroy, so that, in this respect, Nanking is far ahead of most Chinese cities. His Excellency Tuan Fang is one of the most progressive statesmen in China. He qualified for official life by passing the usual examinations, and, at the early age of twenty-eight received the rank of Substantial Taoutai. His promotion was rapid. In 1900 he was Governor of Shensi Province. Here his name is held in the highest respect because of his humane treatment of the foreigners during the Boxer riots. He had sufficient strength of character to ignore the decree containing their death sentence, and gathering them together to the number of about 80, he sent them out of the province under a strong escort. He became Governor of Soochow and, later, of Hunan, and was subsequently appointed one of the Imperial High Commissioners to travel abroad and study the methods of Constitutional Government in European countries. On his return he was made Viceroy of Foochow, but before he had time to proceed to his destination the viceroyalty of Nanking fell vacant, and he was requested to fill the position. Under his guidance and direction there has been considerable progress, and it may be taken as a sign of the times, and as an indication of the business which the railway is expected to bring, that of recent years considerable changes have been effected in the appearance of the city. The new Government Buildings are all constructed in accordance with Western ideas, and so, too, are an increasing number of shops. Carriages and rickshaws have been introduced, and, though there are no foreign merchants at the Port—the few Europeans residing in the district being missionaries, Customs and railway officials—British, American, and German Consulates were opened in 1900. The Viceroy is naturally surrounded by a large retinue of officials and soldiers, and the 9th Division of the foreign-drilled Army is stationed in the city. Amongst numerous educational establishments is a naval college established in 1890, with two British officers as instructors, and a University founded in 1888 by the Central China Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Altogether there are some 200 missionaries in and around Nanking engaged in educational and medical work.

As has been stated, Nanking suffered severely in the Taeping rebellion. It was captured by the rebels in 1853, and, after a prolonged siege, was retaken by the Imperial Forces in 1864. The intervening period was one of almost wanton destruction. Not only did the trade of the city receive a shock from which it has never recovered, but practically all the outstanding features of interest in the neighbourhood were destroyed. The beautiful Porcelain Pagoda, one of the most artistic structures in the whole of China and counted one of the seven wonders of the world, was razed to the ground. Only traces of the foundations mark the spot where it stood outside the south gate, and the bricks used in its construction arc scattered throughout the length and breadth of the Empire, being highly prized as relics by the Chinese. Several of the ornamental parts of the structure are built in the terraces just within the entrance