Stone City (Nanjing)

{{Short description|Ancient city in Nanjing, China}} {{Redirect|Shitou}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2009}} thumb|"Ghost-faced Wall" (Guiliancheng), part of the remnant Stone City wall. The '''Stone City''' ({{lang-zh|s=石头城|hp=Shítóu Chéng}})<ref>[http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/green_nanjing/gallery/2010/0726/222.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519220316/http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/green_nanjing/gallery/2010/0726/222.html |date=May 19, 2011 }}</ref> is the site of an ancient fortified city within Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. Almost all of the original city is gone; all that remains are portions of the massive city wall.<ref>[http://www.myq.com.cn/m/travel/storeview/11 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425132821/http://www.myq.com.cn/m/travel/storeview/11 |date=April 25, 2012 }}</ref>

==History== The original town was built during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) by people from the Chu kingdom. The city was expanded during the Later Han Dynasty and a wall, about {{convert|9000|m|mi}} in circumference, was built around the Chu-era city.<ref>Anecdotes of Nanjing {{lang|zh-hans|《南京掌故》}} published by Nanjing Normal University Press Author: Chen Jimin on page 14-17</ref>

Sun Quan (182–252), ruler of the Wu Kingdom, had what is now called Stone City built on a hill overlooking the Yangtze. It was used for naval training by General Zhou Yu (175–210).<ref name="CIIC" /> On a political visit to the area, the prime minister of the Shu Kingdom, Zhuge Liang (181–234) described the Qingliangshan Hill and Stone City area as "Zhongshan curling like a dragon and the Stone City crouching like a tiger".<ref name="CIIC" />

The stone wall is all the remains from the ancient city.<ref name="CIIC">[http://www.china.org.cn/english/chuangye/41803.htm ''Stone City (Shitoucheng).''] China Internet Information Center. Retrieved May 16, 2014.</ref> The ancient city is strongly enough associated with Nanjing that Nanjing itself is sometimes referred to as "Stone City".

==Park== {{wide image|Nanjing city park (9378839458).jpg|660px|Nanjing city park}} One of the most famous of its landmarks is the "Ghost-Faced Wall". The ancient city wall from Caochang Gate ({{lang-zh|s=草场门|hp=|links=no}}) to Qingliang Gate ({{lang-zh|s=清凉门|hp=|links=no}}) has been strengthened to prevent it from collapsing.

==Transportation== The area is accessible within walking distance north west of Hanzhongmen Station of Nanjing Metro.

== See also == * Defence Park (Nanjing), within Stone City * Qingliangshan Park, adjacent to Stone City

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Fortifications in China Category:Buildings and structures in Nanjing Category:Tourist attractions in Nanjing Category:Chu (state) Category:Eastern Wu