Jianye District 建邺区

Setting and landscape

The land is flat and low: the district government describes it as Qinhuai valley plain and Yangtze river flats at 4 to 10 metres above sea level, with the riverside flats and Jiangxinzhou island (江心洲) lying below Yangtze flood level behind dykes. Forty-one rivers and canals cross the district. Its two lakes, Mochou Lake (莫愁湖) and South Lake (南湖), both sit in the north-east corner. Two protected stretches of the Yangtze take in Jianye's river frontage, among them a provincial reserve for Yangtze cetaceans.

History

The name goes back to AD 212, when Sun Quan (孙权) of Eastern Wu renamed Moling county (秣陵), today's Nanjing, as Jianye (建业). Under the Jin dynasty it was rewritten in 282 as Jianye (建邺), its second character now pointing to Ye (邺城), the Henan city where the ruling Sima family had risen. The modern district took the name in August 1955, was called Hongwei District (红卫区) from 1967 and got its name back in December 1973. In October 2002 the Chaotiangong (朝天宫) and Zhimaying (止马营) neighbourhoods were moved out and Jiangxinzhou was moved in, which moved the district away from the old city towards Hexi.

What to see

The district government lists Mochou Lake as the first of the Forty-Eight Views of Jinling (金陵四十八景), and names Yunjin brocade (云锦), one of China's "three famous brocades", among its heritage. Also in Jianye are the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆), the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre (南京奥林匹克体育中心), the Jiangsu Grand Theatre (江苏大剧院) and the Green Expo Garden (绿博园). The district hosted events of the 10th National Games, the Asian Youth Games and the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, as well as three national memorial ceremonies. Jiangxinzhou is being developed with Singapore as the Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island (中新南京生态科技岛).

Getting oriented

The district lies about 3 km from Xinjiekou (新街口), the city centre, and 40 km from Nanjing Lukou International Airport. Metro lines 2, 7, 10 and S3 and the Hexi tram (河西有轨电车) serve it, and the Jiangxinzhou Yangtze Bridge and the Yingtian Avenue Yangtze Tunnel cross the river from here.

Highlights

• Mochou Lake 莫愁湖: Listed by the district government as first of the Forty-Eight Views of Jinling; lies in the district's north-east corner.
• Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders 侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆: Named by the district government among Jianye's historical and cultural sites.
• Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre 南京奥林匹克体育中心: The district hosted events of the 10th National Games and the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.
• Jiangxinzhou 江心洲: Low Yangtze island behind dykes, being developed with Singapore as an eco hi-tech island.