Location: No 99, Stone City Road

Tel: 86558917

Admission: Free

Traffic: Bus line 302 (Shitou Cheng stop), lines 11, 42, 56, 65, 66, 75, 91, 134 (Caochangmen Qiao stop), lines 6, 9, 20, 21, 23, 43, 60, 132, 149, 152, 303, 317 (Qingliang Shan stop)

Introduction

The Stone City lies at the western foot of the Cool Hill, Nanjing. Its city wall winds through steep cliffs all the way from the Gate of the Stone City in Longpanli, Hujuguan, to the Caochang Gate. In ancient times, the Yangtze River rounded the foot of the Cool Hill before flowing eastward. Its turbulent waves constantly slapped against the mountain’s side, turning the latter into steep cliffs. After the Tang Dynasty, the River gradually changed its course to the west. Now, as we saunter through the Stone City, we can see the footing of the wall, made of ocher gravel, and even the bricks laid on the dyke by one dynasty after another.

According to geological studies, what we see are rock strata in Pukou Formation of the Late Cretaceous peroid, formed about 100 to 70 million years ago. At the foot of the city wall between the Qingliang Gate and Caochang Gate, lies a projecting, oval stone wall.

Six meters long and three meters wide, the wall is now pitted with countless craters and spots after years of weathering, and it is mixed with purple-black rocks. Its unique shape, seen from afar, resembles a ferocious ghost face with faintly visible facial features, hence the name “Ghost-Faced Wall”. There has been many Nanjing folklores associated with this wall. Legend has it that it used to be smooth and bright like a mirror, as if cut by a broadsword. Now there still remains, to the west of the wall, a glassy pool full of crystal-clear water.

The reflection of the “ghost face” falls on the pool, creating an interesting view of a “ghost face in a mirror”, as long-time residents put it. Such a fascinating legend has attracted innumerous travelers from both home and abroad. The Stone City ruins have been added to the list of Major Historical and Cultural Sites under the special protection of Jiangsu Province. A wonderful spot for a spring outing, the site impresses visitors with a strong wave of nostalgia. As is mentioned in “The Textual Research on Mountains”, an excerpt from the County Annals of Shangyuan and Jiangning, “Stones first appear on this mountain, whereas other mountains beginning from the north of the river are all stone free. That’s how the mountain got its name.” Jiankangzhi also mentioned: “On the mountain there lies a city. That’s why the mountain is called ‘Stone City’.” The Stone City has a long history dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), more than 2000 years ago. According to historical records, in the 36th year of Zhou Dynasty King Xian’s reign (333BC), the state of Chu (its capital Ying is today’s Jiangling, Hubei Province), after eliminating the state of Yue (its capital Wu is today’s Suzhou, Jiangsu Province), built Jingling Yi and started to construct a city on the Cool Hill.

The state of Chu collapsed in the 24th year of Qin Shi Huang’s reign (223BC), and Jingling Yi was renamed Moling under the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). In the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD ), according to the legend, Zhuge Liang was sent to Eastern Wu to negotiate with Sun Quan about forming a common front against Cao Cao. It is said that Zhuge Liang stopped off at Moling for a visit to the Cool Hill and Stone City area. He saw the mountain range starting with Zhongshan, winding far towards the southeast like a dragon. And the mountain range to the west, marked by the Stone City as its ending, lying along the riverside like a tiger. Zhuge Liang remarked with admiration: “Zhongshan curls like a dragon and the Stone City crouches like a tiger. What a perfect place for the imperial house!” He also advised Sun Quan to relocate the capital to Moling (the name for Nanjing back then).

After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun Quan took Zhuge Liang’s advice and renamed the capital as Jianye. In the following year, he had what is now called Stone City built on the remaining wall footing. Overlooking the Yangtze River, the Cool Hill was strategically located for military defense, and thus was used as a major base for naval training by the Wu Kingdom. The Stone City remained a military stronghold for defense in the following centuries, playing a decisive role in wars between north and south.

Based on the natural cliffs in the west side of the Cool Hill, the Stone City was built along the mountain, measuring “seven li plus one hundred steps” in circumference. That is about 6 li (3 km) using present-day measurements.

Starting from the riverside in the north and ending at the mouth of the Qinhuai River, the city has two gates in the south and one gate in the north. To the west of the south gate lies the west gate. Fronting water and with hills at its back, the city is solid and magnificent. Inside there are stone storehouses used as grain depots and armories. Beacon towers were built on the tops of the city wall, serving to warn about military incursions by the means of smoke and fire. The Stone City remained a military fort until the Southern Dynasties.

After the 8th year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty (625AD), the Stone City gradually lapsed into disuse. Thus, Liu Yuxi, a poet in the Mid-Tang Dynasty, wrote in his poem “Stone City”:

The site with surrounding hills still remains

The tides pound the hollow city and return disconsolate.

To the east of the Qinhuai River the same moon, as ever before

In the depth of night rises again over the battlements.

In this poem, the Stone City was already a deserted “empty city”. The first temple – Xingjiao Temple – was built during the period of the Five Dynasties (in 924AD, to be precise). From then on, the Stone City has turned into a scenic spot concentrating on temples and academies. Until today, it is still famous at home and abroad for its imposing appearance.