THE RHYTHM OF NANJING
The Rhythm Of Nanjing - Luxury Travel Magazine
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The Rhythm Of Nanjing | |||||
| By: Alice Coomans, Issue 30 – Autumn 2007 | |||||
| (Nanjing, China) | |||||
| THE CITIZENS OF NANJING HAVE LIVED THROUGH INTERESTING TIMES. LUXURY TRAVEL MAGAZINE DISCOVERS A MORE TRANQUIL SIDE TO THIS CITY, AND A NEW LUXURY RETREAT. | |||||
| As the sun comes up over the ancient city of Nanjing (in the Jiangsi Province in eastern China), people emerge from their houses in the old town to take up their places in the open parks to practice the graceful and slow-moving art of Tai Chi. As the sun rises higher into the sky children walk to school in orderly lines holding hands, and the food vendors take their street-side places selling hot roasted chestnuts, sugar treats on sticks, and steaming bowls of noodles. People on old-fashioned bikes with mesh baskets peddle their groceries home weaving their way down the many leafy suburban streets lined by balconied houses. Rising up throughout this city of daily rituals and ancient traditions is the imposing city wall. You can trace the history of the wall, and the city itself, back through the turbulent dynasties to 600BC. The current wall – or what is left of it – was built by the Ming dynasty in 1369-73 to protect this influential ‘southern capital’. Over 32km long, and built of solid brick, the Ming wall was paid for by ‘donations’ from wealthy private citizens who were relocated to Nanjing by the emperor. Despite the solid walls and the wooded mountain slopes that shelter the city, some of the most important and violent moments in Chinese history have been recorded here. Scattered through the gentle city streets are the monuments to more interesting times. The Confucian Temple, on the edge of the Qin Hai River, has stood on the same site since 1034. The Mausoleum of the first president after the 1911 revolution, Sun Yatsen, can be found hidden behind pine and cypress trees. The Memorial to the Nanjing Massacre stands in remembrance of the 300,000 estimated to have died in Nanjing at the hands of Japanese during WWII. At the expansive Ming Dynasty Tombs, giant stone statues keep a vigilant watch. Yet this city of just under 3million is also a prosperous and modern city. Both the short distance to Shanghai, and its position on the Yang Tze River (gateway to China’s landlocked west) mean that industry, business and the arts have flourished here. This heady mix of history, modernity, and charm, is increasingly drawing visitors to immerse themselves in this Chinese city. While there is no longer an Emperor coercing the wealthy to Nanjing, many now come for the burgeoning collection of indulgent experiences. The latest offering for luxury-lovers is Kayumanis Nanjing Private Villa, opening May 2007. Built against the backdrop of the surrounding mountains, fruit orchards, and rice paddies, Kayumanis is a collection of 14 one-bedroom villas and seven two-bedroom private residences. Steeped in elegant Chinese antiquity, Kayumanis is a destination for couples to sit back and soak in the beauty of the area. Traditional Chinese design values have been melded together with a sense of the contemporary: warm timber floors and panelling contrast with the clean cream interiors; bright Chinese table lamps sit on dark timber furniture; and outside private pools lay in landscaped courtyards. Similar to the three other Kayumanis villas – all located in Bali – each villa comes with personalised butler service, and the on-site spa and restaurant (serving Chinese-European fusion food) mean you don’t need to venture outside the manicured gardens of the villa unless you so desire. However, with credit card in hand, the two-hour day trip to the village of Suzhou is well worth the effort. This village’s intricate laneways are the place to find some of China’s finest handicrafts as well as intricate silk embroideries. It is also renowned for its gardens and intriguing waterside architecture. Afterwards the trip back to Kayumanis is the perfect time to stop at the nearby hot spring, popular with locals, to soak in the mineral rich waters, and relax in time for the Nanjing night ahead. As the sun sinks back down behind the horizon, hundreds of Chinese lanterns slowly illuminate Nanjing’s pagoda shaped rooftops, and homes and restaurants come alive with people sharing meals, while the night-markets attract a bustling crowd. | |||||
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