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Gates of a Nightmare, Nanjing

I enjoyed the wall so much yesterday that I decided to check out another section to the south. According to the hostel staff the Lake section is largely intact from older restorations while it’s obvious todays section has been recently rebuilt. It was still nice to walk between the Qinhuai River and the wall, imagining a sea of invaders where traffic and trains now whiz by.

I came to Zhonghua gate, the largest and main southern gate of old Nanjing. It used to have a large castle on top until the infamous 1937 invasion by the Japanese army. It was from this gate that the soldiers entered and began their bloody massacre that left as many 200-300,000 people dead and countless millions forever scarred by the rape, torture and slaughter that took place. While here I’ve skimmed past the topic of Japan and my time there as this is understandably the epicenter of animosity and hate.

With the castle structure gone, what’s left are three gates that once contained huge stone doors. There are 27 caves in the gate walls that can hold 3,000 troops or 250,000kg of grain. They’re empty now except for the old stone cannon balls, called lei, excavated from from the site. Other caves house exhibits and the persistent vendors to which I’ve become immune. Everything in China is “so cheaper for you.”



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One response to “Gates of a Nightmare, Nanjing”

  1. Oowada Shigeru says:

    By the latest report, as for the photograph of Nanjing case, it is confirmed that most are forgeries.

    Also affirmation group and negation group freeze in Japan, and a dispute is still continuing.

    I do not understand the truth.

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