The Yuejiang Tower on top of Lion Mountain. The tower offers views of the Yangtze River to its north and of the city to its south. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Nanjing served as the country's capital for centuries－for good reason. Its historical legacy has survived and continues to inform its contemporary appeal, Yang Feiyue discovers.

Jiangsu province's capital Nanjing encases history in modernity.

The city was the Middle Kingdom's seat of power over 10 dynasties－hence, its name translates as Southern Capital.

Thousands of years of history endure as ancient buildings and customs that outsiders experience in old alleys, memorials and museums.

The past persists despite Nanjing's transformation into one of the country's most developed metropolises.

Ancient buildings stand in skyscrapers' shadows in a cityscape dotted with lakes, dissected by rivers and diffused by parks.

It hosts a distinguished cuisine, venerated universities and a laidback lifestyle.

Overseas visitors from 51 countries can enjoy up to 144 hours of visa-free transit in the Yangtze River Delta, and Nanjing is indeed worth a three-day exploration on its own.

China Daily spends 72 hours exploring the magic Jiangsu province's capital conjures.