Stone City Ruins

Stone City Ruins

The Stone City Ruins is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Stone City Ruins

Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, First and Second Batches, Announced and Adjusted in March 1982. The Stone City Ruins date back to the 17th year of Jian’an during the Eastern Han Dynasty (212), located at Qingliang Mountain, Nanjing. In 1988, it was included as part of the “Nanjing City Wall” in the Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

The Stone City, located on the western foothills of Qingliang Mountain in the west of Nanjing city, earned the nickname “Tiger Perched on Stone Fortress” due to its steep rocks resembling the fierce posture of a crouching tiger. In 211 AD, Sun Quan, the King of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, moved the political center to Nanjing. The following year, he built the famous Stone City on the foundation of the Chu-era Jinling Commandery at Stone Mountain, turning it into Wu’s primary naval base. The Stone City had a perimeter of seven li and one hundred steps (approximately 3 kilometers), with two gates to the south, one gate to the east, and the northwest side naturally defended by the Yangtze River. The walls were originally made of earth, but were replaced with bricks during the Eastern Jin Dynasty; the foundations utilized the natural rock formations of Qingliang Mountain. As Qingliang Mountain was historically known as Stone Mountain, the fortress became known as the Stone City. In 230 AD, Wu general Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhi departed from the Stone City commanding over ten thousand naval troops to sail to Yizhou (modern-day Taiwan), marking the earliest record of close interaction between Taiwan and mainland China. The current ruins of the Stone City stretch approximately 300 meters from north to south, with the highest point reaching 63.8 meters. Since the main rock formations of Qingliang Mountain consist of reddish conglomerate sandstone—especially the prominently exposed cliffs on the western side—the eroded surface of these rocks, shaped by years of river erosion, features rugged and uneven textures resembling a ghostly face. As a result, the site is commonly known as “Ghost Face City.”

Address: No. 87 Hujv Road, Gulou District, Nanjing (Main Entrance)

Type: Urban Park, River, Historic Site

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–3 hours

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Further Reading:

· First and Second Batches of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units