Nanjing’s Ming City Wall bears the marks of time
“Everyone talks about protecting the Ming City Wall, but how many have actually walked along its entire length?” Yesterday, a group of over 150 hikers undertook a “trekking” journey around Nanjing’s Ming City Wall. During this intense trekking activity, one hiker not only endured knee pain to complete the full course, but also live-tweeted the scenic views along the way.
Before departure
Already planning the tweet text
“To understand Nanjing’s nature and culture, the city wall is the best way.” At 8 a.m. yesterday, a trekking event organized by an outdoor club in Nanjing set off on time at the entrance of the Purple Mountain Cableway at Taiping Gate. Along the Nanjing Ming City Wall, they started from Taiping Gate, passed by Pipa Lake, Zhongshan Gate, Jiqing Gate, and eventually returned to Taiping Gate, covering a total distance of about 35 kilometers.
At 7:30 a.m., Mr. Pan, who participated in the event, had already arrived at the gathering point. “I’ve got my camera, some water, and snacks in my bag.” For this trek, he made sure to fully charge his phone and packed enough rations.
The night before the event, he suddenly thought, “Why not use Weibo to document the trek?” So, he put quite a bit of thought into preparing for the live tweet. “I had roughly planned out how to match the text with the scenes.”
“In the winter of 1937, the Japanese gathered here for their triumphal entry ceremony, leaving behind an indelible humiliation in Nanjing.” Upon reaching Zhongshan Gate, he added this narration. Netizens could not only admire the beauty of Nanjing but also learn about the “stories” behind the site.
During the trek
Live-tweeting the full course
“My knee injury has flared up again.” The long walk aggravated his old knee problem, making every step more difficult, but he was determined not to give up. Along the way, he chatted with fellow hikers while tweeting updates.
“The city gate and the stone mythical beast create an extraordinary presence.” “The Outer Qinhuai River Scenic Belt is truly a model of residential excellence.” At each new attraction, he not only shared on-site photos and historical anecdotes but also voiced his personal take on the city, leading to many online exchanges with other netizens.
“Gazing up at the undiminished majesty of six hundred years, one can’t help but feel awe. Trekking is just observation—restoration is true protection.” Throughout the journey, the weight of history enveloped him. He himself isn’t a native “old Nanjinger,” so at every stop, fellow hikers would explain the details to him. “It felt absolutely amazing.” Reflecting on this cultural journey, he found it hard to put into words.
Perseverance pays off. At 5:24 p.m. yesterday, he and his companions finally completed the entire trek. “My aching knees were completely numb.” Excited, he joked, as the live tweeting also came to an end.
After the trek
“Protecting the Ming City Wall is incredibly important”
“Covering 35 kilometers is first and foremost a test of physical endurance.” Although he regularly participates in outdoor activities, such a long-distance hike was a first for him. In his view, being able to persist for so long was already an achievement. Many younger participants in the group gave up earlier, showing that completing the whole trek requires not just stamina but also a spirit of perseverance.
He said that he occasionally visits small “nodes” of the Ming City Wall such as Zhonghua Gate and Pipa Lake, but he had never walked the entire wall around Nanjing before. At work, he often comes across information about the protection of the Ming City Wall, but without seeing it firsthand, it’s hard to truly appreciate it. “The Ming City Wall is an important ‘family asset’ for the people of Nanjing—we need to understand it.” After this close encounter, Nanjing became even more beautiful in his eyes, and he felt even more strongly that protecting the Ming City Wall is “incredibly important.”