Nanjing

Set on the banks of the Yangtze, Nanjing has been a settlement for roughly 2,500 years, and across that span ten dynasties chose it as their seat of power, largely because of its terrain. This volume traces how the city's physical form has changed over time, approaching the subject through the lens of geographical systems. Its central concern is the mountains and waterways that shaped the city, examined period by period.

The author pairs an analysis of these mountain and river systems in each historical era with surveys of the historic sites connected to them. Through this combination, the book looks for patterns in how the city evolved and how its spatial structure transformed, while also considering the relationship between human settlement and the natural environment. It proposes widening the usual focus of heritage conservation and urban design to include the wider geographical landscape system.

The work is aimed at researchers and practitioners in geography, history, and urban and landscape planning.