The Stone City is the popular name of an ancient fortified city within the current city of Nanjing

Nanjing

' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

. Almost all of the original city is gone; all that remains are portions of the massive city wall.

The original town was built during the Warring States Period

Warring States Period

The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

 by the kingdom of Chu

Chu (state)

The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...

. The city was expanded during the Later Han Dynasty and a wall, about nine thousand meters (5½ mi) in circumference, was built around the existing Chu-era city. Today the Stone City lies within the confines of Nanjing's Qingliang Park. The ancient city is strongly enough associated with Nanjing that Nanjing itself is sometimes referred to as "Stone City".