3．名人雅士领风骚

3．名人雅士领风骚

南京，古老多姿，钟灵毓秀，人杰地灵。它曾吸引了无数风云人物来这里争雄逐鹿、施展才能、建功立业。他们如群星闪烁，在南京的历史上留下了一页页辉煌的篇章。

金陵一帝--孙权

孙权，字仲谋，今浙江富阳人。15岁时就开始征战沙场。他是一位善于纳贤的英杰，勇敢果断，选拔官员的标准是唯贤任能，大胆任用了一批年轻有为的将领。例如，周瑜做建威郎中将时才24岁，鲁肃当孙权幕僚时只有30岁，吕蒙在赤壁之战时只有31岁，陆逊在孙权幕下任职时更年轻，只有21岁。他们都屡建奇功，帮助孙权成就了一代宏图大业。

孙权统治江东51年，对开发建业和整个江南地区作出了重大贡献。他发展农业，兴修水利，疏浚和扩大秦淮河水道。他还发展了航海事业，派人到夷洲（今台湾省），出使辽东半岛及南海诸国，还为西域僧人建造了金陵的第一座佛寺--建初寺。

孙权死后葬在今天南京东郊明孝陵前的梅花山，因此梅花山在以前被称为孙陵岗。现在，“明孝陵和梅花山”被评为金陵四十八景之一，成了人们乐于前往的名胜景地。

科学巨星--祖冲之

祖冲之于429年诞生在建康（南京），从小就显示出过人的才学。他最伟大的贡献就是把圆周率的数值精确计算到小数点以后的7位数字。祖冲之在研究了前人的成果后，采用割圆术对圆周率进行了十分艰苦细致的推算，终于算出了圆周率的精确数值在3.1415926和3.1415927之间。这个数值在当时是世界上最精确的圆周率数值。直到大约1000年以后，欧洲数学家才求得同样的结果。由于祖冲之在计算圆周率方面的重大贡献，世界上又把圆周率称为“祖率”。莫斯科大学为祖冲之立了塑像，国际科学界还将月球上的一座环形山命名为“祖冲之山”，国际行星中心把一颗小行星命名为“祖冲之星”，以纪念这位伟大的科学巨匠。

祖冲之除了在推算圆周率方面的杰出贡献外，还有许多方面的科学和技术成就。他改革了中国古代流传下来的历法，创造了当时最精确的《大明历》，其中所测定的每一回归年的天数，结果跟现代科学测定的只相差50秒。他写的数学专著《缀术》，唐朝时被作为学校的数学课本，也是日本、朝鲜中世纪时学校的教材。他还精通音律，写过小说《述异记》等。祖冲之这位博学多才的科学巨匠不仅在中国，而且在世界科技史上都占有重要的地位。

改革家--王安石

北宋宰相、政治家、文学家。江西临川人，却与南京有着不解之缘。他在金陵度过了青年时代，两度在这里居丧，三次在这里出任知府，两次辞去宰相来这里居住，在此先后生活了近20年，逝世后又葬在钟山脚下。

庆历四年，22岁的王安石考中进士，踏上了仕途，从此积极投身于改革大业。他曾给宋仁宗写了一封万字的《言事书》，主张朝廷全面改革法度，却没有得到重视。直到宋神宗时，王安石才得以有机会制定新的法度，大刀阔斧地开展以富国强兵为目的的变法运动。这就是中国历史上著名的“王安石变法”。但由于保守势力的反对和宋神宗的动摇，新法的推行受到阻挠，王安石被迫辞去宰相职务，回到江宁再次担任知府。当他接到再次被任命为宰相的命令后，立即来到当时的都城开封，但是上任后却发现宋神宗根本没有推行变法的决心，加上保守派的极力反对和变法派内部的分歧，王安石便再辞去丞相职务。宋神宗答应了他的请求，让他回到了江宁府。后来，他连这个官职也辞掉了，在江宁府城东门到钟山半道的白塘建造了宅邸，取名“半山园”。

航海家--郑和

郑和，明朝人，原名马和，从小就在皇宫中作了太监。因他在燕王朱棣攻取北京的过程中立下大功，所以朱棣在夺取皇位之后，就赐“郑”作为他的姓氏。

明成祖统治时期，国家统一强盛，为了宣扬国威，同时加强与海外各国的交流，明成祖决定派一支庞大的船队远航海外。郑和身材魁梧，精通兵法，足智多谋，知识渊博，并且通晓阿拉伯文字，熟悉西洋各国的历史地理、风土人情和宗教习俗，这些优势使得郑和被皇帝朱棣选中，率领船队出使西洋。

郑和下西洋比其他国家的航海家早了将近一个世纪，而且出航的规模庞大、人数众多、航向准确。他不愧是世界文明交流的先行者。

南京是郑和下西洋的决策地、始发地和归宿地，更是他的第二故乡。在郑和60多年的生涯中，他先后在南京度过了30多年。他从小来到南京，在南京改姓，担任守备，死后又葬于南京。郑和在南京创下了许多业绩，南京也留下了他的许多遗迹，如静海寺、天妃宫、清真静觉寺，等等。

当然，历史上与南京相关的名人还有很多，他们的业绩、思想、品格，已经成为南京人民引以为自豪和骄傲的宝贵精神财富，更为南京的发展留下了精彩的一笔。

3. Great People

Age-old yet colorful, the soil of Nanjing contains the seed of greatness. Numerous men of influence came here, displaying their talent and building their career. Their achievements, as shiny as stars are, have made Nanjing even more splendid.

The First Emperor of Jinling: Sun Quan (182-252)

Sun Quan, whose courtesy name (zi) is Zhongmou, was born in Fuyang, Zhejiang province. Sun began to fight on the battlefield when he was only 15 years old. Later when he became a leader, he was brave, decisive and impartial in appointing officials. As a result, a lot of young yet talented men were promoted to important positions: Zhou Yu was appointed as Commandant of Jiangwei at the age of 24; Lu Su was chosen to be Sun's advisor at 30; Lü Meng was 31 when he fought in the Battle of Red Cliff; Lu Xun was only 21 when he was appointed an official. All of them scored tremendous feats and helped Sun a lot in building his kingdom.

During his fifty years' rule, Sun Quan contributed a lot to the development of Jianye and the south China as a whole by developing agriculture, building irrigation projects as well as dredging and widening the waterway of the Qinhuai River. What's more, he helped to develop China's navigation industry by sending off convoys to Yizhou (today's Taiwan province), Liaodong Peninsula and some island countries in South China Sea. Under his order, the first Buddhist temple which was named Jianchu Temple was built for monks from the Western Regions.

After he died, Sun Quan was buried under the Plum Blossom Hill which lies in front of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in the suburb east of Nanjing. That's why the Plum Blossom Hill used to be called Sunling Hill ("Ling" in Chinese means mausoleum). Nowadays, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the Plum Blossom Hill are listed among "the Forty-eight Most Charming Scenic Spots of Jinling" and attract numerous tourists.

A Great Scientist: Zu Chongzhi (Tsu Chung-Chi ) (429-500)

Born in Jiankang in 429, Zu Chongzhi displayed unusual talent from his childhood. Based on others' achievements, he calculated out that the precise value of π shall be between 3.1415926 and 3.1415927. This was the most precise approximation at that time and it was not until one thousand years later that a European mathematician came up with the same result. Thus π is also called the Zu ratio in honor of Zu Chongzhi. What's more, Moscow University erected a statue for him; the international scientific circle named one lunar crater as "Tsu Chung-chi"; and the International Planet Center named one asteroid (1964 VO1) after his name. All these efforts are done to commemorate this great scientist.

The greatest contribution made by Zu Chongzhi is the calculation of π, but he is also remembered for other scientific and technological achievements, among which is the famous Daming Calendar. The duration of a solar year in the Daming Calendar is just fifty seconds different from the result of today's scientific calculation. Zu also wrote a mathematical monograph Zhui Shu (Method of Interpolation). This book was used as a mathematical textbook in the Tang dynasty and by Japan and Korea in the middle ages. Though Zu Chongzhi was also conversant with music and writing, he was, first and foremost, a great scientist, who occupies a prominent position not only in China but also in the world.

A Political Reformer: Wang Anshi (1021-1086)

Born in Linchun, Jiangxi province, Wang Anshi, a statesman, a poet and prose writer in the Song dynasty, was unbreakably bonded to Nanjing. He spent his youth there, and mourned for funerals twice there, acted as the governor of the city three times, and moved to live in the city after he resigned as Prime Minster twice. All in all, he spent nearly twenty years in Nanjing and was buried at the foot of Mount Zhong after death.

At the age of 24, Wang Anshi outstood others in the feudal exam and became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the national civil examination held at the imperial capital), marking his first step in his political career and the beginning of his commitment to the reform. He once wrote a memorial of ten thousand characters to Emperor Renzong, advocating an all-out reform of the feudal laws and systems. The letter, however, was neglected. It was not until during the reign of Emperor Shenzong that he finally got the opportunity to carry out the reform aimed to strengthen the country's power. This is the famous "Wang Anshi's Reform" in the Chinese history. Nonetheless, implementation of new laws and systems was undermined by opposition from the conservatives and the emperor's vacillation, Thus, Wang Anshi unwillingly resigned and returned to Jiangning (present Nanjing) as the governor. Later, when Emperor Shenzong appointed him once again as the Prime Minister, he was so excited that he immediately went to the capital Kaifeng, ready to devote himself once again to the reform, only to meet the weak resolution of the emperor, the even stronger opposition from the conservatives and the divisions among the reformers. Disappointed, he asked to resign. The emperor agreed and sent him back again to Jiangning as the governor. Later, he even resigned that position and built a house half way up Mount Zhong and named his house "Banshan Garden" ("Banshan" in Chinese literally means "half way up the mountain").

A Great Navigator: Zheng He (1371-1433)

Zheng He, originally named Ma He, was a eunuch in the Ming dynasty. When Zhu Di was still the prince of Yan, Ma He played an important role in attacking and finally seizing Beijing. So after Zhu Di seized the throne, he granted "Zheng" to be Ma's surname. Thus, Ma He was known as Zheng He since then.

During the reign of Zhu Di, the Ming dynasty became increasingly powerful. To air the power of the country and to strengthen exchanges with the outside world, Emperor Zhu Di set his sights on sending a fleet abroad and Zheng He was chosen to be the captain for he was physically strong and intellectually smart and knowledgeable. He not only knew the military tactics but also knew Arabic as well as history, geography, local customs and religious conventions of the exotic land. All this made Zheng He a most suitable candidate.

On a large scale, with a large crew and along a precise course, the westward journey led by Zheng He was nearly one hundred years earlier than navigations of other countries. Thus Zheng He may well be called "the forerunner of worldwide talks among civilizations".

Nanjing is where the great journey was decided, started and finally returned to. It is Zheng He's second hometown. It is there that he spent more than 30 years of his whole lifetime; it is there that he changed his surname and served as Shoubei (Grand Commandant); and it is there that he was buried. Thus, Nanjing is where Zheng He established himself and where he lived. Such places as Jinghai Temple, Tianfei Palace and the Islamic Mosque of Jingjue are all related to him in one way or another.

Celebrities who used to relate to Nanjing in some way are far more than those mentioned. Whoever they are, Nanjing people feel proud of them for what they achieved and how they nurtured their inner selves. These are invaluable intellectual legacy for the development of Nanjing.