It’s no understatement that Nanjing, one of China’s oldest cities, wears its history proudly on its shoulders by daytime. We’ve all seen the photos and visited, probably on numerous occasions, the ancient city walls, the Confucian temple and the Ming dynasty palaces and tombs. These all reflect a storied past. But when the sun dips below the horizon, behind the western mountainous peaks, a different Nanjing comes to life; one that never seems to rest.
中國最古老的城市之一南京在白天自豪地肩上扛著歷史，這一點也不為過。 我们都看过这些照片，并可能多次参观过古城墙、儒家寺庙和明朝宫殿和陵墓。 这些都反映了一个传奇的过去。 但当太阳在地平线下沉入，在西部山峰后面时，一个不同的南京活了过来；一个似乎从未休息过的南京。
From the neon-lit and smoke-filled street markets to the bustling convenience stores that dot the streets and the hum of the midnight delivery bikes; Nanjing thrives as a 24-hour city, where time seems to lose its boundaries.
从霓虹灯和烟雾缭绕的街头市场到遍布街道的繁华便利店和午夜送货自行车的嗡嗡声；南京作为一个24小时城市蓬勃发展，时间似乎失去了界限。
Behind the city’s perpetual motion are the people who keep it alive after dark: the night owls. Night-shift workers are the backbone of this unyielding rhythm of the post-dusk fast life. To understand this nocturnal world, I spoke to two of these night owls, each revealing a unique perspective on a city that never sleeps.
这座城市永远运动的背后是让城市在天黑后保持活力的人：夜猫子。 夜班工人是黄昏后快速生活的不屈不挠节奏的支柱。 为了理解这个夜行世界，我与其中两个夜猫子交谈，每个人都揭示了一个不眠之城的独特视角。
Mr. Wang, Delivery Driver
Shift: 19:00 – 05:00
王先生，送货司机轮班：19:00 – 05:00
Delivery drivers zip through the dimly lit streets, ferrying those late-night cravings to homes and to those burning the midnight oil in offices around the city.
送货司机在光线昏暗的街道上飞快地穿梭，将那些深夜的渴望运送到家中，以及那些在城市周围的办公室里燃烧午夜油的人。
“I’ve been a delivery driver now for 5 years, and nights are my busiest time”, Mr Wang tells me waiting outside a BBQ restaurant for a customer’s order. Mr Wang explains that food deliveries peak after 10p.m. when late-night workers, partygoers and university students place their orders. “It’s not just noodles and fried rice; people want bubble tea, fresh fruit, 卤味 and even hot pot late into the night. They love the convenience.”
王先生在一家烧烤店外等待顾客的订单时告诉我：“我做了5年的送货司机，晚上是我最忙的时候。” 王先生解释说，当深夜工人、派对人员和大学生下订单时，食品配送在晚上10点后达到高峰。 “这不仅仅是面条和炒饭；人们想要泡泡茶、新鲜水果、卤味，甚至深夜吃火锅。 他们喜欢便利。”
I asked him about the challenges briefly, knowing that we were pressed for time, he smiled wryly. “Rain is the worst. You can’t ride fast, and road can be quite slippery. But what can I do? Each delivery is money for my family.”
我简短地问他关于挑战的事情，知道我们时间紧迫，他苦笑了一下。 “雨是最糟糕的。 你不能骑得快，而且道路会很滑。 但是我能做什么呢？ 每次送货都是给我家人的钱。”
Food delivery apps like Meituan and Ele.me are essential to the city’s after-hours culinary cravings. With a few beeps from his phone, Mr Wang zips off into the night on his e-bike; boxes of BBQ sticks in-hand, with the faint glow of his phone lighting his face.
美团和Ele.me等送餐应用程序对于城市下班后的美食渴望至关重要。 王先生在手机上发出几声哔哔声，骑着电动自行车进入夜色；手里拿着一盒烧烤棒，手机的微弱光芒照在他的脸上。
Miss Zhang, Convenience Store Attendant
Shift: 22:00 – 08:00
张小姐，便利店服务员轮班：22:00 – 08:00
Behind the counter of a 7/11, Miss Zhang rearranges shelves of snacks, waiting for the night crowd to descend.
在7/11的柜台后面，张小姐重新排列着货架上的零食，等待着夜晚的人群降临。
“The quietest time is between 03:00 and 04:00, but before that it can be non stop, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.”
“最安静的时间是03:00到04:00之间，但在此之前可以不间断，尤其是在周五和周六晚上。”
Miss Zhang has only worked the night shift for a couple of months now. “At night, our usual customers are delivery drivers, couples looking for midnight snacks and drinks, even those leaving the nearby bars buying water and coffee to sober up.”
张小姐现在才上几个月的夜班。 “晚上，我们通常的顾客是送货司机，情侣们寻找午夜零食和饮料，甚至那些离开附近的酒吧买水和咖啡来清醒的人。”
I asked her about the difficulties of working the night shift. “It can get lonely and quite boring sometimes, especially after midnight. There’s always a fear that something could happen, but I’m learning to stay alert. Coffee helps me stay awake and I can use my phone to keep in contact with friends that are still awake.” Working the night shift isn’t easy, but Miss Zhang tells me she has started to recognise the regular customers, even if they only come in for a few minutes at a time.
我问了她上夜班的困难。 “有时会感到孤独和无聊，尤其是在午夜之后。 總是害怕會發生一些事情，但我正在學習保持警惕。 咖啡有助于我保持清醒，我可以用手机与仍然清醒的朋友保持联系。” 上夜班并不容易，但张小姐告诉我，她已经开始认出常客了，即使他们一次只来几分钟。
From delivery drivers racing against time and navigating the city’s quiet hours to the store attendants connecting with and serving their community, these night owls are the lifeblood of Nanjing’s 24-hour rhythm; a city that never sleeps.
从与时间赛跑和驾驭城市的安静时间的送货司机到与社区联系和服务的店员，这些夜猫子是南京24小时节奏的命脉；一个不眠的城市。