Nanjing University (Chinese: 南京大学; pinyin: Nánjīng Dàxué; colloquially 南大) is a national comprehensive university locate in Nanjing, an ancient capital of China. It is regarded as one of the best and most selective universities in China. Its history dates back to the first year of Yong'an reign (AD 258), making it one of the oldest higher learning institutions in the world. It became the first modern Chinese university in the early 1920s.