Focusing on the historical narrative, the article discusses the relocation and construction of the new campus of the National Central University from 1933 to 1937 in Nanjing, then the capital of a united China under the nationalist government. Based on newly discovered historical documents, archival material, drawings and diaries, the article uncovers the history of the university, exploring the planning of the new campus， the strategy of site selection, and the various stages of campus design. While doing so, the article clarifies the (architectural) characteristics of the nationalist (political) position and the once-existing academic significance of the campus.