It is said that since Dong Wu, there had been more than 30k handcrafts, arts and entertainment professionals in the city. In the mean time, many immigrants from the north (Guan Zhong) worked in Nanjing Fabric （Jing）Manufactory. These created a basis for Nanjing's thousands of years tradition in Handcrafts and arts business.
The government started to record and regulate handcrafts and arts businesses types, and created leadership positions for each. Benefited from the natural geography which provides good transportation methods, and the prosperity stories of Jinlin, Nanjing never saw short of the demand for its local handcrafts businesses.
However, the change of dynasties had disrupted the handscrafts and arts businesses, especially in MING. It was when Nanjing became the capital of the nation again after a few hundred years, Zhu Yuanzhang (the emperor) ordered to in-migrate the rich, credible households from a few cities in southern china, while to out-migrate the ones benefited from the previous dynasties to Yun Nan (also a city with lots of handcrafts business). Later one, he proposed the Fang Xiang Residential Regulation where essentially stimulate the mixed use development. As a result, we saw an integration of residential, commercial, manufactory, entertainment function--in ONE place! The same profession was ordered to stay in the same area as well. If we take a step back and look at the demographics, due to the immigration and outmigration, almost a quarter of people work in handscrafts and arts business, which was around 1/5 of the entire nation at that time! Unfortunately we can't find any specifics on a pros and cons comments on such shift of economics and lifestyle. But for sure, this was quite different dynamics than before.
Some may concern that such new economic structure and cultural landscape formed by an outside force could be quite unstable, and even destructive. But remember MING emperors could be "fickle". Zhu Di, the emperor after Zhu Yuanzhang, changed the capital to Beijing (since then China's capital is Beijing). He also took thousands of handcrafts and arts business people with him, reduce almost half of the Hukou and military. Now if you recall the mixed-use Fang Xiang Residential Regulation, you may realize that blocks after blocks of people and their belongings were gone. The vacancy might be very high that many of them was used to build luxuary housing later on. The handcrafts and arts business people would continue to horn their skills, or switch to other vocations.
Nowaday, Nanjing remains famous for its rich handcrafts and arts business culture. Visitors could find Yunjing (a special fabric originated in Nanjing), Silk and other fabrics of great quality. Others like tea, spices, and local foods are worthy of discovery. In the East to Zhonghua Gate, you could also visit the free museums of handscrafts.
据说东吴时期南京就已经有各种手工业与曲艺工作者三万多人1，后秦被灭之后更有关中的织锦工迁至南京的斗场锦署任职。六朝时期政府开始对各大手工业进行编册管理，设立专门负责人2。隋唐时期南京失去都城地位，但是倚仗着南北驿道的重要交通枢纽优势，和六朝经济基础、军臣从商的传统，手工业市场庞大，继续繁荣。
明洪武之治3，手工商业再次得到新阶段发展。1380，新政权把旧政权下既得利益者和一部分原住民发配云南，强行迁入苏浙四万五千多户值得信任的富有人家，加上江浙皖来的仓脚夫十万多人作为体力劳动力输入。自此居民组成，五方杂处，所带来的文化丰盛。洪武末年，居民达到明代人口巅峰4。为了更好的管理城民，朱元璋提出坊厢5制度来取代长久以来的坊里6制度。坊厢制度的精髓在于一片区域高度集中的手工、商贸、居住功能。这就解释了为什么南京现在很多居民去道路名称与手工业有关，比如皮作坊7，大板巷8。洪武之年，南京手工匠户达整个明朝手工匠户的五分之一。虽然这种移民和集权统治加强了南京传统手工业发展和城市化节奏，却也打破了南京本身的居民和经济结构。古籍中倒是并没有太多对于原生结构影响的记录。
与以前不同，此时的手工业市场受到很多政权的影响。扩大的产品需求以及城市功能需求，很大一部分是皇权贵族和他们信任的人口带来的。那如果皇权离开，这些人也会离开吗？如果他们的离开导致市场收缩，手工业匠户会失业吗？是的，但是这一切的前提是我们假设富有人口和购买力会随着统治阶级的离开而离开，然后把辛勤的底层手工业从事者留在南京让他们随波逐流。但是我们也许没想到。明成祖发扬“节约粮食”的简朴作风，1421年在南京“吃完饭”之后，说了一句：“这些个做饭的厨子、店小二什么的，我一起打包带走！”那他这一迁都，民匠户二万七千人从南京撤出，随之减少户籍过半，减少驻军。而且这打包留下的痕迹是整齐的：坊厢制度下，若干居民区整体迁移，留下大片空地。空疏的居民区疏于管理，落入明中后期权贵之手建宅子9去了。其他留下来的手工业商户，有的祖祖代代都是一门手意并且做家门口生意，有的转行做别的去了。
1 卢海鸣《六朝都城》：孙权破城“得袁术百工及鼓吹部曲三万余人”
2 比如军器、鼓铸、染色、土木工程等技艺
3 明太祖朱元璋在位的1368-1398，是休养生息，发展工商，经济增长时期
4 1398左右，六十八万左右
5 坊厢：都城之内称为坊，城郭之外是厢。唐宋以后居民区出现破墙建店的模式，从坊里过度为街巷。坊厢是街巷的升级版，因为它具有类似于现代的社区功能。有记载，百户为里，坊厢中遇到婚姻死丧，有钱以钱财祝贺，没钱的可以举手足之力。农耕或者收获的时候，强调通力合作、以教民睦。
6 坊里：各家各户四周筑墙，彼此隔绝，居民只能从坊门出入，每晚关坊门实行宵禁
7 今评事街
8分为习艺东街和习艺西街，曾经是卖大块木板的地方
9今中华门西凤凰台和杏花村一带仍有私家园林的痕迹
手工商业（作坊）
Handcrafts & Arts businesses
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南京仍然以民间和皇家手工商业著称。南京的云锦依然是国家级馈赠礼品。丝绸，茶叶，香料，编织品等为往来游客喜爱。吃食当中，鸭子及其周边最为知名，还有数不清的小吃糕点。有很多百年老店反而店面小，大概就是因为古代坊厢制度留下的“前生意、后住宿”的传统吧。如今老门东还有老字号博物馆可以去看看。