Trip Overview
When: August 2022 (summer season, warm weather)
Duration: 5 days
Travelers: Solo traveler
Budget: ~2,000 RMB (~$290 USD)
Transportation: Public transit + walking
Day 1: Daba'en Temple Ruins — Laomen East — Confucius Temple — Qinhuai Night View
Nanjing—a city where people come and go every day, where countless stories unfold. This is the city where I'll spend 5 days. This is Nanjing (南京).
The journey begins at Daba'en Temple Ruins Park (大报恩寺遗址公园), one of Nanjing's most significant historical sites. The temple was originally built during the Ming Dynasty and was once one of the most magnificent Buddhist temples in East Asia.
Daba'en Temple Ruins Park (大报恩寺遗址公园): There's a central axis running from west to east,依次是香水河/香水河桥遗址、御道遗址、天王殿遗址、月台遗址、大殿遗址、大报恩塔及千年地宫、观音殿遗址. The entire site is massive—I spent hours wandering through the ruins and the modern memorial hall. Pro tip: The underground palace (千年地宫) houses relics and is absolutely worth visiting.
The "Imperial Road" (御道)—only emperors were allowed to walk this path. Standing here, I can almost imagine the procession of ancient emperors passing through.
The main hall entrance—magnificent and solemn.
South Gallery (南画廊)—the corridors display beautiful Buddhist artworks.
"Treasury of Sutras Like the Sea" (经藏如海)—a stunning installation representing the vastness of Buddhist scripture.
"Grateful to All Beings" (感恩众生)—a powerful message of compassion.
Relic Light (舍利佛光)—the sacred relics of Buddha.
Sutra Transformation Gallery (经变画廊)—depicting stories from Buddhist texts.
"480 Temples of the Southern Dynasties" (南朝四百八十寺遗址)—a reminder of Nanjing's Buddhist heritage.
Zhonghua Gate City Wall (中华门城墙)—one of the best-preserved city walls in China.
Meal: Duck Blood粉丝汤 (鸭血粉丝汤)—a Nanjing specialty! The famous duck blood and vermicelli soup. Rich, savory, and uniquely Nanjing. Foreigner tip: Don't be intimidated by the name—it's delicious and one of the city's signature dishes. Cost: around 15-25 RMB (~$2-4 USD).
Next stop: Laomen East (老门东). At the entrance of Gytong Alley (箍桶巷), a grand stone archway stands before me with "Laomen East" (老门东) inscribed on it.
Laomen East (老门东): There's a famous couplet on the arch: "市井里巷尽染六朝烟水气，布衣将相共写千古大文章" (The streets and alleys are imbued with the misty water of the Six Dynasties, commoners and generals together write千古文章). Just 22 characters capture Laomen East's profound cultural heritage spanning six dynasties.
Laomen East Deyun Society (老门东德云社): The Nanjing branch of Beijing's famous Deyun Society, founded by Guo Degang. Grab some sunflower seeds, sip tea, listen to traditional crosstalk performances—how can you not be happy?
The ancient streets of Laomen East at dusk—lanterns lit up, creating a magical atmosphere.
Confucius Temple (夫子庙): With over 20 attractions, I recommend dedicating an entire day to fully experience the "integration of temple and market" (庙市合一). The area comes alive at night with the Qinhuai River (秦淮河) flowing through.
The Confucius Temple area at night—boats gliding on the Qinhuai River, lanterns reflecting on the water, the famous "Six Dynasties" atmosphere.
Day 2: Nanjing Museum — Kexiang Alley — Zhan Garden — 1912 Block
Nanjing Museum (南京博物院): Free entry with online reservation. I highly recommend spending a full day here—it's massive and truly impressive. Nanjing is the only ancient capital of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals that never served as capital for non-Han regimes. It's an important birthplace of Chinese civilization and was long the political, economic, and cultural center of southern China.
Nanjing Museum, located at 321 Zhongshan East Road, Xuanwu District, is one of China's three major museums and a national-level comprehensive historical art museum.
Pro tip: Rent an electronic audio guide at the visitor center—it's really helpful for understanding the exhibits!
The museum features a skyline with Purple Mountain (紫金山) as backdrop, forming a "one museum, six pavilions" layout: History Pavilion, Special Exhibition Pavilion, Digital Pavilion, Art Pavilion, Intangible Heritage Pavilion, and Republican Era Pavilion.
History Pavilion + Special Exhibition Pavilion: These two are connected. Rent an electronic guide at the first floor, then explore floor by floor. At the top, rest at the Mountain Café (半山咖啡), sip coffee while enjoying the breeze—it's like traveling back centuries to witness Jinling's prosperity.
Art Pavilion, Digital Pavilion, Intangible Heritage Pavilion: These three are also connected. They require significant artistic appreciation—I only gave them a quick look.
Republican Era Pavilion (民国馆): Strongly recommended! Sit at a cozy teahouse, order some Rain Flower Tea (雨花台), listen to traditional music—how utterly delightful.
Meal: Lunch at Kexiang Alley (科巷)—old duck粉丝汤. Foreigner tip: If you prefer light flavors, approach with caution—the soup is quite savory and rich.
Zhan Garden (瞻园): The south gate is the most beautiful entrance—many visitors choose to start here. Look up to see a large plaque reading "First Garden of Jinling" (金陵第一园)—a perfect summary of Zhan Garden's unique status among Jinling's gardens.
1912 Block (1912街区): Next to the Presidential Palace (总统府), this trendy area is full of nightlife—perfect for a stylish evening out.
Accommodation: Xinian Hotel Apartment (玺年酒店公寓). Checked in at 20:30 on the 24th floor—overlooking Nanjing from above. What a trip! Absolutely worth it—couldn't be more satisfied.
Day 3: Yitang Road mansions — Nanjing University — Wuyi Lane — Niushou Mountain
Yitang Road mansions (颐和路公馆): Western-style houses from the Republican era—so quaint and elegant! As the saying goes, "Yitang Road represents half of Republican-era history." This area of old residential buildings in Gulou District, around Yitang Road and Ninghai Road, was once known as the "Embassy District" and "Model Area for Modern Architecture."
Wandering among these Chinese-Western blended century-old buildings, I feel transported back to that era of transition and dreamy romance.
Nanjing University (南京大学): Due to pandemic restrictions, I couldn't enter. I rode a shared bike around the perimeter instead to make up for the disappointment. My impression of Nanjing University: "Blue bricks and gray tiles with red doors, snow pines and ginkgo trees with low bushes, snow and blue sky with gentle wind—everything so calm and peaceful."
Nanjing University has an extraordinary background—it's a top-tier university in China. The old campus (Gulou Campus) was Jinling University during the Republican era. The university's origins trace back to 1902's Liangjiang Normal School, later evolving through Sanjiang Normal School, Southeast University, and Central University. After the 1952 national university restructuring, it became today's Nanjing University.
Wuyi Lane (乌衣巷): Zhu Ziqing once said: "Visiting Nanjing is like browsing an antique shop—everywhere there are traces of time's erosion."
Standing in Wuyi Lane, I can't help but recall the famous poem: "朱雀桥边野草花,乌衣巷口夕阳斜。旧时王谢堂前燕,飞入寻常百姓家" (Wild flowers on the Sparrow Bridge, sunset at Wuyi Lane. Swallows that once nested in the mansions of the Wang and Xie families now fly into ordinary people's homes).
Despite a thousand years of changes, Wuyi Lane is no longer the bustling place it once was, but standing here, I can still feel the poet's emotions.
Meals: Small mixed soup (小杂汤) and soup dumplings (汤包) at a local street shop. After two days of duck dishes, I switched to chicken—"百年鸡鸣,不忘初心" (Century-old Jiming, never forget the original intention)—chicken silk soup and chicken soup dumplings. The chicken dishes are lighter and more refreshing than the duck series.
Niushou Mountain (牛首山): There's a famous Nanjing saying: "春牛首,秋栖霞" (Spring at Niushou Mountain, Autumn at Qixia Mountain). Every spring, people visit Niushou Mountain because the spring scenery here is beautiful. Today, the mountain is covered with trees and flowers, with the grand Foding Temple (佛顶寺) and the magnificent Fukang Temple (佛顶宫) built on the mountain. Whether for the scenery or the Buddhist cultural atmosphere, it's absolutely superb. The Buddha's skull relic (佛顶骨舍利) preserved inside Fukang Temple is the supreme treasure of Buddhism.