Qinhuai Scenic Zones（秦淮河风光带）Travel Guide
Nov 12, 2024
by orient china travel
Qinhuai Scenic Zones Travel Guide
1. Introduction
Qinhuai Scenic Zones is a renowned national 5A-level tourist area located in Qinhuai District, Nanjing City. It combines natural scenery, landscape gardens, temples and academies, street residences, and local customs. Centered around the ancient architecture complex of Confucius Temple and with the Qinhuai River within ten miles as the axis, it stretches from Dongshuiguan Park in the east to Xishuiguan Park (now Shuiximen) in the west. The Inner Qinhuai River, which is five kilometers in length and was historically known as "Ten Miles of Qinhuai", is the essence of the Confucius Temple - Qinhuai Scenic Zones. It represents the prosperity in Nanjing's history over two thousand years of urban development.
Qinhuai Scenic Zones is a renowned national 5A-level tourist area located in Qinhuai District, Nanjing City. It combines natural scenery, landscape gardens, temples and academies, street residences, and local customs. Centered around the ancient architecture complex of Confucius Temple and with the Qinhuai River within ten miles as the axis, it stretches from Dongshuiguan Park in the east to Xishuiguan Park (now Shuiximen) in the west. The Inner Qinhuai River, which is five kilometers in length and was historically known as "Ten Miles of Qinhuai", is the essence of the Confucius Temple - Qinhuai Scenic Zones. It represents the prosperity in Nanjing's history over two thousand years of urban development.
2. How to Get There
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="594px" width="931px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
- By Air: If you arrive at Nanjing Lukou International Airport, you can take the airport shuttle bus or a taxi to the city center and then transfer to public transportation to reach the Qinhuai Scenic Zones. The airport is about 30-40 kilometers away from the scenic area, and the journey may take around 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the traffic.
- By Train: Nanjing has several railway stations, such as Nanjing South Railway Station and Nanjing Railway Station. After arriving at the station, you can take the metro or a bus to the scenic area. For example, if you are at Nanjing South Railway Station, you can take Metro Line 3 and transfer to other lines as needed to reach the nearest station to the Qinhuai Scenic Zones.
- By Bus: There are many bus routes passing through or near the Qinhuai Scenic Zones. You can check the local bus routes and stops to find the most convenient one for you.
3. Tickets and Opening Hours
- Tickets: The scenic area is free to enter, but some individual attractions within it require tickets. For example, the ticket price for the Confucius Temple is 30 RMB per person; the Nanjing China科举 Museum (former Jiangnan贡院) is 50 RMB per person; and the ticket for Zhanyuan Garden is 30 RMB per person.
- Opening Hours: Different attractions have different opening hours. Generally, the Confucius Temple and some gardens are open from around 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm. The night cruise on the Qinhuai River usually starts in the evening.
4. Main Attractions
- Confucius Temple: It is a large group of ancient buildings that have gone through many vicissitudes. It is a place for worshipping and sacrificing to Confucius and is one of the four great Confucian temples in China. It is also a famous tourist attraction at home and abroad. The Qinhuai River in front of the Confucius Temple is the泮池, and the stone brick wall on the south bank is the照壁, which is 110 meters long and 10 meters high, the largest in the country. There are also buildings such as Juxing Pavilion, Sile Pavilion, Lingxing Gate, Dacheng Gate, Dacheng Hall, Mingde Hall, and Zunjing Pavilion.
- Jiangnan贡院 (Nanjing China科举 Museum): Also known as the Nanjing贡院, it is located on the east side of the Confucius Temple School in Nanjing City and is a part of the Confucius Temple - Qinhuai Scenic Zones. It was first built in 1168 (the fourth year of Song Qiandao) and reached its peak during the Qing Dynasty. It was the largest imperial examination venue in ancient China, with 20,644 examination rooms and hundreds of affiliated buildings, covering an area of more than 300,000 square meters. It is now the only professional museum in China that reflects the imperial examination system.
- Wuyi Lane: Located on the south bank of the Qinhuai River by the Zhuque Bridge, it is the oldest and most famous lane in China. During the Three Kingdoms period, it was the barracks for the troops guarding Shitou City in the State of Wu. It was a residential area for the powerful Wang and Xie families in the Jin Dynasty. Their descendants liked to wear black clothes to show their noble status, hence the name. Many cultural giants such as Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Xie Lingyun emerged from here.
- Meixiang Tower (Li Xiangjun's Former Residence): It is built in memory of Li Xiangjun. It is a three-entry, two-courtyard residence located at No. 38, Dashiba Street by the Qinhuai River. The left side of the tower is connected to Wende Bridge, and the right side is connected to Laiyan Bridge. Looking south is Wuyi Lane, and looking north is the Confucius Temple. The courtyard is filled with artworks such as calligraphy, paintings, couplets, seal carvings, rockeries, statues, and garden landscapes.
- Zhanyuan Garden: It is the oldest existing garden in Nanjing and one of the four famous gardens in the Jiangnan region. It can be traced back to the mansion garden of Xu Da, a marquis in the Ming Dynasty. It is famous for its rockeries. Named after Ouyang Xiu's poem "Looking up at the玉堂 is like looking up at the sky", it is now a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national 5A-level tourist scenic spot.
- Zhonghua Gate: Known as Jubao Gate in the Ming Dynasty, it is the main south gate of Nanjing City. It is the largest and best-preserved castle-style city gate among the thirteen inner city gates of Nanjing's city wall. It is also the largest and most complex ancient castle and barbican city in China. It has a long history dating back to the旧址 of the south gate of Jiangningfu in the Southern Tang Dynasty and Jiankangfu in the Southern Song Dynasty and was expanded from 1369 to 1375 during the Ming Dynasty.
- Bailuzhou Park: Located in the southeast corner of Nanjing City, it is the largest park in the southern part of the city. In the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it was the villa of Xu Da, a founding hero of the Ming Dynasty. Later, it became a gathering place for many famous literati such as Wang Shizhen and Wu Cheng'en.
5. Travel Tips
- Clothing and Footwear: Nanjing has a changeable climate, so it is advisable to bring appropriate clothing according to the season. As there is a lot of walking in the scenic area, wear comfortable shoes.
- Food: There are many local delicacies in the Qinhuai Scenic Zones, such as various kinds of pastries, duck blood soup with vermicelli, and stinky tofu. You can try them in local restaurants or food stalls.
- Photography: The scenery in the Qinhuai Scenic Zones is very beautiful, especially at night when the lights are on. Bring your camera to capture the wonderful moments, but be careful not to damage the attractions while taking photos.
- Safety: Pay attention to personal and property safety during the trip. Follow the instructions of the staff in the scenic area and beware of crowded places to avoid getting lost or having accidents.