Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River Scenic Area

(Image source: www.nju.gov.cn)

As the “Mother River” of Nanjing, Qinhuai River is the cradle giving birth to ancient culture of Jinling (Nanjing). The Confucius Temple area, which is the liveliest place at inner Qinhuai River, is the First AAAAA scenic area opened to the public for free. The Confucius Temple area has been historically known as the cream of Qinhuai River scenic area, which is commonly known as “Five-kilometer Qinhuai”. It is an area integrating natural sceneries, gardens, temples, schools, streets, civil residences with local customs and habits. With Confucius Temple ancient architectural ensemble as the center and the Five-kilometer Qinhuai River as the axis, it stretches from Dongshuiguan Park in the east to Xishuiguan Park in the west (Shuixi City-Gate).

In Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River scenic area, reputed as “A gorgeous place in the region to the south of the Yangtze River and a venue of elegant Nanjing” as well as “Five-kilometer bead curtain”, there are countless scenic spots as well as literary and historic anecdotes. With historical and cultural foundation symbolic of urban development lasting over 2000 years in Nanjing, it is one of the earliest important birthplaces of Nanjing and the most bustling cultural and commercial center in the history of Nanjing, representing its prosperity historically. Along the bank of the Qinhuai River, there is an enclosure for defense as the biggest and the best preserved of its kind in the world, i.e. enclosure for defense within Zhonghua City-Gate. There is Zhanyuan Garden known as the “No. One garden in Nanjing”, a garden reputed as “No. One garden in the southern capital” in the Ming dynasty and one of the five famous gardens in the region to the south of the Yangtze River together with Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, Zhuozhengyuan Garden and Liuyuan Garden in Suzhou and Jichangyuan Garden in Wuxi in the Qing dynasty. As the neighbor of Zhangyuan Garden, there is a museum as the only one majoring in the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in China as well as Egret Park (Bailuzhou), the private park of Xu Da (Zhognshan King) as a founding general of the Ming dynasty, in addition to Jiangnan Examination Hall, the biggest imperial civil examination venue in ancient China, etc. In Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River scenic area, there are former residences for such rich and noble families in the Eastern Jin dynasty as Wang Dao and Xie An as well as the former residence of ShenWanshan, the No. One rich man in the Ming dynasty in the region to the south of the Yangtze River, the former residence of Li Xiangjun as a legendary figure of “Peach-flower fan”in the period from the late Ming dynasty to the early Qing dynasty, the former residence of Wu Jingzi, the writer of “Unofficial History of the Literati” and one of the greatest man of letters in China, the former residence of Qin Dashi, in addition to such historic remains as Wuyi Lane, Taoye Ferry, Dongshuiguan Sluice, Xishuiguan Sluice, ancient Changganli and Phoenix Terrace, etc. They resemble splendid bright pearls inlaid in Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River scenic area. Boating on the Qinhuai River as the No. one River famous for its history and culture in China has become a special tourist brand in Nanjing. Anchoring over the Qinhuai River is all the more regarded as a classic water-borne cruise in this city.

Address: Along the Qinhuai River in Qinhuai District

Tel: 0086-025-52209788

Website: http://en.njfzm.net/language/english/about.asp

Open hours: 24h

Ticket price: Free

Traffic: Metro Line 1/Sanshanjie Station, BusY2,1,4,15,40,44,49,304/Fuzimiao Stop, BusY4,2,14,16,23,26,33,43,46/Changlelu Stop