Must-Visit Ancient Capitals This Autumn for a Time-Travel Journey!

Autumn paints each ancient city with a golden, antique hue. Amidst the falling leaves, these old cities restore their original rustic charm and historical depth.

Walking through these ancient cities evokes a sense of time flowing by, as if overnight they have returned to a thousand years ago.

White walls, black tiles, and winding alleys; a stone bridge witnesses the thousand-year-old ancient canal, having listened to stories for a millennium.

Visit Tiger Hill, beloved by Su Dongpo. Though not tall, it is full of mountain and forest elegance. Once you go there, you are sure to fall in love with it.

Jiangnan is unlike the north; even in late autumn, the trees remain lush and green. The ginkgo and maple trees that change color in autumn add infinite ancient charm to Tiger Hill.

Seek a tranquil nook and hide in a quiet Jiangnan garden in autumn. Find a corner pavilion or sit under the eaves, watching the fiery red maple leaves decorating the black tiles and reflecting in the flowing water.

Unlike the crisp and clear autumn skies of the Northwest in popular imagination, Xi'an at this time is wrapped in lingering autumn rain, intermittent and gentle. The drizzle and falling leaves add a touch of desolation to the city, as if returning to a thousand years ago overnight.

In autumn, Xi'an pairs best with ancient temples. The drizzle, falling leaves, and rustling ginkgo make the name "Chang'an" resonate with ancient charm.

The Great Ci'en Temple is rich with autumn atmosphere deep in the bustling city. Every late autumn, the temple is not only covered in ginkgo leaves but also offers fiery red maple leaves as brilliant as morning clouds.

Nanjing, once called Jinling, lives up to its name with elegance and classicism. Its unique geographical location gives Nanjing four distinct seasons, each with its own beauty.

Among the four seasons, it is Nanjing in autumn that most resembles Jinling.

In golden autumn, you must take a walk along the Sacred Way of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Over 600 years of springs and autumns, 600 years of wind and rain, the mausoleum stands majestically like a magnificent wonder at the southern foot of Zhongshan Mountain.

You should also visit Qixia Mountain to admire the maple leaves. A saying among locals goes: "One Qixia Mountain holds half the history of Jinling."

Once autumn arrives, the city of Luoyang gradually takes on a hint of desolation—a touch of melancholy and a hint of nostalgia. Perhaps this is the true face of the ancient capital of nine dynasties.

Go to White Horse Temple, quietly listen to a sutra chanting amidst the sea of yellow ginkgo leaves. Located over 10 kilometers east of Luoyang city, it is China's earliest Buddhist temple, White Horse Temple.

The temple was first built during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty, with a history of nearly 2,000 years. A popular saying goes: "Striking the bell in the east makes it ring in the west; striking in the west makes it ring in the east," referring to the wondrous resonance between the bell of White Horse Temple and the bell tower in Luoyang city.