A Leisurely Stroll in the Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties

In the autumn of 2019, I went to Nanjing again for a leisurely trip: to see the former Jiangning Imperial Silk Weaving Museum, Yuejiang Tower, Pukou Station, and that national treasure—the Dabao'en Temple Ruins...

On 11/20, public buses in downtown Nanjing were convenient. Getting off at Daxinggong Station, you could see the Jiangning Imperial Silk Weaving Museum right away.

It was rebuilt on the original site, designed by Academician Wu Liangyong.

The courtyard brimmed with Jiangnan charm.

From the introductions, I learned: the Weaving Bureau was like a textile ministry, with government-run factories supplying the imperial family. Cao Xueqin's grandfather, Cao Yin, was the bureau chief, kind of a relative. A replica of a memorial—the "red-head document" of the Qing Dynasty, with the emperor's vermillion rescripts—ah, so that's how it was...

Exquisite weaving—

Official robes divided into civil and military ranks, strictly graded...

Scenes of bustling commercial streets.

Because of the Cao family connection, the museum recreated the art of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'—

A few streets away was the Jiangsu Art Museum, originally the National Art Gallery—the first national gallery in the 1930s.

Coincidentally, there was an exhibition for the "70th Anniversary Jiangsu Art Show"—

Jiangsu is a land of talent, painters abound...

Heading north from the museum, you reached 1912 Minguo—the former dormitory buildings of the Republic government.

Developers set up a miniature train, with a steam locomotive pulling tourists for a loop...

Day 2: Nanjing Zhongshan Botanical Garden, one of China's four major botanical gardens. Bus No. 20 stopped right at the gate. A road divided the garden into south and north sections. We first went to the north garden to see the maple leaves.

The Red Maple Hill was famous for its red leaves, but local visitors said that due to little rain, the leaves weren't as bright as in previous years.

The north garden also houses the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. I'm not sure if it was because of a staff sports meet that day, but the herbarium was closed.

There was also a bonsai garden in the north garden—

The tree bonsai were especially amazing...

The south garden had a large greenhouse.

I saw a coffee tree.

Unfortunately, I didn't see the dove tree—Davidia involucrata—a relict species from the Quaternary glaciation unique to China. It was listed in the introduction, but sadly the staff were all at the sports meet.

Late autumn was just right for colorful leaves...

Lake view with the ancient city wall behind.

From the Botanical Garden station, took a bus to Jiming Temple. Jiming Ancient Temple was rebuilt...

The back gate connected to the ancient city wall—Taicheng Wall section.

The Ming city walls—wisely, several administrations of Nanjing didn't follow Beijing's lead in demolishing the walls... leaving behind priceless city treasures...

From ancient to modern: Nanjing's tallest building, the Zifeng Tower, was not far.

Took a bus to the mansion area on Yihe Road and Ninghai Road to see the Minguo-era western-style houses.

At the intersection, the village office had become a tourist shop.

Today, I went to see Yuejiang Tower by the Yangtze River. Got off at Xingzhongmen Station, and the city gate came into view.

There was a walking path uphill, but we took the elevator at the visitor center near the parking lot (paid). Stepping out of the elevator, the towering platform building greeted us. With age, this Yuejiang Tower was also rebuilt.

The large platform below the tower offered a panoramic view, but climbing to the tower's top gave an even better view. (There's an elevator too.)

Gazing afar—a bridge...

Imperial golden glazed tiles.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang wasn't highly literate, he wrote a 'Record of Yuejiang Tower'.

Diligent children on an autumn outing...

Bus No. 20 to Zhongshan Wharf, still in a Minguo style...

Took the ferry to Pukou, once the first stop across the river.

Pukou Station is now called Nanjing North Station.

The past bustle was gone with the convenience of the bridge. The old waiting shed—

Lonely green train cars...

The original structures were still there, not demolished. Some were fenced off, the waiting hall tightly shut. Maybe there are plans to develop this as industrial tourism?

Viewed Yuejiang Tower from the river.

There was an introduction that a heritage museum was built at Nanjing's Dabao'en Temple—so before closing time in the afternoon, I went to check it out—

I heard that remains were unearthed during construction, and after archaeology, they became a protected site. A national treasure. They used glazed art to recreate a Buddhist sanctuary—

A huge boxwood carving—maybe the story of Jianzhen's journey to the east...

As evening lights came on, the Dabao'en Temple pagoda show...

The ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, like a crouching tiger and coiling dragon. Three days of casual wandering, just a fleeting glimpse.