Impressions of Two Days in Nanjing: Lanterns by the Qinhuai River, the Wind on Purple Mountain, Laomendong Under the City Wall...
The Nanjing trip was purely a spur-of-the-moment thing. After months of grinding, I finally had a break and wanted to get away. Where to didn’t matter; the important thing was to go. It so happened a friend was heading that way for errands, so we hit it off instantly. Being the spontaneous type, I didn’t hesitate at all — booked the flights, fixed the itinerary, and off we went.
Faint memories from over twenty years ago seemed to leave only fragments of Nanjing in my mind: the towering steps at Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the rain flower pebbles scattered at Yuhuatai, the statue of Confucius at the Confucius Temple, palms together, eyes gazing wisely into the distance. This time, I wasn’t planning to revisit those old haunts. After some online research, I found that Nanjing’s tourism has developed remarkably fast over the years. Opening Baidu Maps, I got a rough overview of the main sights. The most famous are a river (Qinhuai River), a city wall (Ming City Wall), a lake (Xuanwu Lake), and a mountain (Zhongshan Scenic Area). Plus, Laomendong and the Nanjing Eye, built in recent years, have become Instagram-worthy spots. Two days isn’t nearly enough to see everything, so I aimed to pick the highlights and just scratch the surface.
The hotel was in a perfect location — Jinjiang Metropolo Hotel Confucius Temple Qinhuai Classic branch, only a five-minute walk from the Confucius Temple commercial area. Nearby snack shops, supermarkets, the metro, and taxis were all super convenient. Highly recommended. The lobby was small but arranged with great flair, blending a rich bookish atmosphere with colorful lights that created a striking visual contrast.
After checking in and dropping off my bags, I went straight out to find food. Within minutes, I spotted the archway of the Confucius Temple. First, a tourist selfie to prove I’d been there.
Found a little nearby restaurant and ordered numbing-and-hot fish, tomato beef, and a cold beer. With wine and good company, life felt perfect — the joy of letting loose is just that simple and satisfying!
Fed and watered, we strolled to the Confucius Temple pedestrian street. It follows the same pattern as ancient-town commercial streets all over China, but because this area is steeped in the cultural heritage of the Qinhuai River, it’s quite famous. The ten-mile Qinhuai stretch is the pearl of the Qinhuai Scenic Belt. Rowing on the Qinhuai, you can take in riverside residences of historical figures, historic sites, bridges, colorful lanterns, and famous Jiangnan gardens... The painted boats cost 60 yuan per person during the day and 80 yuan at night. We thought about hopping on, but the queue was too long, so we just gazed from the bank. When night fell, a sea of lanterns and lively chatter filled the air; a gentle breeze blew, and the surface of the river shimmered — it was a beautiful scene nonetheless.
The next day, I set Purple Mountain as the first target, and it didn’t let me down at all. Anyone who has visited Nanjing or plans to go probably puts Zhongshan on their must-see list because it contains Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and Linggu Temple. But since I’m not that interested in mausoleums and temples and prefer less crowded, scenic, offbeat spots, I headed straight for the Purple Mountain Observatory. The observatory is the birthplace of modern astronomy in China and was the country’s only observatory before 1949. It’s hailed as the “cradle of modern Chinese astronomy.” The observatory preserves replicas of ancient astronomical instruments from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as modern equipment including China’s own solar telescope. In recent years, due to severe light pollution, Purple Mountain Observatory has lost its nighttime observation function and become an astronomy museum — a record of past glory and modern solitude.
We didn’t take the cable car; we grabbed a taxi from Gangzicun metro station at the foot of the mountain. It took just minutes to reach the entrance. The ticket is 15 yuan. After entering, another five-minute climb up stone steps brought us to the viewing area. Several exhibition halls feature astronomical photos, a meteorite museum, photography and oil painting shows, and popular science displays. It was cool, quiet, and sparsely populated, with a nice touch of humanistic and scientific depth. Even a layperson could pick up a little something. It’s an ideal spot to bring kids.
After browsing the indoor exhibits, a few more stone steps led to the rooftop platform. A fresh breeze swept in, and suddenly the view opened up — this was the spot that truly amazed me at Purple Mountain. From here you can overlook the entire city: on one side, the full panorama of Zhongshan with Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling in the distance; on the other, Xuanwu Lake Scenic Area. Lakes and mountains, elevated views, the entire cityscape laid out before your eyes. That feeling of taking in the whole world made me instantly understand why mountaineers are so obsessed with climbing high. And the weather was absolutely perfect — cool, moist, and breezy in the middle of a scorching summer. Faced with such lovely scenery in such refreshingly cool weather, I felt utterly carefree. All I wanted was for the cool wind to ruffle my dress as I lost myself in this wonderful moment, never wanting to wake up...
After savoring the breeze and views, the journey had to go on. Even the most beautiful scenery can only become memories, kept in the river of time and the recesses of my mind. I tried to feel it deeply and preserve it, hoping this memory would last as long as possible.
Back down the mountain, I’d planned to visit the South Mountain Botanical Garden at the foot for tropical succulents, but it was closed. With a sigh of regret, I cast around for another plan. It was early afternoon, and I was starving, so I headed straight to Nanjing Impressions at Shiziqiao. I’d read about this place online and knew it was fairly famous in Nanjing, mostly hyped by tourists and foodies, but armed with the “you’ll regret not trying it, but after trying you’ll think it’s just so-so” mindset, I went anyway. My friend thinks my habit of chasing internet-famous snacks based on guides is a bit pointless, but I believe the meaning of travel lies in exploring the unknown — the anticipation and the searching are the most joyful parts. Even if the result is disappointing, it’s still an experience. After all, I came, I searched, I experienced, and I got something — that’s enough.
Though it’s called “Dapaidang” (street eats), this Nanjing Impressions had refined décor and service, an elegantly old-fashioned menu, decent flavors and prices, just smaller portions. Compared to many touristy places, it was a fairly honest vendor. Stopping by to check it off the list was worthwhile. Plus, I genuinely was hungry. I wolfed down the food and then ordered a pot of aged Huadiao wine, leaving full and satisfied.
After eating, we entered Xuanwu Lake Park through Xuanwu Gate — just show your health QR code at the entrance. The park is large; you can walk or take an electric cart. It’s basically similar to East Lake or West Lake, with a lotus exhibition inside. Standing by the lake, you can see Nanjing’s tallest skyscraper landmark. We strolled around briefly to soak in the park scenery and then headed to the next destination.
Originally, I wanted to photograph the Instagram-famous spiral staircase at Hohai University’s library, but the campus wasn’t allowing outside visitors during the pandemic. A little regretful, I went to another artsy landmark, Librairie Avant-Garde. It’s said to be the only Chinese bookstore on the list of the world’s ten most beautiful bookshops, and it’s built inside an air-raid shelter. While it was okay, it was miles behind places I’d visited before like Wenxuan Books in Chengdu and Lanhai Feng·Manxiang in Xi’an. Maybe its long history and special significance give it a meaning that outsiders can’t judge.
By the end of the day, I still hadn’t visited the Nanjing Eye, which I’d been longing to see. Checking the map, I found it was over ten kilometers away. Feeling weary, I decisively let it go, leaving it as a reason to come back next time. Isn’t life all about finding fulfillment through a series of regrets? So I’m learning to let go of attachments, which brings a sense of lightness and joy. Since it was still early to head back, we wandered around the core of the Confucius Temple area, taking in the dazzling night view — a smart choice. Passing through Xinjiekou, one of Nanjing’s iconic districts, it was bustling and prosperous. Every city has a commercial zone like this, selling the same nationwide goods while drawing streams of visitors from near and far.
After a good night’s rest, I woke up naturally and walked to another scenic spot: Laomendong. This is Nanjing’s emerging historic and cultural quarter, named “Mendong” because it lies east of Zhonghua Gate. It’s not as famous as the Confucius Temple, nor does it have the crush of crowds. Respecting cultural authenticity, the developers preserved and restored the former residences of Jiang Shoushan and Fu Shanxiang, built the Shangjiang Examination Hall, Tidao Mansion, and Junhui Academy, and renovated a number of traditional courtyard homes on Santiaoying, Zhongying, and Bianying lanes that are typical of the old southern city. The twisting old lanes crisscross, with overlapping Jiangnan-style ancient houses packed on both sides, forming a seamless whole. Strolling quietly along the bluestone paths, you can feel the lifeblood of old Nanjing flowing through every brick, tile, bridge, and well.
Just a few steps from Laomendong, you can climb the Zhonghua Gate to enjoy panoramic views of the city from the city wall. The wall is broad and lofty — seeing it all would probably take a whole day. We just explored a section of the Zhonghua Gate barbican. They say the whole barbican contains twenty-seven hide-holes capable of sheltering over three thousand soldiers. It’s the largest barbican in the world today, holding great importance in military history, history, culture, and urban architecture. Below the wall lies Laomendong; standing there, I saw nothing but quiet rooftops, away from the noisy market streets, experiencing a rare tranquility in the city.
Standing on the city wall, gazing at the pagoda of Dabao’en Temple in the distance, I reluctantly bid farewell to my Jinling journey. Half of life’s journey is spent on the road, chasing different kinds of beauty — with a cup of green plum wine, I look forward to seeking out another kind of beauty next time!
