Qinhuai: 600 Years of Oar Sounds and Lantern Shadows | Nanjing Travel Guide

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Did you know? The lantern shadows of Fuzimiao have been shimmering on the Qinhuai River for 600 years.

In the fifth year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered ten thousand water lanterns to be set afloat on the Qinhuai River and extended the Lantern Festival to ten nights—lighting up on the eighth day of the lunar year and taking them down on the eighteenth. Historical records describe the splendor of Qinhuai's lantern boats as unparalleled anywhere in the world. Riverside houses lined both banks with carved balustrades, ornate windows, and silk curtains, creating a ten-li stretch of pearl-like elegance. The Qinhuai Lantern Festival thus became a folk tradition at Nanjing's Fuzimiao, passed down to this day.

That year, the banks of the Qinhuai were ablaze with light, and the entrance to Wuyi Lane buzzed with voices. That year, this place was called Jiankang City, with merchants thronging inside and outside Zhonghua Gate and trade flourishing for a hundred li along the Qinhuai. That year, the 110-meter screen wall of Fuzimiao mirrored the 110-meter waterway of the Qinhuai, and the glazed pagoda of Da Bao'en Temple rivaled the sun and moon in brilliance. That year, Gu Kaizhi, in a lane east of the gate, captured the full splendor of Jinling in his scroll painting 'Nymph of the Luo River'; meanwhile, brocade artistry boomed under the patronage of Cao Yin, father of Cao Xueqin, who would later weave these early memories into the tragic dream of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'.

No one imagined that this Jinling, where nightly revelries echoed amid oar sounds and lantern shadows, would also bear witness to history's most helpless elegy. A single 'Song of Qinhuai Scenery' sings of the rise and fall of the Six Dynasties.

In the blink of an eye, Eastern Wu collapsed and Eastern Jin vanished. Climbing Phoenix Terrace, Li Bai gazed toward Chang'an and sighed, 'Wu Palace's flowers and plants bury secluded paths; Jin Dynasty's nobles have become ancient tombs.' It was not only Li Bai who voiced such lament. Du Mu, mooring his boat on the Qinhuai, lamented, 'The song-girls know not the bitterness of a conquered land; across the river they still sing of the flowers in the imperial court.' And Liu Yuxi expressed the same helplessness with 'the slanting sun over Wuyi Lane.' Wild grasses and flowers grew by the Zhuque Bridge. Those were the flowers of Jinling poetry that blossomed from the city's ruins—steeped in the sunset of Wuyi Lane, their stems fragile yet their spirit lingering.

Jinling thus grew through such throes. In the late Qing Dynasty, the glazed pagoda of Da Bao'en Temple—one of the seven wonders of the medieval world—collapsed under cannon fire during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. That was the end of a miracle, leaving only bleakness and pain—a pain so deep it has not healed even now. Later, Da Bao'en Temple was rebuilt as a lightweight glass pagoda, while the original thousand-lamp glazed pagoda survives only as an archway and a few broken walls, languishing in the Nanjing Museum.

Four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties—how many towers and terraces remain in the misty rain? The Southern Dynasties had far more than four hundred temples, and what they endured was far more than misty rain.

Yet when excavating the Ashoka Pagoda beneath the glazed pagoda, a 400-year-older underground palace from Changgan Temple of the Northern Song Dynasty was unexpectedly discovered, yielding the extremely precious Buddha's parietal relic—a consolation in the midst of disaster. Today this priceless relic is enshrined on Niushou Mountain southwest of Nanjing, while the shattered tiles and debris have drifted further down the Qinhuai River.

Fortunately, not all stories end in regret. Some stories are like the lantern reflections in the Qinhuai River—plaintive, ethereal, but deeply moving.

At every New Year's Eve dinner, when the reunion meal is neatly set on the table, thoughts often turn to one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai: Dong Xiaowan. That devoted woman willingly spent her whole life warming and melting her husband's heart, as unwavering as that first breathtaking glance from the boat. Dong Xiaowan's life as a performer was one of helplessness, etched on her face by fate, but it gave a more timeless meaning to that beautiful, reckless love. The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, who refused to sell their bodies yet dared to love and hate fiercely, embody the integrity of Chinese people seeking happiness in life's crevices. Every New Year in Xiaowan's hometown of Rugao, people customarily buy boxes of her soft, crisp Dong candy, remembering Dong Xiaowan's name. That was the candy she made for her husband—humble in wrapping, cloyingly sweet, and so crisp it crumbled.

Night after night, the Qinhuai River resounds with music; in this melody, it seems the 'Song of Qinhuai Scenery' can be heard again, and amid the scattered neon lights, one can almost see the Thirteen Beauties of Jinling sashaying forward. Song-girls, too, know the bitterness of a conquered land; this bitterness stretches on without end. They are the eternal anthem on the Qinhuai River.

In 1918, Zhu Ziqing crossed the Yangtze River by ferry from Xiaguan Pier to Pukou Railway Station on the north bank, where he bade farewell to his father before heading north to Beijing to study. He later wrote the essay 'Retreating Figure,' still fondly remembered today. In that era, the distance between family members was just a square ticket or boat pass, bound together by slender but resilient threads of longing and kinship.

That year, the Pukou railway line had been fully operational for only six years. In 1912, the Pukou line opened completely, monopolizing Yangtze River crossings for half a century. In 1928, the coffin of Dr. Sun Yat-sen landed in Nanjing at Xiaguan Pier. To honor him, all places the coffin passed were renamed after him: Xiaguan Pier officially became Zhongshan Pier (now Zhongshan Wharf), and with it came Zhongshan Gate, Zhongshan Road, Zhongshan Bridge, and more.

However, after many years, a 'palace drama' decided the fate of Zhongshan Wharf and Pukou Railway Station. In 1968, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was completed and opened, and Pukou Railway Station immediately ceased operations, while ferry traffic at Zhongshan Wharf also plummeted. In 1984, Pukou Station partially resumed services, but in 2004 it stopped passenger transport for good. With Pukou's closure, Zhongshan Wharf fell into a long silence. Today, Pukou Railway Station is overgrown with weeds and its gates are tightly shut; only a stretch of abandoned railway and a moon platform confined in darkness whisper of its past glory.

Thankfully, Pukou Railway Station is remarkably well-preserved. Disembarking from the ferry and walking out of the terminal, you can step directly into the station's arched rain corridor of those years, as if everything is still that afternoon a century ago—gently, hastily stepping onto the single-column umbrella-shaped corridor leading to the platform, entering the cream-colored English-style building, bidding farewell amid the bustle of travelers and steam whistles to a loved one perhaps never to be seen again. Back then, around Pukou Station, there were coal docks, ferries, lighterage, buses, a post office, a hospital, a school, restaurants—everything complete. Dried fruits, fresh produce, porcelain, jade, medicinal herbs, tea from the north and south, in a riot of colors, all rushed noisily toward Pukou Station.

Now, the desolate Pukou Station has lost the trace of orange-selling vendors, but the profound familial affection and national sentiment still ride the train of time, heading into the distance on the rails of the years.

This mountain miraculously accommodated two historical 'adversaries': Sun Yat-sen was buried here, and Chiang Kai-shek lived here.

In 1929, Sun Yat-sen's coffin crossed the Yangtze River from Pukou Railway Station to Xiaguan Pier, traveled through Nanjing city, and arrived at Zhongshan Mountain to be interred in the already completed Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. In the following years, Xiaguan Pier was renamed Zhongshan Wharf, the city gate the coffin passed through became Zhongshan Gate, and roads such as Zhongshan North Road and Zhongshan East Road were also renamed. The historic Zhongshan Mountain thus forged an indissoluble bond with Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

Not far southwest of the mausoleum, Meiling Palace—the 'No.1 Villa in the Far East'—sits quietly; viewed from above, it resembles a pearl necklace embedded in the tree-cradled mountain, gleaming. Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling lived here for quite some time, until they were forced to leave on the eve of liberation. In front of Meiling Palace stands a red-flag sedan with the license plate '00385'; the kitchen stoves, wardrobes, and furnishings still carry a lived-in air. In a trance, it seems that Soong Mei-ling, often dressed in a cheongsam, is seated before her easel, ink and brush ready, and the landscapes of Jinling unfold before her eyes.

The long street of history converged and then diverged here—Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, Soong Ching-ling, Soong Mei-ling—these two sisters never met again until death.

Notably, during a special period in the last century, the bus stop near Meiling Palace was renamed 'Meiling Palace' to avoid taboos. Only in the early 1980s was the name 'Meiling Palace' restored.

A piece of land is a volume of history. No matter how brilliant, it must turn this page, and no one knows what the next page will reveal.

A thousand years ago, standing at the easternmost edge of old Menxi and gazing into the distance, one could see a not-so-tall spire outside Zhonghua Gate—unassuming, almost indistinguishable unless one looked carefully.

That was the predecessor of the glazed pagoda of Da Bao'en Temple: the Ashoka Pagoda.

In 1418, during the Ming Dynasty, the glazed pagoda of Da Bao'en Temple rose on the site of Jianchu Temple, reaching heights that set the standard for world-class construction. At that time, Zhonghua Gate was the absolute center of Jinling. Mendong and Menxi welcomed countless supported shops and merchants—long streets stretching for miles, a thousand shops, bustling trade, and lively calls. Locals converted their houses into a format of shops below and residences above, joining the surging tide of prosperous commerce. Soon, sugar mills, textile factories, and more also sprang up on this land. No one doubted that this scene would endure for centuries, for millennia.

The names 'Mendong' and 'Menxi' are closely linked to Zhonghua Gate, China's largest surviving barbican gate. Historically, Zhonghua Gate was long the center of Nanjing; the area east of the gate was called 'Mendong' (East of the Gate) and west of it 'Menxi' (West of the Gate), together forming the core zone along the Qinhuai River. Mendong was once developed as Jinling's commercial hub, teeming with merchants, their calls echoing for miles, and constant streams of people. Today, Old Mendong still has many old buildings with shops below and homes above.

Bustling commerce came with countless stories. The Eastern Jin painter Gu Kaizhi lived for a long time on Gulou Street and created masterpieces like 'Nymph of the Luo River' in Nanjing. Gu Mei, one of the 'Eight Beauties of Qinhuai,' also resided here, adding another touching tale to the Qinhuai riverside.

Yet even the most beautiful leaves must fall—fall into the oar sounds and lantern shadows of the Qinhuai, swept away by its waters into the distance of time.

In the late Qing Dynasty, Mendong and Menxi gradually lost their commercial character and became residential areas. The saying 'leisurely residence for high officials, elegant dwelling for literati, and joyful homes for commoners' precisely captures the understated stance of Old Menxi during this period.

Later, the glazed pagoda of Da Bao'en Temple was reduced to ashes in war, replaced by a strikingly modern nine-story glass pagoda. The gates of Zhonghua Gate closed on the memories of the years, and fewer and fewer people cared to stand at the edge of Liujiaojing Lane and cast their gaze past the shut city gate. An occasional fleeting glance would reveal the scars of Qinhuai etched everywhere.

Still later, Mendong and Menxi became residential clusters, losing their commercial nature entirely. Yet traces of their past prosperity remain: not only historical sites like the Zhou Chu Platform, Liang Guangzhai Temple, Shen Wansan's Former Residence, and Jiang Baiwan's Former Residence but also old streets such as Yinma Alley, Diaoyutai, Gutong Alley, and Yingao Alley. These names, imprinted with the history of old southern Nanjing, are like solidified time, making the years sink into silence.

Now, the once-lively scenes have faded, but the hawkers' cries still linger, the hurried footsteps remain—they have left traces on the roof tiles and grey bricks, etched into the quiet years of Old Menxi, their rough hands gently caressing every brick and tile of this urban corner.

Magnificent yet simple, quiet yet bustling, solemn... perhaps no single word can aptly describe Zhan Garden—this museum that encapsulates the entire history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and the oldest surviving Ming-dynasty classical garden in Nanjing.

【The Rise and Fall of the Ming】

In the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hongwu (Zhu Yuanzhang) awarded this mansion to the meritorious official Xu Da as a private residence. Xu Da declined, so the emperor specially commissioned skilled craftsmen to build the estate for him. After successive expansions, it gradually became a renowned grand compound. In those years, the glory of the Ming Dynasty rested on the Xu clan's eighteen generations, its brilliance unrivaled. The carved window lattices, deep courtyards, and towering trees leaning against grey walls and red roofs seemed tightly bound by a silk thread to the dynasty's fortunes.

【Rebirth and Demise】

After the Ming declined, the Xu Residence fell into disuse for a time. Later, the fertile soil of the Qing Dynasty revived this place once more. Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan five times, twice gracing the garden with inscriptions and plaques. Climbing the pavilions and terraces, he beheld the grandeur that Ouyang Xiu described as 'looking up at the jade hall, as if in heaven' and bestowed the name 'Zhan Garden' (Gazing Garden) with an inscription.

But the Qing also soon faced upheaval. In the 1830s, a China beset by internal and external troubles gave rise to the legendary Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Zhan Garden seemed to repeat its original fate—granted by Hong Xiuquan as a gift to the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, becoming the Eastern King's Mansion. Yet this time, history's wheel could not carry this ill-fated estate far. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom soon collapsed, and Zhan Garden was destroyed in the flames of war.

【Reflection and Summary】

The reasons for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's failure have always been debated, and even the balance of its merits and demerits is difficult to assess. However, one thing is certain: it was a product of that era of internal and external crisis. Its original intentions were surely good, and it did spur the rise of multiple salvation movements like the Self-Strengthening Movement.

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom aspired to build an ideal society where all shared the land, food, clothing, and money—a place of perfect equality and universal warmth. This was clearly unrealistic. Its greatest limitation was the lack of knowledge and cognition. This is evident from the repeated imperial examination failures of key figures, including Hong Xiuquan. The Taiping movement did not arm itself with science, technology, or culture because its members were originally followers of the superstitious 'God-Worshipping Society.'

From renaming Nanjing to 'Tianjing' (Heavenly Capital) and Hong Xiuquan's self-proclaimed title 'Heavenly King,' it was clear that the Taiping attributed their authority to heaven's mandate, not to the people. Yang Xiuqing claimed to be the incarnation of the Heavenly Father, and Xiao Chaogui claimed to be the Heavenly Brother descended to earth—a classic act of using religion to consolidate power. The term 'Celestial Kingdom' nowadays traces back to the Taiping.

At its root, this almost demonized religious worship within the Taiping originated largely from early Christian missionaries from colonial powers like Britain. In 1832, the first Chinese missionary, Liang Fa, translated Christian teachings into accessible Chinese and distributed them widely as 'Good Words to Admonish the Age.' This was Hong Xiuquan's early material for understanding Christianity. It can be said that in the period around the Opium Wars, even a peasant uprising from within the vast rural population could not, physically or spiritually, break free from the shackles of colonial countries like Britain.

【A Wisp of Smoke from Home Fires】

Today, Ganzhi Residence, the former headquarters of the Taiping's weaving camp, still sits quietly on Zhongshan South Road. In the garden, trees cast shadows, and cherry blossoms and willows mingle—hard to imagine the prosperity and humiliation of two centuries ago. And Zhan Garden, this estate spanning centuries of history, has been reborn after multiple restorations and expansions. Although the intrigue of old has vanished, one can still faintly feel the torrent of history that once surged through every exquisite roof tile, pillar base, door lintel, and door stone.

Yihe Road—a short, unassuming lane hidden amidst the city's bustle—goes quietly unnoticed. Occasionally, a beauty dressed in Republican-era style poses for the camera, head lowered and hand resting lightly on her forehead, her eyes revealing a gentle, steady depth that even a cat scampering past does not disturb. In the distance, an elderly person walks with faltering yet steady steps, disappearing at the other end of a small alley, as if vanishing into the secrets of years past behind the carved window lattices and parasol trees.

Seventy or eighty years ago, summers on Yihe Road were just as serene as now, yet the air held an extra hint of ambiguous rivalry. The dust kicked up by undercurrents swirling among various forces settled on the roofs of the 9,265 garden villas and 25 palace-style buildings on Yihe Road, reluctant to disperse. In the 1930s, Yihe Road was a high-end residential area provided by the Nationalist Government to officials and dignitaries. Celebrities such as Chiang Wei-kuo, George C. Marshall, Chen Cheng, Gu Zhutong, Tang Enbo, Yan Xishan, Ma Hongkui, Wang Jingwei, Hang Liwu, Zou Lu, Xue Yue, Hu Lian, Zhou Zhirou, and Niu Yongjian all lived here, attracting countries like the United States, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, India, and the Philippines to establish embassy districts. These buildings range from luxurious to simple, from meticulous to rough-hewn.

Nearly a century has passed, and now most residents here are ordinary people. The swallows that once nested under the eaves of the powerful have flown into the homes of common folk. Yet the former bricks, tiles, doors, and towers quietly record the changes of history.

The Yihe Road embassy district centers on Ninghai Road Roundabout, radiating out along Ninghai Road, Yihe Road, Guling Road, Moganshan Road, Jiangsu Road, Beijing West Road, Langya Road, and others. On these crisscrossing lanes, garden villas and residential buildings of various styles have stood here for over half a century, silently telling one touching story after another.

At 8 Yihe Road, a two-story yellow building with white pillars and upturned eaves is exquisite and distinctive. This was a temporary residence given by Li Zongren to the 'Shanxi King' Yan Xishan, and now serves as the Nanjing Military District's senior cadres' activity center. A cedar in the courtyard spreads like a giant umbrella, now over a hundred years old.

Nearby, 6 Yihe Road is an unadorned building, the former home of Chen Bulei, Chiang Kai-shek's chief secretary. He lived simply and opposed extravagance, so this building also appears modest and understated, as if a satire on the avant-garde reinforced concrete structure at 38 Yihe Road. Its owner was the notorious traitor Chu Minyi, who was sentenced to death after the War of Resistance. In 1940, Chu gifted this mansion to the then Wang Jingwei regime president, who was greatly pleased. But a glamour lacking radiance ultimately proved to be an empty dream.

The afternoon sunlight falls on the asymmetrical eclectic building at 33 Jiangsu Road, making it shine brightly. This was the former home of Zhang Dulun, mayor of Chongqing after the War of Resistance. A legendary figure who entered private school as a child and experienced the Xinhai Revolution, the anti-Qing struggle, and the War of Resistance, he endowed this two-story structure with grey tiles and yellow bricks a unique significance.

5 Ninghai Road was the residence of U.S. envoy General Marshall. After the Japanese occupied Nanjing, this became the International Headquarters of the Nanjing Safety Zone, where international friends like John Rabe (author of 'The Diaries of John Rabe') provided refuge to many Chinese. Here, history's weathered palm tenderly strokes the forehead of time, like the warm afternoon sun, offering lasting solace.

Now, the glory of yesteryear has long since dissipated. Only 225 buildings on Yihe Road remain. Yet these 225 Republican-era structures are enough to make Yihe Road the largest cluster of such buildings in China, surpassing Tianjin's Five Great Avenues and Qingdao's Eight Great Passes. Unlike other Republican-era architecture groups, the buildings on Yihe Road are not excessively Westernized; many blend Chinese and Western elements, even appearing relatively plain. When the gilded splendor fades, all returns to dust, leaving only tall locust and elm trees to scatter dappled sunlight on the grey-blue bricks and yellow tiles, as if recounting the past stories. On that history stretching endlessly in both directions, China's destiny seemed pulled by a slender thread, one end tied right here on Yihe Road.

A gust of wind disperses the sycamore fluff settled on Yihe Road. The clouds of history return to calm, leaving only the tenderness and lingering sentiment of the years. One Yihe Road, half the history of Republican China. Step onto this short path and listen to the steady voice of time and its weighty stories.

In 1935, Lin Sen, then Chairman of the Nationalist Government, planted two cedars in front of the under-construction Nationalist Government Office Building, coinciding with the character 'Lin' (forest) in his name, while the central protrusion of the five-story building visually resembled the character 'Sen' (woods). Lin Sen neither sought fame nor profit, which made him the longest-serving chairman of the Nationalist Government in the world. Some, however, attributed this 'good fortune' to the auspicious symbolism of the two trees and the building before them.

Buildings are inanimate; their rise and fall are often intricately linked to the people they are connected with, like Zhan Garden's ups and downs during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Yet people always project individual or collective destinies and hopes onto buildings, as if those red bricks and green tiles could bestow a mandate from heaven.

In the early Ming, Emperor Hongwu granted this garden to the son of an enemy to dissolve hatred. But deep-seated enmity could not melt away so easily. Suspicion persisted, and the garden's master did not live there long before being exiled to Goryeo (present-day Korean Peninsula). Later, Emperor Yongle's second son received the estate, which was renamed the Han Prince's Mansion. Yet its master rebelled again, making this an ominous place for Ming rulers.

Looking back, however, those periods as the De Marquis Residence and Han Prince's Mansion were the darkest pages in the estate's illustrious history.

After the Ming declined, the old taboos faded with the incoming tide of the Qing. The site became successively the Governor-General of Liangjiang's Office, the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau, and so on. As the Qing weakened, the first major anti-Qing movement—the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom—entered the historical stage. The 'Heavenly King' Hong Xiuquan also set his sights on this auspicious location, planning to build an unprecedented 'Heavenly King's Mansion,' sparing no labor, even drafting workers from other provinces. In the mansion hung a plaque reading 'Tian Chao Shang Guo' (Heavenly Dynasty, Supreme State), but the top stroke of 'Tian' (heaven) was made longer, implying that under heaven, the Heavenly King is supreme. A stroke was omitted from 'Guo' (state), symbolizing the king's presence within the state. In the end, before this greatest king's mansion through history could be completed, Hong Xiuquan was besieged by Qing forces. In his final moments, he refused to flee Nanjing, as if this enchanted estate could grant him special protection. But reality is written by people. The missing stroke in 'Guo' seemed more fittingly interpreted as 'the king trapped within the state.'

After the Qing fell, this became the Presidential Palace of the Republic of China, where Sun Yat-sen, Yuan Shikai, Wang Jingwei, and Chiang Kai-shek successively held office. The tumultuous historical panorama of the early 20th century unfolded here, with countless magnificent stories playing out. The Presidential Palace remained silent, merely observing it all, waiting for time to carve its soundless marks.

On April 23, 1949, the People's Liberation Army liberated Nanjing, and in the early hours of the 24th, captured the Presidential Palace. Nanjing was liberated. At that time, still pre-dawn, the Second Field Army stormed the palace but was urgently deployed to the next campaign. When the Third Field Army arrived later, media journalists insisted that such a momentous event could not go unphotographed. So soldiers of the Third Field Army climbed the gate tower to plant a five-star red flag, capturing that famous photograph still seen in textbooks. At that moment, history curiously repeated itself—the building once again became a vessel for human emotion and spirit.

Starting in 2000, the cedar on the left in front of the Presidential Palace's Nationalist Government Office Building began to wither. Despite emergency efforts, it was confirmed dead in 2005 and has since been removed, leaving only a stump on the lawn. The vast lawn suddenly felt empty, as if a curtain had dropped on an immense stage, scattering the lights. Once, crowds bustled here, coming and going; countless people rejoiced, wept, were inspired, or sank into despair before this spot. Now, this is the Museum of Modern Chinese History. A thousand splendors have faded, leaving only the muffled sound of wind skimming overhead.

Unprepared travelers might find it hard to connect Yuejiang Tower—one of the 'Four Great Towers of Jiangnan,' with inscriptions by Zhu Yuanzhang and Song Lian—to its '2001 completion date.' What is the story?

The idea to build Yuejiang Tower began over 600 years ago with Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming. Before becoming emperor, he commanded tens of thousands of ambush troops from Lion Mountain, using red and yellow flags as signals to defeat the powerful offensive of his archrival Chen Youliang's 400,000-strong army, laying the foundation for the Ming Dynasty. Fourteen years later, in the spring of the seventh year of Hongwu (1374), Zhu Yuanzhang began constructing a pavilion on Lion Mountain, personally naming it Yuejiang Tower (Tower of Gazing at the River). He also ordered his civil officials to write essays on 'Yuejiang Tower.' Ultimately, the version by Grand Secretary Song Lian was selected and remains one of the three surviving tower records.

After writing the record and laying the foundation, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly halted construction. In his 'Further Record of Yuejiang Tower,' he explained the reasons: first, heaven sent him a dream warning him not to rush; second, after deep reflection, he felt urgent matters should take priority, and the tower could wait. Another reason was to concentrate resources on building the city walls of Nanjing and the central capital Fengyang; later, even Fengyang's walls were stopped due to enormous costs.

The Four Great Towers of Jiangnan:

• Tengwang Pavilion, Nanchang, Jiangxi

• Yueyang Tower, Yueyang, Hunan

• Yellow Crane Tower, Wuhan, Hubei

• Yuejiang Tower, Nanjing, Jiangsu

The Yuejiang Tower Scenic Area boasts five national records:

1. Stone lions — The largest pair of lions in China, 4.8 meters tall and weighing about 30 tons, carved from a single block of Suzhou Jinshan stone in the style of Ming Emperor Hongwu's era, modeled after the gate-guarding lions at the Ming Ancestors' Mausoleum in Xuyi County. Majestic and imposing, they exude imperial dignity.

2. White marble stele — Inscribed with Zhu Yuanzhang's 'Record of Yuejiang Tower,' transcribed by a contemporary calligrapher, with Song Lian's version on the back, included in 'Guwen Guanzhi' (Classical Chinese Literature). Quarried from Fangshan in Beijing, it is 3.1 meters tall, 4.8 meters wide, and weighs 15 tons, the largest white marble stele in China.

3. Yuejiang Tower tripod — The largest imitation of the Western Zhou Simuwu Ding, weighing 4 tons, inscribed with seal script: 'The lion dreams, its mane awakens; descendants take pride as descendants of Yan and Huang. The mountain stands as its backbone, overlooking the eternal Yangtze. The river flows to the sea, vast and mighty; the tower soars through clouds, stirring with passion. This tripod is forever cast here grandly.' The first characters of each line form the phrase 'Lion Mountain Yuejiang Tower Tripod.'

4. Zheng He's voyages porcelain mural — China's largest porcelain mural, 12.8 meters tall and 8 meters wide. The mural's reverse side features works by Tang Bohu and Zhu Zhishan.

5. Bronze relief — The largest bronze relief in the country, 2 meters tall and 8 meters wide, created by master sculptor Wu Weishan. Yuejiang Tower is one of the Four Great Towers of Jiangnan.

Southeast of Stone City, on the modest slopes of Ye Hill, the grey-tiled, red-walled Chaotian Palace stands quietly, unassuming. Home to the Nanjing Municipal Museum, its couplet 'Virtue matches heaven and earth; the Way spans past and present' declares its Confucian temple identity.

In truth, this site did not become a center of learning until the Song Dynasty, when a temple to Confucius emerged here, soon renamed Tianqing Temple. Su Shi visited and left a seven-character poem: 'Spring breeze stirs, north wind softens; by the homeward-gazing geese pavilion, I see off the geese. A traveler from Shu journeys farthest south; Wu mountains chill, snows thin early. After the boat departs, catkins flutter; five-horse riders return, but companions have changed. Only the Daoist should remember, embracing his zither wordlessly beneath the setting sun.' Wang Anshi, Lu You, and others also visited. Wen Tianxiang, the national hero of the late Southern Song, was captured after losing to the Yuan army and once stayed overnight here en route to Dadu (present-day Beijing), leaving behind impassioned verses.

Before that, this was a smelting workshop during the Eastern Jin. The renowned prime minister Wang Dao (uncle of Wang Xizhi) converted Ye Hill into his private villa, but after falling gravely ill, he moved the smelting works to Qingliang Mountain and Stone City because, according to a geomancer, the 'metal' element clashed with him. This unexpectedly turned Ye Hill into a scenic retreat. The hill is also honored to have been the resting place of the fallen Eastern Jin general Bian Hu and his son, adding a legendary touch to Chaotian Palace.

After the Eastern Jin's decline, Chaotian Palace became the site of the first scientific research institution in southern China during the Northern and Southern Dynasties—the Zongming Observatory—offering five disciplines: literature, history, Confucianism, Daoism, and Yin-Yang. Later, except for Daoism, the other disciplines gradually vanished, leaving only Daoism to flourish here.

In the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hongwu rebuilt and named it Chaotian Palace. Functionally, it was a place to practice ceremonial rites before audiences with the emperor. From this, the official interpretation of 'Chao Tian' (facing heaven) leans toward 'facing the Son of Heaven,' highlighting the absolute authority of the emperor.

Alas, glory fades. In the late Ming, parts of Chaotian Palace were destroyed by war, and it fell into brief silence.

In the Qing Dynasty, it became a Daoist temple. Emperor Kangxi inscribed a plaque reading 'Xinran You De' (Delightfully Attaining Enlightenment) during his southern tour. Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan six times and toured Chaotian Palace five times. Today, a precious stele recording five poems by Qianlong remains in the palace.

Like Da Bao'en Temple's glazed pagoda, Chaotian Palace was also ravaged by the Taiping War. Yet it survived tenaciously. In 1978, the Nanjing Museum was established here, and Chaotian Palace's history, after profound transformations and accumulation, is now condensed in its exquisite exhibits, awaiting your discovery.

North of Jiming Temple, backed by the Ming city wall, lies a sheet of emerald water, facing the Qinhuai River and the Yangtze in the distance. This is Xuanwu Lake Park, known as the 'Pearl of Jinling,' anciently called Sangbo or Hou Lake. It is a national 4A scenic area and one of China's largest imperial garden lakes.

The eastern waters of Xuanwu Lake are covered with sleeping lotus. 'Boundless lotus leaves stretch to the horizon; under the sun, lotus blossoms display their vivid red.' Every evening, as the city's clamor quiets, the sunset's afterglow weaves through the lotus leaves, among them, and on the plump dewdrops resting there, radiating a colorful, indescribable beauty. At this time, photographers have long gathered by the lake, setting up their gear, waiting for that golden hue to turn crimson; parents and grandparents with little ones stand by the shore, eyes resting on the lively, chubby arms and cheeks of the children, full of tenderness and the lingering warmth of years; monks in loose robes walk along the embankment, steps light yet filled with compassion and resolve, occasionally looking up, their gaze passing through the golden light resting on the spire of Nuona Pagoda—a light seeming to contain life's endless philosophy.

In the evening, strolling in Xuanwu Lake Park, you might see another interesting scene: strings of brightly colored paper tied around several trees, much like prayer flags fluttering in Tibetan Buddhism. Those are for matchmaking by elders for their children or grandchildren. The papers, covered with text and pictures, dance in the wind, as if urgently voicing the elders' ardent hopes and the weight of their love. Nowadays, this traditional matchmaking format has faded among the young, gradually becoming a symbol of traditional culture.

Besides walking around Xuanwu Lake or traversing the islets amid the shimmering water, you can also ascend the Ming city wall for a panoramic view of this ancient capital of six dynasties. Or climb the ancient Military Reviewing Platform and imagine the magnificent scene of Eastern Jin naval drills. During the Six Dynasties, Xuanwu Lake was also called Lian Lake, derived from its use for reviewing navy exercises.

On the wall directly south of Xuanwu Lake, there is a rather unique staircase; looking up from afar, a small space subtly appears above. Here, in addition to accessing the wall, you can visit a small, exquisite museum displaying some old artifacts unearthed in Jinling. Visiting a museum in such a place gives a profound feeling of being transported through time.

Stripped of its former veneer, Nanjing has nurtured new blossoms.

Spanning the Jiajiang branch of the Yangtze in Nanjing, the Nanjing Eye is the first sightseeing pedestrian bridge over the Yangtze. Cable-stayed steel cables fan out like wings or harp strings, and pedestrians moving among them are like dancing notes, making it a new Nanjing landmark upon completion. The Nanjing Eye at sunset is breathtakingly beautiful—shifting from blue to yellow, then to a faint pink, and finally to a deep purple; every frame is a visual feast.

The Nanjing Eye and the nearby Twin Towers and Poly Theatre were built for the Nanjing Youth Olympics. The initial design featured a single arch, but due to construction difficulty and cost, it was changed to a double-arch structure.

The bridge is open to the public all day for free. As the first sightseeing pedestrian bridge on the Yangtze, vehicles cannot cross; only strolling visitors are on the bridge. Since there is no nearby subway and buses are inconvenient, taking a taxi is the best option.

Note: The Nanjing Eye's lighting time is from 6 PM to 10 PM; it's turned off later. You can also watch a drama nearby. Although it's a man-made attraction, when you arrive in the evening, the lights here will truly amaze you.

The Nanjing Eye not only features innovative design but also a compelling name. On a clear late afternoon, stand under the bridge, and the sunset's glow shining on the bridge's central arch will make it seem as if two eyes are gazing intently at Jinling. As night falls and lights come on, the Qingdao Twin Towers in Nanjing Hexi and the Nanjing Eye pedestrian bridge are brilliantly illuminated, with a stunning light show that has become a new spectacle for citizens and tourists.

Now, the Nanjing Eye has become a veritable trending check-in spot. Dubbed Nanjing's Bund, it's a place for daydreaming, sitting idly, and emptying your mind. Those clouds of history, those pains, gradually calm in the soft-as-water lights.

Here, you can find traces of all of Jinling's stories.

The rich history of Jinling as an ancient capital of six dynasties has nurtured a dazzling array of cultural relics. Thus, the Nanjing Museum has become one of China's three major museums, referred to as the South Museum or Nanbo. Its predecessor was the National Central Museum, proposed by Cai Yuanpei and others in the 22nd year of the Republic (1933). It is the earliest museum established in China, the first large-scale comprehensive museum built with state investment, and is now a major comprehensive national museum, a first-class national museum, one of the first batch of joint central-local national museums, a national AAAA tourist attraction, a key national cultural relic protection unit, and a 20th-century architectural heritage site.

By 2018, the Nanjing Museum's collections encompassed 432,768 items (sets), with 371,032 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics, ranking second in China in the quantity of precious artifacts, surpassed only by the Palace Museum.

Gaze, gaze—the oar sounds and lantern shadows spanning 600 years are still here. The prosperity and clamor remain. And this story, swept up in the torrent of history, rolls forward, never ceasing.

Travelogue Contents

1. The Beginning: Blooming Jinling Flowers and Shattered Oar Sounds and Lantern Shadows

2. Pukou: That Backview of the Orange-Selling Figure Carries Memories of Zhu Ziqing, Pukou, and Generations

3. From Pukou to Zhongshan: The Interwoven Fates of Two Historical 'Adversaries'

4. Mendong and Menxi: The Flavor and Pain of Old Qinhuai

5. The Foremost of Jiangnan's Four Great Gardens: A Complete History of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

6. This Small Road in Nanjing Carries Half the History of Republican China

7. Nanjing Presidential Palace: A History of Chinese Architecture and Fate's Ups and Downs

8. This Tower Inscribed by Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang Dates Back to 2001?

9. Chaotian Palace: Does It Pay Homage to 'Tianzi' (Son of Heaven) or 'Cangtian' (Heaven)?

10. Sunset Glow: It Is Not the Story's End

11. New Scenery on Old Soil: Nanjing's New Landmark