Nanjing: A City Woven with Poetry and Picturesque Charm
2020/11/20
Day one in Nanjing, the itinerary was jam-packed: Confucius Temple -> Zhan Garden -> Presidential Palace -> Qinhuai River.
-- Confucius Temple, Nanjing --
The alarm rang at 7:30. I got up, strolled around the hotel neighborhood to soak up a slice of suburban life, then the hotel car dropped me at the metro station – the service was really considerate! At the station, I used Alipay to scan and enter the gate, keeping pace with the times – so convenient. Just over an hour later, I arrived at my first stop, Confucius Temple. Right out of the metro exit, rows upon rows of ancient-style buildings came into view. Standing there, it felt like all you needed was a flowing robe or Hanfu costume to become a Jiangnan scholar, effortlessly composing poetry and verse. Confucius Temple is a shrine to Confucius. Inside, it’s not big, but full of fresh details that help you trace how education, exams, and talent evolved from ancient times to the present. Even though it’s compact, I spent about an hour and a half going through it, snapping loads of fun and meaningful pictures – so much info, it left me buzzing. The only letdown was a bit of a tourist trap: they offered a free photo and a charm, but in the end, they pushed you to buy the photo. They claimed you didn’t have to, but by printing the picture first, they had the upper hand. I worried they might misuse my image, so I took all the prints and forked out 60 yuan. Their pushy tactics left a sour taste, really not cool.
-- Zhan Garden --
Leaving Confucius Temple, I followed the map a few steps and arrived at Zhan Garden. The garden complex has two parts: one tells the story of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and the other is the private garden of Xu Da, a founding dignitary of the Ming Dynasty – Zhan Garden. I might lack a refined eye for art; compared to the garden I saw earlier in Zhujiajiao, Zhan Garden simply felt comfortable rather than luxurious. Everything was natural and unadorned.
-- Presidential Palace --
After Zhan Garden, it was already 1 p.m. A few metro stops later, I reached Daxinggong to visit the next site, the Presidential Palace. Buying tickets online vs. on-site: the on-site ticket came with a paper stub but cost 2 yuan extra. Too lazy to queue, I bought online. First thing inside, I stashed my bag – it was seriously heavy – then got down to exploring. My route: central axis first, then left section, then right. The Presidential Palace was the office of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China and later the Kuomintang government. The architecture is magnificent; those bright red pillars alone radiate grandeur, a proud showcase of national strength. I walked through the auditorium, reception room, conference room, offices of the chief of secretariat, the secretary-general, and the president himself, peeling back the mystique of where the big bosses worked. The setting was quite nice, haha! After touring the workspaces, I turned left to see where they rested and unwound. That was truly captivating – so comfortable, with air and scenery equally delightful. If I could work here, I’d certainly live longer! My trusty “bus No. 11” (my legs) took me past two lakes, gardens, a stone boat, and more. Seeing so many beautiful sights left my heart completely satisfied. Back at the entrance, I explored the right side of the palace. More gardens, plus several exhibition halls. Surprisingly, the shrines of Lin Zexu and Tao Lin sit here. The ancestral halls even introduced their descendants – I wondered how the offspring of high officials lived. Since it starts getting dark after 4 p.m. in Nanjing and they close at 5, I missed a couple of halls, leaving a tiny regret. That just means I’ll have to come back someday. After exiting, I wandered along the 1912 mini train tracks, taking in the elegant architecture all around.
-- Qinhuai River --
After fumbling with a wrong bus, I got off at the Pipa Road stop. Headed to Laomendong; the old street there had fewer crowds than the Confucius Temple area. I didn’t linger long, since my heart was set on the Qinhuai River boat pier. I looped around Laomendong to Zhonghua Gate, crossed Zhuque Bridge, and returned to the Confucius Temple scenic area. On an empty stomach, I rushed to the boats. Budget travelers shouldn’t splurge like this, but for 80 yuan for a 40-minute ride, the value was unbeatable, so I didn’t think twice and set off on a nighttime Qinhuai cruise. Listening to the onboard commentary while gazing at the beautiful scenes on both banks – it was utterly serene and leisurely. No wonder this place inspired so many poets and so many verses! Moved by the moment, I wanted to compose a poem myself, but my mind was blank; all I could do was keep murmuring “wow” under my breath. There are truly so many bridges in Qinhuai District. I tried to count them, but too many lovely scenes distracted my thoughts – I was completely lost in it all. The ride ended too soon, and I really wanted to go again. No regrets, though. After landing, I strolled the pedestrian street and scoped out what souvenirs to bring back. By past 9 p.m., it had been dark for almost four hours. Time to head back and sleep. I ducked into a busy little restaurant along the way and ordered Nanjing’s undisputed specialty – salted duck. For 21 yuan, I ate until I was stuffed, content. Back to the hostel, concluding the first day. Good night.
2020/11/21
Kicking off day two in Nanjing. Again up at 7:30 – same as a working day. After helping the hostel change a water jug, I checked out and set off. Today’s route: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum -> Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum -> Nanjing Museum -> Ming Palace Ruins -> souvenir shopping.
-- Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum --
This is the season when Nanjing feels incredibly comfortable. Wearing just two layers, I hiked through the Zhongshan scenic area. The air was unbelievably fresh – truly refreshing. From the metro station, I walked 1.8 km to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum complex. Swiping my card to enter, the mausoleum is the tomb of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Father of the Nation. Honestly, there’s not much to see inside a tomb; the real highlight is the surroundings. Maple leaves fluttered for miles, stunningly beautiful. From the highest point of the mausoleum, gazing out over Nanjing gave me an “all this is my empire” feeling, filling me with ambition.
-- Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum --
Pressed for time, I skipped the nearby sights and walked straight to entrance No. 7 of Ming Xiaoling. Turns out buying tickets a few days earlier gets you a discount – I felt like I’d lost a fortune, not happy. Once inside, I headed first to the Ming Xiaoling tomb. Again, a mausoleum isn’t much to see; it’s a place of reverence and remembrance. Under crisp skies, I realized how splendid an ancient imperial tomb could be. Pity you can’t see any burial artifacts or the full process – that would have been brilliant. Many spots around Ming Xiaoling are ruins, with only some pillar bases left, but for me, catching a glimpse of centuries-old fragments still stirred anticipation. I got my “bus No. 11” moving, walking in a bit of a daze until I reached Zixia Lake, then Zhengqi Pavilion, then the Six Dynasties Ruins – just a stele but with an unexpectedly steep staircase. Climbing and climbing, I wasn’t sure when it would end. Worried about time, I figured my 1 p.m. museum plan was doomed, so I let it go, relaxed, and canceled that part. Clinging to perseverance, I ended up exiting the scenic area by accident, which left me dumbfounded. Then I went to the first peak of Zhongshan. Rain and heavy mist meant near-zero visibility; at the summit park, you couldn’t see a thing. By then it was past 1 p.m., time to descend. Once on flat ground, I summed it up: damn, did I just come to Nanjing to climb a mountain? Haha. Since I hadn’t finished Ming Xiaoling, I asked a staff member if I could re-enter, and a kind young woman let me back in – huge thanks! I entered through entrance No. 1. Wow, while individual sights inside may be modest, the entire landscape is a sight in itself. Everywhere was filled with beauty; fallen leaves blanketed the Sacred Way, and the misty rain created a powerful sensory impact. Historic relics plus natural weather – it was poetic and picturesque. I felt like composing another poem, the scene so refreshing and exquisite. Time was up; I headed towards Muxuyuan Station, passing a deer park along the way where you could see sika deer. Interacting with those cute little deer was a joy.
-- Nanjing Museum --
Didn’t make it.
-- Ming Palace Ruins --
Next stop, Ming Palace Ruins. There’s really nothing left to see, just traces of history. I circled the Ming Palace area to stretch my legs; by then my WeChat step count had hit 40,000, and my feet were about to give out. Leaving Ming Palace Park, I walked toward the museum entrance, passing by several universities including Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. At the museum gate – by that time no entry was allowed – I paced outside and stole a few glances. The museum is huge, with many exhibition halls. What a missed opportunity! But I didn’t regret it too much, because Ming Xiaoling was truly stunning. Near the museum is Zhongshan City Gate; it cost 10 yuan to get a closer look. Everything seems to cost money, but then I thought, heritage preservation needs funds – fair enough, happy to chip in if I can.
-- Souvenir Shopping --
Exhausted. I ate duck blood vermicelli soup one more time, then hit the Confucius Temple area to buy souvenirs. The shop owner gave me lots of discounts – saving money is like earning money, so I felt great. Took the metro back to the hotel. Tomorrow, back to Huizhou. Good night.
