A Jinling Dream That Slips Away, Qixia's Autumn Colors Spread Over the Hills — My Late Autumn Trip to Nanjing

Of all the cities I've traveled to, the one that lingers most in my heart is Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties, where purple clouds augur fortune. Here you find the setting sun at the entrance to Wuyi Lane, swallows flitting before the halls of Wang and Xie; singing girls who, heedless of a fallen kingdom, still sing 'The Backyard Bloom' across the river; the Qinhuai River's green waters winding past vermilion towers; the four hundred eighty Buddhist temples of the Southern Dynasties shrouded in mist and rain; and the site that bears witness to a tragic chapter of China's history. Countless stories spanning millennia now face the vicissitudes of time in the currents of history, while the eternal spirit of Jinling endures unchanged. Every year in late autumn, I'd see photos of the dazzling autumn colors online. I'd planned to visit Qixia Mountain several years ago, but each year, for one reason or another, it was postponed. I've already been to Beijing's Fragrant Hills, one of China's three great maple-viewing spots, and I wasn't particularly drawn to Jinan's Red Leaf Valley. It was only Qixia Mountain in Nanjing that I kept thinking about. As 2020 drew to a close under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it happened to be my girlfriend's weekend off, in late November we boarded a train and returned to Nanjing. Qixia Mountain, located in Nanjing's Qixia District, is also known as She Mountain and is celebrated as 'Jinling's Finest Scenic Mountain.' Its name comes from the Qixia Hermitage built here during the Southern Dynasties. From Nanjing Railway Station, you can take a direct bus, which takes about an hour. If driving, navigate to 'Qixia Mountain West Gate,' but be warned: during the Red Leaf Festival, traffic jams around Qixia Mountain can be severe. When I visited, I saw a subway line under construction; once completed, it will surely ease congestion and make autumn visits to Qixia more convenient. Entering through Qixia Mountain's West Gate, the first sight to greet you amid clusters of red leaves is Qixia Temple. A famous mountain deserves an ancient temple, and Qixia Mountain has been a Buddhist holy land since the Southern Dynasties. Qixia Temple, the foremost of these temples, is one of China's Four Great Ancient Temples. Even when thronged with visitors, the temple remains serene and quiet. Though damaged by war, it has been reborn through continuous restoration and care by later generations. Wisps of incense smoke curl upward, while giant ginkgo trees stand guard like protectors beside the temple, as devout worshippers pray in silence. If you're not a believer and simply here for the scenery, you can walk straight through the temple. After passing through Qixia Temple, you'll see the Qixia Temple Stupa. This is a stone Buddhist pagoda from China's Five Dynasties period and the largest stupa in China. Originally a wooden pagoda in the earlier Southern Dynasties, the existing stone structure was rebuilt during the Southern Tang Dynasty. The stone carvings on the pagoda remain incredibly lifelike. Walk around the stupa three times for blessings of peace, then continue to the Thousand Buddha Cliff. Since photography of the Buddha statues is not allowed, I'll skip describing this spot. Here ends the Buddhist cultural tour of Qixia Mountain. Heading uphill, you'll pass the ruins of the Qianlong Imperial Travel Palace, and after about twenty minutes of climbing, you'll reach Xiaoyingpan. This was where the imperial guards were stationed to protect Emperor Qianlong during his visits to Qixia Temple. From here, you can take a shuttle bus directly to the summit, or walk up along a wooden trail while enjoying the maple scenery. I recommend walking, as Qixia Mountain isn't very tall; it takes less than an hour from Xiaoyingpan to the top, and the trail is lined with stunning red leaves all the way. Standing atop Phoenix Peak at the summit, you can gaze out at the Yangtze River, where boats and sails compete in a magnificent panorama. When I went, it started raining, so visibility was poor and everything was a hazy white. Descending from Phoenix Peak, if time allows, visit Red Leaf Valley — after all, this season everyone comes to Qixia Mountain for the red leaves. The best route for leaf-viewing, in my opinion, is the stretch from Xiaoyingpan to Phoenix Peak. To explore Qixia Mountain thoroughly, you'll need about 4 to 6 hours. When I left Qixia Mountain, it was raining, so there were fewer tourists than usual and the traffic wasn't too bad. At the parking lot near the entrance, there are special Red Leaf shuttle buses to the Presidential Palace for 20 yuan per person. There are also many private cars soliciting passengers to the subway station; you can negotiate the price. My plan was to visit the Grand Baoen Temple, so I took a taxi directly there, which took about an hour. Grand Baoen Temple Heritage Park is located outside Nanjing's Zhonghua Gate; if you plan to walk the city wall, you can combine both visits. Beyond Buddhist culture, this place is great for taking photos, especially for girls. At the entrance, you can rent traditional Hanfu costumes and even have a professional photo shoot. The temple uses modern lighting technology to create a Buddhist-themed visual show, letting visitors experience the brilliance of the past amid deep historical and cultural layers. When I researched the trip, the online photos had already impressed me. Plus, my girlfriend wanted a traditional costume shoot, so we paid over 300 yuan for their photographer to take 20 photos of her at various classic spots in the heritage park. The much-anticipated glazed pagoda in the park was not restored to its original historical form; instead, it has been rebuilt as a lightweight steel-frame glass pagoda. Inside there's an elevator that takes you straight to the top for a 360-degree view of Nanjing. The park closes at 5 p.m., so after our visit, we walked five minutes to the entrance of Zhonghua Gate City Wall. At night, the Nanjing city wall features a light show, but because it was raining that winter day, there were few visitors on the wall. Zhonghua Gate, known as Jubao Gate in the Ming Dynasty, is the southern main gate of Nanjing. Among the thirteen inner city gates of Nanjing's city wall, its scale is second only to Tongji Gate. It is a castle-style gate and China's largest existing fortress, the best-preserved and most intricately structured ancient castle in the world, complete with a barbican. When we climbed the wall from Zhonghua Gate, the guard warmly asked if we'd been to Laomendong. If not, he suggested walking east along the wall for about twenty minutes to the first descent point — that would take us to Laomendong, Nanjing's culinary hub. Because it lies east of Nanjing's southern gate (Zhonghua Gate), it's called 'Mendong' (East Gate), as opposed to 'Menxi' (West Gate). It's an important part of the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai River scenic area. The history of the Laomendong area can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period. Today, the most famous spot on this street is probably Deyunshe, a popular xiangsheng (crosstalk) venue. Tickets are extremely hard to get; my girlfriend had hoped to catch a small-theater show there, but we gave up after failing to secure tickets. Through the window, we could see the program list; the most famous performer that night was likely Shang Xiaoju, a disciple of Yue Yunpeng. I remember three years ago when I went to the Guangdelou Theater in Beijing's Dashilan, tickets for small-theater shows weren't this hard to come by. After a satisfying meal in Laomendong, a ten-minute walk brought us to the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai River scenic area. Nanjing Confucius Temple is located on the north bank of the Qinhuai River on Gongyuan Street, west of Jiangnan Examination Hall. This is Nanjing's Confucian Temple, dedicated to Confucius, and was China's first national institution of higher learning, as well as one of the Four Great Confucian Temples. As a landmark of Nanjing, it's a must-visit for every traveler. It's a grand complex of ancient buildings comprising the temple, the academy, and the examination hall, celebrated as a Qinhuai scenic spot and a distinctive feature of the ancient capital. The famous line 'Swallows that once nested in the halls of Wang and Xie now fly into the homes of common people' originates from here — Wuyi Lane. After several renovations, this street is even livelier than when I visited a few years ago. Different times, different people, yet the street remains unchanged, along with Nanjing's persistent, drizzling rain. Nanjing Confucius Temple enshrines Confucius. In ancient times, establishing a school always involved worshipping Confucius. In truth, the interior of the temple is not much different from other Confucian temples elsewhere. Its main draw is its riverside location along the Qinhuai and the beautiful night illuminations, which draw many visitors. To the east of the temple is Jiangnan Examination Hall. When I came to Nanjing a few years ago, it was still under renovation. Today, in the cold autumn rain, I finally saw its true appearance. The rainy weather made it hard to capture the atmosphere in photos. The newly built sunken Chinese Imperial Examination Museum was perfect for taking shelter from the rain while learning about the imperial examination system. The museum descends about 30 meters underground, creating a modern exhibition space. There's a book bar and tea service where visitors can rest, read, and browse scriptures. In ancient times, the only path to change one's destiny was to pass the civil examinations and gain an official rank. All pursuits were deemed lowly, only study was noble. When you think about it, isn't it still much the same today? After a rainy evening visit to the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai River area, you can find lodging nearby. But since we wanted to go to Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum early the next morning, we took Metro Line 2 to Muxuyuan or Xiamafang station and found a place to stay nearby. Photos of the 'Most Beautiful 600-Meter Sacred Way' have recently flooded the internet. Even before 9 a.m., when we arrived at Ming Xiaoling, there were many visitors. I entered through Gate 1, which is at the junction of the Sacred Way and the Stone Elephant Road. After entering through Gate 1, we first walked the 'most beautiful 600 meters,' then retraced our steps. A winding Sacred Way leads to the Precious City. Since ancient times, imperial tomb avenues have always been straight, but Ming Xiaoling's is curved. According to legend, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang saw that Sun Quan's tomb was located here, and out of respect for Sun Quan as a hero, ordered his own tomb path to give way. In the 38th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign (1699), he visited the tomb during his southern tour and inscribed a stele reading 'Governance Surpassing Tang and Song.' At the end of the tomb path stands the Square City and Ming Tower; you can climb the tower to gaze out at the Purple Mountain. Nowadays, the area beyond the Ming Tower on the back hill seems to be off limits to visitors. Last time I was in Nanjing, some tourists came down from the hill, but they said there was nothing up there. The photo below shows the passage leading up to the Ming Tower. After climbing the Ming Tower, the rain limited visibility; all I could see were the lush green trees nearby and a few scattered pedestrians. Leaving from Gate 3 of Ming Xiaoling, you'll see a large grove of dawn redwoods, another recently popular photo spot online. I imagine the scenery would be even more beautiful with clear blue skies. The Purple Mountain Scenic Area includes Ming Xiaoling, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Music Terrace, Meiling Palace, Linggu Temple, and more. To cover the entire area would take two to three days. So many tour groups and independent travelers pick just a few spots. I think Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is a must. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is Dr. Sun Yat-sen's tomb and its accompanying memorial complex, a national 5A-level scenic spot, hailed as the 'Number One Mausoleum in Modern Chinese Architectural History.' The climb isn't too strenuous; in about half an hour you reach the top where a white marble statue of Sun Yat-sen stands. The mausoleum buildings are symmetrically arranged along a north-south axis on the gentle southern slope of Zhongmao Mountain. Seen from above, the mausoleum resembles a reclining 'Liberty Bell,' symbolizing the 'wooden-clapper bell that awakens the world.' After descending from the mausoleum, the Music Terrace is right across. These two sites are usually visited together. The Music Terrace sells pigeon feed for 5 yuan a bag. Many Republic-era films and TV dramas have been shot here. The stage at the Music Terrace covers nearly 250 square meters. Behind it stands a large curved screen wall, 11.3 meters high and 16.7 meters wide, designed to gather sound. In front is a crescent-shaped lotus pond, and a fan-shaped seating area built into the slope can accommodate over 3,000 spectators. After leaving the Music Terrace, take the scenic train to Meiling Palace, which is actually not far from Ming Xiaoling. Seen from above, Meiling Palace sits at the pendant of a 'necklace' formed by plane trees in the Purple Mountain Scenic Area. Meiling Palace was the villa of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling, officially named the 'Residence of the Chairman of the National Government,' and acclaimed as the 'Number One Villa in the Far East.' From the air, the building's design clinging to the hillside looks like a string of pearls with an emerald pendant: the plane-tree-lined circular roads leading to the main building form the 'necklace,' the main gate is the clasp, and the dark green glazed tiles resemble the gem pendant. This picture reveals just how influential the Soong family was. The three Soong sisters were absolutely an indispensable part of Republican-era history. Due to time constraints, after leaving Meiling Palace we took a car straight to the Presidential Palace. It was already 3 p.m. on the second day. Since modern times, the Nanjing Presidential Palace has repeatedly served as China's political and military nerve center and the site of major events. Many significant occurrences either happened here or were closely linked to it, with numerous important figures having walked its halls. Upon seeing a large oil painting near the entrance, my girlfriend burst out laughing. When I asked why, she said two figures in the painting looked like Yang Di and Shaobing (Chinese comedians). That painting turned out to be the highlight of her Nanjing trip. The 'Eight-Character Gate' inside the Presidential Palace was where Chiang Kai-shek greeted and bid farewell to guests. Many important group photos of the Nationalist government were taken here, witnessing that brief period of history. In Chiang Kai-shek's office, the desk was placed diagonally. According to the tour guide, this was so he could keep an eye on his political rival, Li Zongren, at all times. The Nanjing Presidential Palace complex covers about 90,000 square meters, featuring traditional Chinese Jiangnan gardens as well as Western-influenced architectural relics from modern times, divided into three areas. Beyond the Republican-era offices, this place could also be called an 'imperial garden.' If you have time, the Presidential Palace can be explored at a leisurely pace. Apart from the Republican government offices, there's also an exhibition of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom artifacts, but when I visited, that section was under maintenance and not open. Just outside the Presidential Palace is 1912 Bar Street. In recent years, this has become Nanjing's premier fashion district. Republican-era architecture, trendy bars, the city's living room. I remember that on my last trip to Nanjing, I ate at Nanjing Impressions on Hunan Road. Now there's one on 1912 as well, with the same antique-style decor. After dinner in the 1912 district, a fifteen-minute walk brought us to Xinjiekou, Nanjing's commercial center — a shopping paradise with all the luxury brands, plus options for more budget-conscious shoppers. Finally, we took the metro from Xinjiekou to Nanjing Railway Station, wrapping up our two-day weekend trip. A special note: Nanjing Xinjiekou Metro Station has over twenty exits; standing in the circular center, even navigation apps need a moment to figure out which way to go. Once again, it was rainy when I visited Nanjing. It seems Nanjing turns into Jinling once late autumn arrives. Two days weren't enough to visit Xuanwu Lake, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, and other sights. In this ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, you need at least four days to truly appreciate the city's depth and inclusiveness.