Nanjing Ming City Wall: Taiping Gate to Jiefang Gate

Walking time: March 2021

Mode of travel: on foot

Route: Taiping Gate Entrance – Jiefang Gate – Jiming Temple Road

Admission: 30 yuan

My planned destination today was Jiuhua Mountain Park. I entered from the south gate. It was my first visit to the park. From the mountaintop, I saw the city wall and Xuanwu Lake beside it. Then I strolled along the footpath below the wall, walking alongside Jiuhua Mountain, leisurely and free. Not wanting to return the same way, I meandered and eventually arrived at the east gate.

Unexpectedly, right outside the east gate of Jiuhua Mountain was the Taiping Gate climbing entrance. I hadn't planned to walk on the wall, but since I stumbled upon it, why not? Actually, this entrance facing Jiuhua Mountain’s east gate is not where the original Taiping Gate was. The current Taiping Gate, built in 2014, is on Longpan Road.

Haha, it felt like an unexpected blessing. At the ticket office, they verified my medical staff exemption (free entry), but normally it costs 30 yuan to climb the wall here. The wall here is spacious and grand, rising and falling with the terrain of the mountain.

I walked to the easternmost end of the wall and looked out at the cityscape through the tall crenellations. Below, Taiping Garden, an early villa area in Nanjing, lay at my feet. The grand silhouette of Purple Mountain in blue-gray was clear, and even the observatory on the mountain was fully visible.

Under the blue sky, red lanterns adorned the gray-brick wall—why does it look so beautiful?

I climbed a dozen steps up the wall, then looked back at where I had just stood. Seeing the scenery from a different angle had a special flavor.

Amidst the green waters and blue mountains, the white Sun Palace building stood out conspicuously.

Under the blue sky, the ancient and massive wall, with tall old trees casting green reflections, gave a sense of vastness that expanded my heart. Joy soared.

At intervals on the wall, there are small openings like this, with steps leading down into the belly of the wall. But the doors at the bottom are now locked. The layers of brickwork, their worn and damaged texture, and the weeds growing on them all highlight the historical vicissitudes and profound sense of history.

Looking back at the Taiping Gate section

Overlooking Xuanwu Lake, a national scenic area at the foot of Purple Mountain, it is one of China's largest imperial garden lakes and the largest city park in Jiangnan, known as the 'Pearl of Jinling'. The vast Xuanwu Lake serves as a moat—how grand is that!

On top of the gray, weathered and solid wall, tree branches reach higher than the wall, and in the distance stretches the undulating Zhongshan Mountain; the texture of this scene is striking.

This section of the Ming City Wall from Taiping Gate to Xuanwu Gate is the longest, best-preserved, and also the tallest remaining part of Nanjing's wall. The height from the ground to the battlements is generally around 20 to 25 meters. And just think how tall these trees are! They reach over the high wall and spread their branches like giant umbrellas above it.

The south side of the wall is Jiuhua Mountain, where I just walked. Earlier, from the mountain, I saw the wall and Xuanwu Lake; now, from the wall, I see Jiuhua Mountain. In the same space, different angles offer different views. From here, Jiuhua Mountain looks like an overturned wooden boat. The terrain—with a moat in front of the wall and Jiuhua Mountain behind—gave the city both water protection and mountain barriers. Can you see the military function of the wall now?

The Sanzang Pagoda on Jiuhua Mountain is simple and elegant. Here, there is a temple in the mountain, a pagoda on the peak, a lake beside, and a city below; the scenery is beautiful, with lake and mountain views encompassing everything.

The fresh green before my eyes seemed as if water droplets were about to drip.

Far away, the Zifeng Tower, Nanjing's tallest skyscraper, pierced the clouds.

While walking most sections of Nanjing's city wall, you can see the graceful and majestic figure of Zifeng Tower; on the wall, it seems to accompany you like a shadow.

Leaning out over the wall, I saw the footpath below following the wall.

The vast Xuanwu Lake on the north side of the wall is the moat encircling the Nanjing Ming City Wall, an important part of the defense. Its wide expanse of water, reflecting the tall and sturdy wall, would have intimidated any invader.

At a corner of the wall, a small pavilion was built on the widened bastion, where you can rest and recharge.

Continue towards Tai Cheng (Terrace City)

Below the wall on the right is the Xuanwu Lake water sports area

Colorful little boats are moored along the lakeside

At the foot of the wall on the left is a 'jungle' belt of various trees

The fitness trail inside the wall—almost both sides of the wall are shaded by green trees.

The view from this section is fantastic: from Zhongshan Mountain, Sun Palace, Nanjing International Exhibition Centre, the railway station... distinctive buildings of Nanjing along the lakeshore are all in one sweeping glance.

Building after building, cluster after cluster, of various styles stand by Xuanwu Lake.

Looking back at Jiuhua Mountain, the Sanzang Pagoda and Liuhe Pavilion stand gracefully; the scenery is exquisite.

Continue walking towards Tai Cheng.

Next to this artificial scenic archway, two large drums are popular with tourists, who often beat them. A young mother waves her dress, while her child earnestly plays photographer.

Walking here, you feel the solidity and majesty of the wall, its solemnity and sense of age. The Ming City Wall tells the history of a dynasty; it is a memory carrier of the Ming Dynasty's footprint in Nanjing.

Red lanterns hang along the wall, and a quaint little house is a study—Tai Cheng Study. When this section was repaired in 1995, because the gap was too large, an internal frame structure was used and cladded with bricks, creating a two-story space inside. In 2014, this space was converted into the Tai Cheng Study for visitors to relax.

Going down the steps, there's a long corridor, a few display boards, and several bookshelves leaning against the wall.

On one side of the corridor, gray bricks are inscribed with the character 'book' in various scripts.

Panorama of the main study space.

The study is styled like a tea house: one side has four or five sets of wooden tables and chairs, and the other side is a bookshelf filled with a variety of books, free for visitors to read.

The warm lighting, classical music, and faint woody fragrance engage all your senses.

In one corner of the book bar, an incense table holds a guqin and a plum vase, giving the whole space an antique charm.

There are various classical-style seats, and the bookshelves seem to function as partitions.

Here, you can sip tea while reading. Here, you can touch the ancient wall bricks while listening to the water of Xuanwu Lake lapping against the embankment. Here, the fragrance of tea mingles with the scent of books—a unique delight.

Small windows face the lake, and a quietly placed potted plant deeply captivates me.

Looking back at Jiuhua Mountain and the rolling Zhongshan Mountain behind me. Unlike the square walls of other places, Nanjing's wall was built following the contours of its mountains and waterways. It is one of the city's most iconic symbols, an important part of Nanjing's landscape of mountains, water, city, and forests, and a favorite recreational spot for locals.

Just now, the wall on the left was accompanied by Jiuhua Mountain; now, on the left, we see Jilong Mountain, with a Jiming Pagoda on it.

On the right is Xuanwu Lake. The wall is built against the mountain, accompanied by water, blending into the forest—truly beautiful. Nanjing's Ming City Wall is the only one built in the south, fully utilizing natural landscapes, with distinctive Jiangnan characteristics.

The green trees by the wall set off the expansive Xuanwu Lake in the mid-ground and the towering city buildings in the distance, creating a clear, layered composition. Green, lake blue, and sky blue form a clean, pure color palette.

A small building on one side of the wall provides a resting place for visitors.

There is also a shop specializing in Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing), offering not only costumes but also photography services.

After walking a stretch, you can see the vast Xuanwu Lake, and the five islets in its center come into view.

Scattered small boats dot the broad lake, enlivening it with vitality.

Telescopes by the wall let you see farther and farther.

Below the wall, by Xuanwu Lake, is the Wumiao Sluice, built during the Ming Dynasty. It was constructed to control the water level of the city's canals.

This is the longest-serving sluice in Nanjing.

This section is Tai Cheng. 'Tai Cheng' became famous because of the poetic line 'The most heartless are the willows of Tai Cheng' by Liu Zhuang. Today, 'Tai Cheng' generally refers to the scenic area around Jiefang Gate.

In March, the cherry blossom season, the blooming cherries by the wall light up the ancient rampart.

The Tai Cheng area is crowded with cherry blossom viewers and spring outings. They come from Xuanwu Lake, from Jiming Temple, from Xijia Datang... All converge here, packed shoulder to shoulder. Through the lens, it's a sea of people, yet everyone is still in high spirits. Together, we enjoy the splendid spring scenery of blossoms.

On one side of the wall, for a hundred meters, various replica cannons, crossbows, and other defensive weapons are displayed. Seeing them conjures images of roaring cannons at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain and on the Jinling city wall in olden times. The wall is a protective barrier, and it is also the thread that runs through the city's ancient dialect and charm. From 1366 to now, Nanjing has undergone earth-shaking changes: skyscrapers rise from the ground, ancient palaces crumble.

Over six hundred years have roared past the skies of Jinling, yet Nanjing's city wall still stands firm, having weathered many storms, accompanying the city through its rises and falls.

Defensive weapon – crossbow cart

Siege engine – wooden mantlet; replicas of ancient defensive weapons on the wall.

Both adults and children curiously touch and inspect them, read the descriptions, strike poses for photos, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The construction of the Ming City Wall is unique in Chinese history. Past capital walls were square or rectangular, but Nanjing's was built according to the topography of its rivers, lakes, and mountains. Where there were mountains, they served as barriers; where there was water, it became a natural moat.

I walked and snapped photos along the way. Beneath me were a dry bridge, a first bridge, a flower trellis, and then a second bridge leading to Lingzhou Islet. Closely were green pines and cypresses; in the middle ground, willows by Ming Lake; and in the distance, the lakeside Huanzhou Islet clearly visible. The dense crowd along the way amazed me even more.

I could barely make out the names of each islet on Xuanwu Lake.

On the left, houses and buildings, city scenery.

The cherry blossoms make the ancient wall and gate more vibrant against their weighty historical feel. Where streams of people pass through is Jiefang Gate on the wall.

I enjoyed the distant view to my heart's content; Xuanwu Lake shimmered.

Below the wall, Jiming Temple Road is covered in cherry blossoms.

On the east end of the wall, Zhongshan Mountain stands majestic and magnificent.

Jiming Temple's Buddhist chants linger in the air, modern buildings soar into the clouds, time and space interweave, erupting into the beauty of city and forest.

I was intoxicated by the mountain scenery and lake light, the landscape of mountains, water, city, and forest.

Leaning out, I looked down at the vegetation on the wall. I don't understand how these rapeseed flowers, with not-short stems, grow from the brick crevices. The yellow flowers scatter bright specks on the gray wall. If they gathered in large clumps, they would add bold splashes of color.

Seeing this scene, I felt a bit dazed. I also felt a bit guilty—how did I end up here by accident? I prefer quiet places; when I travel, I don't care if it's peak season or not, and often choose off-season to avoid crowds and see the most authentic places. Jiming Temple's cherry blossoms are probably the hottest, most popular, and most Instagrammable spot in March in Nanjing. If you don't post a few photos of the cherry blossoms at Jiming Temple in the second half of March, you're out. So I just enjoy such places on WeChat Moments. That's why I was dazed when I came across this scene—how did I blunder into it? The dense crowds and dense blossoms made me a little uneasy. It became a dilemma: where should I descend and return? If I go down at Jiefang Gate under my feet, I'd have to navigate through the crowd—that seemed difficult.

Alternatively, I could follow the wall's big turn north to Xuanwu Gate and descend there, or retrace my steps back to Taiping Gate, where there are fewer visitors.

Here you can see the wall make a big turn and continue north along Xuanwu Lake.

Facing Xuanwu Lake, the wall is backed by Jilong Mountain. Jiming Temple on Jilong Mountain was first built in the Western Jin Dynasty, and has long been reputed as the foremost among the '480 temples of the Southern Dynasties'. It is one of Nanjing's oldest Buddhist monasteries, a sacred Buddhist site since its establishment.

The temple buildings rise layer upon layer along the mountainside, covering Jilong Mountain. Yellow walls and gray roofs are set amidst the green hills and trees.

Walking all the way from Taiping Gate, the further west I went, the more people there were. Passing the Jiuhua Mountain section, I often had to step aside. On Tai Cheng, the crowds made photography difficult. But to the west of Jiefang Gate, visitors suddenly became sparse. It turns out that this short hundred-meter stretch of wall ends with a tall brick wall sealing it off, facing Beiji Ge Park.

At Tai Cheng, the Nanjing Ming City Wall splits into two branches, forming a Y-shape. One branch extends northwest along Xuanwu Lake, and further north to Shence Men... The other, after passing Jiefang Gate, ends beside Jiming Temple, a ruined section. Though ruined, its height far exceeds the section along Xuanwu Lake, with the ancient Jiming Temple as a backdrop, and fewer tourists, the scenery is beautiful and tranquil.

Jiming Temple, with dark gray tiles and yellow walls, bright and warm yellow.

On the north side of Jiming Temple, a Cihang Bridge connects to the wall. But the gate leading to the wall was closed at this time. Perhaps because the wall and the temple are ticketed separately.

But seeing the crowds at Jiming Temple, it's understandable; keeping them separate has its advantages.

Viewing the scenery from this stretch of wall is another perspective. From such a height, you can tell that the spot where I stood is the highest point of this already towering wall.

The towering wall, the beautiful Xuanwu Lake, and the modern city buildings as a backdrop—such beauty is perhaps unique to Nanjing!

Not far from Jiefang Gate on this east-west section of the wall, there is a 'Houhu Small Gate'. To the east of the gate is Xuanwu Lake.

It was already two or three in the afternoon. I had been walking since morning, so I felt a bit tired now. By the wall near Cihang Bridge, a quiet spot, I sat on the ground. I thought about my accidental trip today and considered where to descend. I had only planned to explore Jiuhua Mountain Park and return, but unexpectedly ended up on the wall, strolling and sightseeing for two kilometers. I hadn't brought food; I had half a piece of pork jerky in my bag to stave off hunger. I took some selfies under the battlements. A bit later, an older man sat down next to me and we struck up a conversation. He complained that the Cihang Bridge gate wasn’t open; his destination was Jiming Temple, which he found inconvenient. I thought it was fine that it was closed—at least this spot remained peaceful. He had walked over from Xuanwu Gate. I checked; going to Xuanwu Gate was about a hundred meters shorter than returning to Taiping Gate. Actually, I quite wanted to walk the Xuanwu Gate section. But at my age, I don't want to tire myself out too much. Fun should be relaxing and enjoyable; if you're exhausted, it's no fun. Since I already felt tired, I decided not to continue and head back. I live in Nanjing, surrounded by such beautiful scenery, so I can come another day to walk other sections of the wall. The older man suggested going down Jiming Temple Road; crossing the road would lead to the subway station. I was afraid of that crowded road. He said, 'I'm not afraid at my age, what are you afraid of?' Haha, sometimes a word from a stranger on the road helps you make up your mind. Okay, I got up and charged towards Jiming Temple Road. Why did I feel like marching into battle?

At a corner of the wall, surprisingly, there's a Nanjing City Wall 1366 cultural creative shop nestled into the terrain.

Today's cultural products are full of artistic and cultural flair.

This north-south section of the wall leads to Xuanwu Gate. Below, by Xuanwu Lake, there are two footpaths: one right by the water, the other alongside the wall. Walking on the wall versus walking beside it—although in the same space, the different perspectives certainly offer different visual experiences. When you have time, you can not only walk on the wall, but also walking along it offers a different kind of scenery and mood.

From here, descending and following the wall towards the northwest of Xuanwu Lake

In several places on top of the wall, there are flagstone remnants, i.e., flagpole stones, each made of two rectangular bluestone blocks over two meters high with two holes drilled top and bottom, used in the past for erecting flagpoles.

Looking back from this angle, there is a difference in height between the east-west section from Taiping Gate to Jiefang Gate and the north-south section from Jiefang Gate to Xuanwu Gate.

Along this whole stretch of wall, you can admire the emerald, mirror-like Xuanwu Lake, where Nanjing's garden-like 'mountain, water, city, and forest' merge into one picture.

Up to the left is the huge Olympic rings emblem set up on Jiefang Gate's wall during the Youth Olympic Games.

This gate thronged with people is Jiefang Gate. Jiefang Gate was a new gate opened in 1954 on the Ming City Wall, a single-arch gate. It was opened to facilitate traffic inside and outside this section of the wall, and for air defense evacuation needs. Nanjing decided to open this gate near the 'Houhu City Wall' at the foot of Beiji Ge Mountain in Tai Cheng.

At the same time, they opened and expanded the Ming-era 'Houhu Small Gate' north of this gate, which leads to Xuanwu Lake. This 'Houhu Small Gate' is estimated to have been built in the early Ming Dynasty and has been called 'Tai Cheng Gate' since the Qing Dynasty, becoming an important passage for citizens to access Xuanwu Lake.

I quickly descended the wall, passed through Jiefang Gate, and arrived at Jiming Temple Road.

Looking up at the spot on the wall where I had just stood, I thought about how I had been watching the pedestrians on the road from above, hesitating; now I was one of them.

Because of the crowd, I had to point my camera towards the sky to avoid interference.

Actually, by the end of March, the cherry blossoms were almost over, giving me the feeling that people outnumbered and out-noised the flowers.

The whole road is lined with cherry blossoms, very romantic and stunning.

The crowd under the cherry trees was even more stunning to me.

Jiming Temple's old mountain gate, now no longer in use. But this gate with yellow walls and gray tiles was set off by the cherry blossoms with even more Zen feeling.

Now, at Jiming Temple's current gate, dense crowds were still streaming in.

Guardrails in the middle divided the road into two directions; it was crowded but orderly. I followed the flow and passed through quickly.

These little princesses were the happiest.

It really wasn't as hard as I'd imagined. I, who rarely join the excitement, accidentally joined it once. Thinking about it, travel is like that: some plans are missed again and again, but a wonderful journey is completed inadvertently.

Arriving at Jiming Temple subway station, both entrances were under directional control. Too lazy to queue to enter, I continued walking to Jiuhua Mountain station. Can you tell how averse I am to crowds? I'd rather walk more.

Today's accidental wall walk: The section from Taiping Gate to Jiefang Gate is like a jade belt, stringing together landmarks like Tai Cheng, Jiming Temple, Xuanwu Lake, Jiuhua Mountain, Xuanzang Temple, and the Purple Mountain scenic area, forming a golden route with profound cultural heritage. The natural and human beauty of the Ming City Wall converges here. Here you not only see the beauty of Nanjing's mountains, water, city, and forests, but also the beauty of Nanjing's people. Innocent children, carefree youth, beauty-loving elders, and passionate young people—all are brimming with vitality...