Three-Day Nanjing Tour, Part Three: Laomendong – Old Tales of Southern Nanjing

As soon as we got off the car, we saw from a distance a stone archway with three striking characters '老门东' (Laomendong) in the center. It was dusk, with a continuous drizzle. The streets and alleys were bustling, and tourists were shoulder to shoulder. The bluestone slabs gleamed brightly, bearing the marks of history.

Entering the stone archway felt like stepping into a time tunnel.

Every lane, every pond, every column base tells a story of history. Wandering among them, you feel truly immersed in the past.

Wooden doors, blue bricks, grey tiles, ornamental windows, and horse-head walls—these are typical features of Jiangnan residential architecture. Pavilions, terraces, and towers are everywhere, interspersed with trees and flowers, some withering, some blooming, adding a unique charm.

The staggered rooftops form a model of architectural aesthetics.

Each ornamental window has endless charm, each tells a tale of history.

The Taihu rocks, water troughs, and blue stones all exude the patina of age, yet the tiny grasses sprouting from the stone crevices burst with astonishing vitality.

The museum at the street corner is especially eye-catching.

Red lanterns and palace lanterns of various shapes create a delightful contrast with the surroundings. Here, many beautiful encounters must have taken place, unknown to the world.

The uniquely shaped ornamental window, the suggestive plum blossoms, the soft yellow lighting, and a girl dressed in Hanfu—doesn't it give you a feeling of traveling back through time?

On such a dusk, on such a rainy day, how many poignant emotions are stirred in one's heart!

Any random corner could be captured in a painting or a poem.

Store names like 'What a Beautiful Jasmine Flower,' 'Remembering Jiangnan,' and 'Twelve Dishes of Jinling' are all filled with poetic charm.

While chasing two girls in Hanfu to take their photos, I inadvertently strayed deep into a secluded alley.

Even an ordinary alley is full of grace: bluestone slabs, creaky wooden doors, twisted old vines, and roofs covered with green plants—full of mystery and inviting reverie.

The ubiquitous bluestone slabs, dark and light grey brick walls, and mottled whitewashed walls form the backdrop of this beautiful Jiangnan ink-wash painting.

People dotted within it become a beautiful scene.

As night falls and the lanterns light up, the warm orange glow radiates coziness and romance, swaying with infinite allure.

Leaving Laomendong, I felt reluctant to part. I remembered four years ago, also here, I had a happy reunion with my husband's female disciple. We strolled, ate, watched a performance, had coffee and chatted at Starbucks—scenes from the past vividly reappeared. What attracts me to Nanjing is not just Laomendong, but the stories left within Laomendong and the inseparable mother-daughter bond I can't let go of.