Two-Day Trip to Nanjing: An In-depth Experience of Literary and Classical Charm
Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties, a city with profound cultural heritage. The saying 'The parasol trees are lovely, plant them all over Nanjing City' made me yearn for Nanjing. And the verse 'Smoke veils the cold water, moonlight shrouds the sand; moored at night on Qinhuai, close to wine shops' brought me to this Golden Mound City.
Day 1: Victoria Harbor Coffee (Xinanli) – Xinanli Historical and Cultural Leisure Block – Chunzhi Tea House (Xinanli) – A Very Small Bookstore (Xinanli) – Night Tour of Fuzi Miao – Qinhuai Gifts Cultural Creative Store (Fuzi Miao) – Qinhuai River Boat Ride (Fuzi Miao) – Nanjing Impressions (Fuzi Miao) – Jinmao Westin Hotel
Day 2: Jinmao Westin Hotel – Xuanwu Lake – The Oriental Metropolitan Museum (Changjiang Road) – 1912 Historic District (Changjiang Road)
Our first stop on the itinerary was Xinanli Historical and Cultural Block. This is a new city card that uniquely exudes Nanjing’s cultural charm, where tradition collides with modernity, and heritage blends with regeneration in a dazzling display. At the entrance, I was immediately captivated by a cafe in Tiffany blue. Its Tiffany blue facade, adorned with colorful flowers, was eye-catching.
So I decided to go in for a sit, and incidentally wait for a friend who hadn’t arrived yet. The Tiffany blue decor extended from the entrance all the way inside, exquisite and delicate. The dim yellow lighting paired with a warm latte made one willing to while away the time.
I have to say, this is a cafe that sets a girl’s heart aflutter. Blue furniture, dark wood tables, European-style benches, and retro table lamps make it a great spot for photos.
I ordered a hazelnut latte and a green leaf-shaped matcha mousse cake. The matcha wasn’t bitter, just the right sweetness. A little red bean complemented the matcha’s fragrance, and the leaf shape was perfect! The coffee was standard, and the service was warm.
I arrived early, shortly after opening, so many things in the cafe hadn’t been set up yet. This shop originally focuses on afternoon tea but also sells bread and light meals. After finishing my coffee, my friend arrived. I quickly had him take a photo of me, then we set off to explore Xinanli Historical and Cultural Block.
Strolling through Xinanli Historical and Cultural Leisure Block
‘Blue bricks, small tiles, horse-head walls; corridors hanging with carved flower windows’ – this is the architectural style of Ganxi’s Former Residence. As its ‘neighbor,’ Xinanli Historical and Cultural Block’s buildings continue this style. However, here you’ll find not only Nanjing’s old-world charm but also its modern hustle and bustle. Ancient elegance and contemporary urban life blend perfectly.
Though this area is now surrounded by skyscrapers, it still adheres to the style of the late Qing dynasty. All the way, blue bricks and red tiles, corridors with hanging ornaments, offering a refined and unique charm. There is no excessive commercial atmosphere, no constant stream of cars, no hurried pedestrians. What suits this place is only a cheongsam dress, a round fan, and a short poem.
We passed another Tiffany blue cafe. Christmas had just passed, and the Christmas tree at the door hadn’t been taken down yet. I took a photo with it, as if making up for Christmas.
The graffiti on the roadside also made this historic district appear more vibrant.
During the Lantern Festival, it must be very lively here.
In the Xinanli block, there’s Waku Tea House steeped in traditional Chinese style, Finnegan’s Bar full of Irish charm, the industrial-style J Cafe & Lost Horizon Bar, Sanyu Bookstore hidden in the city, the Chinese-style tavern Qitang Tavern, the Hanfu experience store Huajianji Hanfu Dynasty, the vintage shop Jiuge Vintage Jiu Vintage, and more. If time permitted, I would really love to check them all off my list.
‘Old Time Museum’ – Chunzhi Tea House (Xinanli)
We entered this tea house because a little kitten led us in.
Pushing open the wooden door, a retro and nostalgic atmosphere hit me, shutting out the cold outside air. Having seen so many modern shops, this vintage-style room enveloped in the aroma of tea and books was a delightful surprise.
Horse-lanterns, old-fashioned clocks, film projectors, radios, black-and-white TVs... These old objects, gradually fading from the stage of history, were placed unobtrusively around the 100-square-meter shop without feeling cramped. Being in Xinanli Historical and Cultural Leisure Block, old house number plates were a must. This aluminum plate is probably the third-generation type; the first generation was purplish red, then white in the Republican era, and enamel in the ’70s and ’80s and after 2000, slightly mottled. Now the latest ones are QR code plates. Just from the perspective of door numbers, we can see how fast the entire city has evolved.
It was this little kitten that led me into the shop. From the moment I entered, it kept following me. I couldn’t resist its adorably vacant stare.
It even wouldn’t let me order, constantly playing with me.
Another little friend of its appeared on the table.
The shop offers milk tea, tea, and coffee. I can’t live without coffee, so of course I chose coffee. I ordered a fermented-rice coffee. The name sounded very special, something I hadn’t tried before.
I really highly recommend the ‘fermented-rice coffee’ – in one word, superb. Even the coffee cup was filled with a sense of history. This is actually an ‘antique bookstore’ that sells tea and coffee on the surface but draws customers with decades of collected old objects! A heavy sense of history, and importantly, you can also pet cats.
Rather than a tea house or cafe... it’s more fitting to call it an immersive ‘old time museum.’ Here, we felt as if we traveled through a time tunnel back to childhood.
The soul of this shop lies in these old items. Each object carries its own story, waiting for people to come and listen carefully.
If you want to understand old Nanjing, why not come to Chunzhi Tea House, feel these old times, taste the flavor of time and space interwoven, and heal all your little moods.
Though I was reluctant to leave, I had to go. At a corner, I came across this little bookstore, which also filled me with joy.
You ask how small? The entire bookstore is less than 10 square meters; it even feels a bit cramped to turn around. Three or four sets of tables and chairs, a row of bookshelves... that’s the whole bookstore.
There’s also a special wall covered with postcards, where you can quietly read about others’ past hopes and their love for Nanjing. It gives you the feeling of brushing past strangers’ lives in this city.
This tiny bookstore is like Nanjing people’s ‘Namiya General Store,’ open 24 hours. The overall dark green style adds a touch of tranquility. When tired from shopping, coming here to read is a great choice.
It was dark when we left the bookstore, just the right time to visit Fuzi Miao a few hundred meters away to see the night view, take a boat ride, and eat delicious food.
Nanjing’s Fuzi Miao (Confucius Temple) is a landmark building in the Qinhuai District, dedicated to worshiping Confucius. It was the first national supreme academy in China and is one of the four great Confucian temples in China. It’s also a must-visit spot for every tourist coming to Nanjing. Of course, it’s more charming at night. The archway at the entrance bears the three characters ‘Gu Qin Huai’ (Ancient Qinhuai). So-called ‘Ancient Qinhuai’ is actually an old street located south of the Qinhuai River, running east-west, with archways at both ends. The name ‘Ancient Qinhuai’ is engraved on the archway.
The ancient city glows with warm light, and the moonlight sprinkles its clear radiance. The scent drifting with the wind is the glow of lamps and the smell of worldly life.
Just entering the old street, I was drawn to a handmade tea cake shop on the right. They offer free samples of all kinds.
They have a wide variety of tea flavors. Among them, Yuhua tea, a Nanjing specialty, comes in five flavors including cranberry and pineapple. Their blooming tea bags also have various flavors like little mandarin, white peach oolong, grape Longjing, and rose Longjing – all great, especially the white peach oolong, which is truly phenomenal (yyds).
Also, there’s dragon’s beard pastry that suits all ages; this one is savory and has rich nutritional value. When traveling, you have to taste local specialties and experience the unique regional culture. This Yuhua tea also makes a great gift for friends.
Strolling along the street, you’ll find no shortage of various gourmet snacks. You can enjoy local specialties as well as snacks from all over.
You can take your snacks and sit by the bank of the Qinhuai River, enjoying the beautiful scenery while savoring the delicious food.
Besides Fuzi Miao and the Qinhuai River, there’s the Jiangnan Examination Hall where scholars vied to jump the dragon gate, the former residence of famous Qinhuai courtesan Li Xiangjun who ‘sent off the Southern Dynasty with a peach blossom fan,’ and the ancient archway of ‘the pivot of culture under heaven.’ As the ancient capital of six dynasties, a place of gold dust and gentle towns, you can find footnotes and traces of it all here.
Continuing along the main street of Fuzi Miao, as someone who loves eating, drinking, and shopping, I dived into the Qinhuai Gifts Cultural Creative Store on Gongyuan Street.
This is a one-stop shop combining cultural creative products, Hanfu, a bookstore, and interactive experiences. It’s a must-visit spot for locals and tourists in Fuzi Miao, and an innovative ‘consumption complex’ integrating business, travel, and culture.
The first floor is a special market with cute ‘top scholar’ figurines, silk dolls of Li Xiangjun in Kunqu opera style, ‘lotus lantern’ series bookmarks, and more. The dazzling array of cultural creative products is overwhelming. These ‘Qinhuai Gifts,’ imbued with Qinhuai cultural characteristics, each piece brimming with Nanjing’s cultural flavor, are perfect choices for souvenirs.
The second floor is Huashang Hanfu Hall, entirely dedicated to Hanfu. You can rent a Hanfu here, or hire a photographer, get a beautiful makeover, and then stroll around in Hanfu to experience the unique historical culture of ancient Qinhuai.
The third floor is Dangdang Bookstore.
For ten miles on the Qinhuai and at the Jiangnan Examination Hall, from the Six Dynasties through the Ming and Qing, it was a gathering place for literati. Dangdang.com’s first physical bookstore in Nanjing quietly sits next door to the Jiangnan Examination Hall, using a low-key, ancient style to let reading traverse a thousand years.
On one side of the door are golden ginkgo trees, and books are neatly arranged by category. Passing through this autumn scenery, a ‘28-inch bike’ and a ‘phone booth’ stand stubbornly proud. Past times are always viewed through a rosy filter, just like this bicycle—it can go out of style but never fade. Past this, you enter the main area of the bookstore.
The central position is given to this rainforest-like ‘reading tunnel.’ Throughout the bookstore, reading spots are everywhere: a few wooden chairs by old windows, hollowed-out leaners in the bookshelves, benches hidden under plants among the shelves, or gently swaying swing chairs... every little corner welcomes those who eagerly open a good book they’ve picked up.
At the far end on one side of the bookstore is an open space where exchange meetings, lectures, new book launches, etc., can be held. This bookstore was the most unexpected and delightful surprise of my entire day’s itinerary. It’s a comfortable place that makes you linger and leaves you with endless aftertastes.
Leaving the bookstore, it was just the most beautiful time for night scenery. The best way to tour the Qinhuai River is by taking a painted boat.
Riding a painted boat on the Qinhuai. Above the ten-mile Qinhuai lies Fuzi Miao with a thousand-year literary charm; within the misty painted boat reside the mist and moonlight of the Six Dynasties, the sound of oars and light shadows.
Taking a painted boat tour of the Qinhuai River allows you to quickly learn historical stories about the Qinhuai. The approximate route of the Qinhuai River painted boat is: boarding pier – Bailuzhou Park – Colorful Water Street – Dongshuiguan – Zhonghua Gate – return to pier. The entire trip is about 50 minutes, with commentary throughout. Tickets are 70 yuan each.
Seated on the painted boat, feel the ten-mile Qinhuai. Wine shops line both banks, with rich wine and music; amidst it all, I momentarily lost track of which dynasty I was in. Through the green trees, white walls, and gray tiles, red lanterns shone, their shadows flickering, as if I saw exquisite dancing and heard celestial music.
The Qinhuai River flows gently through Nanjing, the mother river of its people. As time passes and dynasties change, scenes of the past become historical clouds. Famous scholars of the Eastern Jin like Wang Dao, Xie An, and Wang Xizhi once lived by the Qinhuai, composing poems and essays, wielding brushes, critiquing current affairs, and living romantic, talented lives... Throughout the ages, it has inspired countless exclamations and emotions.
In the hazy light, boats cruise the river, and tourists on board seem to walk into a fascinating dream, admiring the beautiful night of the Qinhuai, seeking mysterious historical memories. Before we knew it, 50 minutes passed. Still wanting more, we reluctantly went ashore.
The Quintessential Nanjing Flavor – Nanjing Impressions (Fuzi Miao)
Beyond sightseeing, when it comes to food and wanting to taste authentic Nanjing flavor, there’s no better place than Nanjing Impressions. A local friend said: both genuine Nanjing locals and tourists rave about it; the dishes are distinctive and the decor has character!
Numerous folk-crafted snacks, garden vegetables, home-style cooking – all authentic flavors. There’s bound to be something for you.
The Tianwang roast duck buns – I saw in the preparation process that each bun is strictly weighed, extremely meticulous. Thin skin, plentiful filling, lots of juice. Take a bite first, then drink the soup; eat while hot.
Fermented rice and red bean glutinous rice balls – the red bean is fragrant and rich, the balls are soft and chewy, superb.
Osmanthus cake – perfectly soft and chewy, emitting a light osmanthus fragrance.
Jinling roast duck – the unique sauce is poured on the bottom; the duck is not dry but very smooth, with a slight sweetness and crispy skin.
Pickled cabbage with lamb – carefully selected lamb leg meat, lean yet with a layer of skin. The rich lamb aroma and the sourness of pickled cabbage spread in the mouth; the more you chew, the more fragrant it gets, the more addictive it becomes! Soaked in pickled cabbage lamb, the bottom has vermicelli noodles. A bowl of steaming soup warms the heart; truly comforting!
A table full of Nanjing flavors. Full and content, we headed back to the hotel to rest.
Tonight’s accommodation is the centrally located Jinmao Westin Hotel.
Jinmao Westin Hotel is undoubtedly one of the top choices for out-of-towners traveling to Nanjing for vacation. Prime central location, mid-to-high-end value for money, right at the metro station.
Stepping into the hotel, the classic white tea fragrance is Westin’s signature scent. The lobby is on the 23rd floor, with modern and minimalist design; every detail reveals sophistication and elegance. The Heavenly Bed in the room makes one even more relaxed and comfortable. The hotel is connected to Jinmao Lanxiu Mall downstairs, super convenient for shopping, dining, and exploring; the metro station is right outside the door.
The hotel boasts luxurious decoration, unique design, and an excellent location; every room overlooks the picturesque Xuanwu Lake.
For those who enjoy morning runs, a few minutes’ walk takes you to the Ming City Wall. While exercising, you can enjoy the lake and mountain views and be surrounded by rich culture.
The past of the Six Dynasties has turned to smoke, and the old place has new chapters. Xuanwu Lake, once the ‘National Archives,’ with the grandeur of an imperial garden, connects five continents via causeways and bridges, seamlessly blending mountains and water.
Walking along this over 600-year-old Ming City Wall, the sky is high and clouds are wide, giving a sense of vastness and spiritual elevation, unlike the usual hard navigation through the city... Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang established the capital in Jinling and mobilized the whole nation to build the wall. It is said that to ensure quality, a strict accountability system was implemented: each wall brick had to bear an inscription. One side carved the names of officials from the prefectural to county levels, and the other side carved the names of the kiln workers and brickmakers. When tapped with a finger, it still rings crisp and strong; solid, allowing the ancient Nanjing wall to stand proudly after over 600 years of wind and rain. To this day, the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing still holds a world record as the largest surviving brick-and-stone-constructed city wall ruin.
On one side, lake and mountain scenery; on the other, various buildings and roads. The city’s development also tells history: in the distance, the Zifeng Tower pointing to the clouds; below the wall, Republican-era villas awaiting renovation; on the former site of the Imperial College, the green-tiled Chinese Academy of Sciences; gently winding mountain paths and residences, and Jiming Temple...
Every step brings a different view; time passes. The wind blowing through the wall seems cooler. Thinking of the soldiers stationed here back then, far from their families, with such beautiful scenery, what would their feelings have been?
With the passage of time, the city walls of Nanjing have experienced vicissitudes; some gates have even disappeared. Yet every New Year, Nanjing people invariably go to climb the wall. This may be their unique sentiment.
The Italian missionary Matteo Ricci visited Jinling in the Ming Dynasty, and his ‘China in the Sixteenth Century: The Journals of Matthew Ricci’ mentions the wall: ‘Two men riding toward each other from opposite sides of the city took a whole day to meet.’ In the 18th and 19th centuries, many Westerners came here for its fame.
During the Six Dynasties, Xuanwu Lake was an imperial garden lake. Today, at the foot of the wall, the scenery is enchanting, the finest in the southeast...
After coming down from the city wall, we took a taxi to Changjiang Road, just 4 kilometers away.
A single Changjiang Road, half the history of Nanjing. Changjiang Road is not long, but its history stretches far. It starts at Longpan Middle Road in the east and ends at Zhongshan Road in the west. ‘Walking Changjiang Road, 1800 meters, 1800 years.’ Jiangning Imperial Silk Museum, The Oriental Metropolitan Museum, the Presidential Palace, art galleries... strolling along Changjiang Road, a thousand-year cultural vein, classics all the way. Spanning over 1800 years of history, Changjiang Road has walked from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the modern era. At this time, Jinling City is in deep winter, with frost rising and leaves falling.
To fully explore Changjiang Road, even three days wouldn’t be enough; every step tells a story. On this trip, I only checked out two spots on Changjiang Road.
The Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties Also Has The Oriental Metropolitan Museum (Changjiang Road)
The ancient capital of six dynasties also has The Oriental Metropolitan Museum. This museum is the most comprehensive site museum in China displaying Six Dynasties artifacts. The environment is very serene, and the exhibition halls are arranged with artistic flair, a model of combining art and history! The museum unfolds the theme of the Eastern metropolis from the 3rd to 6th centuries in four chapters, featuring four main exhibition halls: ‘The Capital of the Six Dynasties,’ ‘Looking Back at the Six Dynasties,’ ‘The Splendor of the Six Dynasties,’ and ‘Outstanding Figures of the Six Dynasties.’
The first floor is a hall with no other function but to let in light, fully displaying the Wei-Jin spirit that regards gold as worthless!
The Six Dynasties Capital exhibition on the basement floor is divided into two parts: City and Life. The City part mainly showcases the architectural scale, palaces, urban roads, and drainage system of Jiankang City during the Six Dynasties. The Life part uses a large number of artifacts to depict the social life of the Wei-Jin period, including food, wooden clogs for feet, processional guards, daily meals, scissors, irons, ornaments, etc., recreating the clothing, food, housing, and transportation of the Six Dynasties people.
While visiting the second floor, I even encountered a master inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage ‘gold and silver fine workmanship,’ who was repeatedly hammering and chasing on a piece of silver.
Finally turning it into a marvelously crafted artwork; this technique is called gold and silver fine workmanship.
Nanjing’s gold and silver fine workmanship is a national-level intangible cultural heritage, originating in the Six Dynasties, refined in the Tang and Song, matured in the Ming and Qing, thriving in the Republican era, and innovatively developed in the contemporary. Under the master’s repeated hammering and chasing, feel the peerless elegance amidst the clanging.
The final color, the master said, is achieved through natural oxidation.
The second-floor exhibits are arranged according to three themes: porcelain, statuary, and calligraphy, presenting visitors with the three most representative aspects of the material life of the Wei-Jin period.
The entire second floor is beautifully designed, with a different view at every step. Bamboo is everywhere, somewhat like a Suzhou garden, and combined with Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy and paintings to display, very elegant. It also houses many precious artifacts: a chicken-head ewer, porcelain, and the museum’s treasure—a celadon underglaze painted dish-mouthed ewer, adorned with various patterns and feathers, extremely exquisite!
In the museum’s central rest area, on both sides hang calligraphy of the ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion,’ and in the very center is a stone qilin.
Further ahead is the museum’s treasure, the ‘celadon underglaze painted feather-human pattern dish-mouthed ewer.’ It is the earliest artifact in China to beautify porcelain with painting techniques. The feathered figures on it seem to be dancing, surrounded by fairy grass swaying in the wind and auspicious clouds.
A super cute set of small pottery figurines. The view outside the exhibition hall window is also distinctive.
The third floor is a figure introduction hall. Because during the Wei-Jin and Southern Dynasties periods, the economy was developed, people lived stable lives, and many talents emerged: pastoral poet Tao Yuanming, calligrapher Wang Xizhi, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, mathematician Zu Chongzhi... The Six Dynasties period was a brilliant era in ancient Chinese literary and artistic history!
Only after passing through the Six Dynasties does one truly know Jinling. The prosperity of the Six Dynasties is just as the famous Tang poet Wei Zhuang said, ‘The Six Dynasties are like a dream, birds cry in vain.’ Reminiscing the charm of Nanjing’s six ancient dynasties, imagining a wonderful picture of the prosperous Six Dynasties, I feel fortunate to stand on this land deeply imbued with historical weight. The 30-yuan ticket is really worth it; I recommend everyone to visit.
Walking west along Changjiang Road, passing the Presidential Palace, about 200 meters further is the 1912 District. At the intersection stands an iconic sculpture, also a symbol of Nanjing – the ‘Tree of Life,’ expressing humanistic care for the earth.
Nanjing 1912 Historic District has both traces of history and a lively modern fashion vibe. It is a representative of Nanjing’s trendy leisure scene and arguably the most vibrant nightlife spot, deeply loved by young people.
Stepping into the 1912 District, you see buildings of Republican-era style, simple yet exquisite, scattered in an orderly manner, looking very retro and providing great photo spots. It is especially suitable for wearing a cheongsam to check in and take photos here; the feeling is like traveling through time.
The shops in the 1912 District truly combine Chinese and Western elements: from large food stalls, Honggongguan, Luanshijiaren to other famous establishments, there is an overwhelming variety. Chinese cuisine, music bars, Western fast food and more.
The walls and doors on the street feature whimsical graffiti or carefully decorated shop windows, adding a great artistic atmosphere to the district, making you want to stop and take photos.
Inside the district, there is a small train station called ‘Time Station Nanjing Station,’ with tracks that loop around the entire 1912 District. Its design resembles the Pukou Railway Station with flashing neon lights, full of Republican-era charm and retro flavor. Both adults and children can ride.
As the evening lights come on, the lights are especially brilliant. Tourists coming and going under the parasol trees add a unique worldly ambience.
To experience Nanjing’s nightlife, 1912 is a must-visit. With Republican-era architecture, trendy bars, and city living rooms, 1912 Street is as famous as Beijing’s Sanlitun Bar Street.
It’s a fashionable commercial and leisure district composed of 19 Republican-style buildings and four plazas: Gonghe, Bo’ai, New Century, and Pacific. The buildings and food on this street are very famous. Perhaps because it was a weekday, the weather was cold, and recently affected by the pandemic, when I visited, there weren’t many tourists, and many stalls in the market and the little train weren’t operating, which was regrettable. However, the bright red lanterns brought a festive New Year atmosphere. Behind each lantern, there might be a story, touching or tragic, sweet or sorrowful. The glow of countless lights conceals all the different lives, but cannot hide that faint, worldly flavor.
It is said, when you shoulder your pack, you are a traveler; when you lay down your burden, you find your homeland. In truth, everyone understands that life offers no absolute stability. Since we are all travelers, we should carry a calm and detached heart, pass through the years of mountains and rivers, and smile at the ups and downs of the world. Nanjing, until we meet again.
