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Jiangsu Province Attractions

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China, situated in Kunshan City which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou.

It is noted for its profound...

Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China, situated in Kunshan City which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou.

It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs.

For any city,you can go Suzhou frist then transfer the bus to Zhouzhuang.

Shanghai has the direct bus to Zhouzhuang.

Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)

Situated in the south part of Nanjing and surrounded by the Qinhuai River, the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is one of the city’s most popular attractions.  Confucius Temple consists of a cluster of symetrically arranged buildings and covers an area of over 26,000 square meters.&nbs...

Situated in the south part of Nanjing and surrounded by the Qinhuai River, the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is one of the city’s most popular attractions.  Confucius Temple consists of a cluster of symetrically arranged buildings and covers an area of over 26,000 square meters.  The temple is home to excellent examples of both Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. However, the biggest draw for most Nanjing locals is the great food and shopping.

History

Confucius Temple was founded in 1034. In antiquity, the temple was a site where people could make sacrifices to Confucius (孔子, Kong Zi), arguably China’s most celebrated ideologist and educator. The temple also served as a marketplace for merchants as well as a center where culture and arts thrived.

In 1985, the municipal authorities decided to "renovate" Confucius Temple in order to keep up with the times.  A series of tourist shops, snack bars, restaurants and hotels set up shop here with the goal of enabling Confucius Temple to better express a combination of traditional and modern beauty.

There are many places of historical interest  within Confucius Temple, such as Jiangnan Gongyuan (江南贡院) and Wuyi Xiang (乌衣巷).  Jiangnan Gongyuan was the largest imperial examination place in ancient China. Constructed during the Song dynasty, potential government officials were examined and selected here. Wuyi Xiang, or “Black Clothes Lane”, was named after the Wu soldiers, who wore black uniforms. During the Jin dynasty, Wuyi Xiang became the residence of Minister Wang Dao, followed by Minister Xie An, and finally a few of Nanjing’s noble families.  During the Tang dynasty, a famous Chinese poet named Liu Yu Xi wrote a poem here: Gone are the swallows at Wang-Xie’s Mansion into the houses of the common.

Shopping

In addition to common boutiques, there are many shops in Confucius Temple that feature local folk crafts and commodities, unavailable in other parts of the country. Tourists can buy various Nanjing specialties including Nanjing brocade, Jinling gold foil, Jinling folding fans, wood carvings, Rain flower pebbles, Nanjing dried salted duck, Yuhua tea and much more. Generally speaking, the initial price quoted by the peddlers will be much higher than the price you can bargain down to, so it’s advised to learn how to bargain Chinese style before making purchases.

Food

It is worth the trip here just for the food, because Confucius Temple boasts a variety of delicious snacks. Duck blood and bean-starchy vermicelli, Jellied bean curd, fried scallion pancakes, beef soup, beef-stuffed Guo Tie (lightly fried dumplings), spiced broad beans, Huangqiao Sesame Seed Cake are just a few of the delicacies on hand.  All of these treats are mouth watering, yet not too expensive.

Boat Rides

An evening cruise on the Qinhuai River is a wonderful experience. Nanjing skyscraper’s neon city lights light up the river at night. Many kinds of boats are available for rent. Paddle boats are a cheaper option. However, "Qibanzi", a type of boat with a roomy cabin and cane chairs on the deck, is a little bit expensive, but less tiring and more comfortable.

Getting There

Take the No. 1 bus.  The No. 1 bus stops at every Subway station from Nanjing Railway Station Station to Xinjiekou.  If you are far away first take the Subway to Xinjiekou and then take the No.1 from there. 

Any cab driver in the city will know how to get to "Fuzi Miao".

Confucius Temple during Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.  From the first week of the Chinese New Year, Confucius Temple begins to get busier and busier until the climax of the Lantern Festival.  The crowds become so large and busy during the Lantern Festival that hundreds (if not thousands) of police officers are required to control the throngs of people.


Confucius Temple during the Lantern Festival.  Photo taken by Ishw.


Another shot of Fuzimiao at night during the Lantern Festival.


The main square shown in this picture is divided in two by a
wall of police officers during the Lantern Festival.


The mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Presidential Palace

Presidential Palace was the Office of the President of the Republic of China before the republic relocated to Taiwan in 1949.
It has a long history since year 1853, Taiping Revolution of Heavenly Kingdom, and after that Hong Xiuquan occupied Nanjing.
In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen moved...

Presidential Palace was the Office of the President of the Republic of China before the republic relocated to Taiwan in 1949.
It has a long history since year 1853, Taiping Revolution of Heavenly Kingdom, and after that Hong Xiuquan occupied Nanjing.
In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen moved in as the provisional president of the Republic of China.
Till, now you can still see the same decoration of their offices, their conference place and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen`s living room.
There also have a garden back of the palace, where you can take a break and enjoy the view of the green plants.

 

Buses 游1, 游2, 29, 44, 65, 95 and 304 stop at The Presidential Palace.

Tiger Hill (Hu Qiu)

Sights inside:

1. The Entrance Temple (头山门)

2. The Broken Beam Temple (断梁殿)

3. The Han Han Spring (憨憨泉)

4. The Sword-Testing Stone (试剑石)

5. The Tomb of Zhenniang (真娘墓)

6. The 1000 Men`s Rock (千人石)

7. The Sword Pool (剑池)

8. Th...

Sights inside:

1. The Entrance Temple (头山门)

2. The Broken Beam Temple (断梁殿)

3. The Han Han Spring (憨憨泉)

4. The Sword-Testing Stone (试剑石)

5. The Tomb of Zhenniang (真娘墓)

6. The 1000 Men`s Rock (千人石)

7. The Sword Pool (剑池)

8. The Twin Bridge Wells (双吊桶)

9. The Pagoda Yard (塔院)

10. The 1000 ha. of Clouds (千顷云)

11. The Mahavira Temple (大雄宝殿)

12. The 53 Steps of Stone (五十三参)

13. The Mountain Villa With 10000 Scenes (万景山庄)

Local bus routes: 1, 2, 8, 49, 949.

The 1912 Nightlife District

1912 is the main bar district in Nanjing. In a nutshell, it’s where the trendy, young crowds go.

1912 opened up in 2004 and has become consistently busier ever since. Many bars and clubs dot 1912 including one of the "Scarlet" bars, Red Club, and

1912 is the main bar district in Nanjing. In a nutshell, it’s where the trendy, young crowds go.

1912 opened up in 2004 and has become consistently busier ever since. Many bars and clubs dot 1912 including one of the "Scarlet" bars, Red Club, and Blue Marlin Restaurant. In general prices are comparable to other bars in Nanjing.

The 1912 District is naturally busier on weekends, and can get packed with crowds at Christmas time and other holidays.

Location: 1912 stretches along Taiping Bei Lu (太平北路) between Changjiang Lu (长江路) and Changjiang Hou Jie (长江后街). It is within walking distance of Xinjiekou and it is easy to catch a cab to or from 1912 as all taxi drivers should be familiar with the popular nighspot.

Why is it called 1912?

1912 adopts its name from the year Dr. Sun Yat Sen overthrew the Qing Dynasty and created the Republic of China with Nanjing as the capital. The 1912 area is now located next to the old headquarters of the Chinese Nationalist Party.

Suzhou Shan Tang Old Street

Santang old street is Numer one old street in Suzhou.

With a river along, streets around it, bridges, boats, it`s really nice whatever at day time or night time. Many couples come here to take wedding photos, travlers must bring a camera to remember one of the best view of Suzhou.

...

Santang old street is Numer one old street in Suzhou.

With a river along, streets around it, bridges, boats, it`s really nice whatever at day time or night time. Many couples come here to take wedding photos, travlers must bring a camera to remember one of the best view of Suzhou.

Bus routes: 游5、6、7、46、70、91, it`s close to railway station, so if you get a cab, about 10 Yuan will be there.

Dr Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum

The Dr Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum was built in 1926 in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), who is recognized as the Father of Modern China.  He led the rebellion against the corrupt Qing government resulting in the 1911 re...

The Dr Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum was built in 1926 in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), who is recognized as the Father of Modern China.  He led the rebellion against the corrupt Qing government resulting in the 1911 revolution which put and end the feudal system. In turn, the Republic of China was founded. The mausoleum is situated at the foot of the south face of Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan, 紫金山), and it has become a must-see tourist destination for all visitors to Nanjing.

   

The construction of the mausoleum is symmetrical, and it serves as a fine example of classical and modern beauty. Entering the mausoleum in sequence is the torii, the corridor, the gateway, the monument, the memorial hall, and finally the tomb. A long stone stairway of 392 steps leads up to the tomb which lies at the rear of the memorial chamber. Outside the memorial chamber there is a tablet featuring the inscription of the “Three Principles of the People”: nationalism, democracy and people’s livelihood, which were formulated by Dr. Sun.  Inside the hall stand black granite poles and a statue of Dr. Sun sculpted from white marble. Within the tomb a prostrate marble statue of Sun seals his coffin, which was buried five meters underground.
 

Music Stage (Yinyue Tai, 音乐台)
10 yuan entrance fee

Directly to the east of Zhongshan Mausoleum is the music stage.  It isn’t much to see unless you are interested in the music.  The music can even be heard echoing in the forest quite a distance from the stage.  To find the stage, take a right near the ticket booths in the area leading up to Zhongshan Mausoleum. 

  

Sun Yat-sen and Museum (孙中山书院和纪念馆) 10 yuan entrance fee

Paintings of Dr. Sun and a library can be found in the Sun Yat-Sen Museum. Only those with a deep interest in Dr. Sun should be sure to stop by the museum, otherwise continue on to the Linggu Temple area.


 

Bus no. 9 as well as travel bus nos. 1, 2, and 3 (游1, 2, 3) all stop at the Mausoleum entrance.

Xuanwu Lake Park

Close to the city center and featuring 368 hectares of water and 104 hectares of land, Xuanwu Lake Park is a favourite getaway for locals.  Well before the sunrise and even after sunset, the park is bustling with visitors. Some come to walk, jog, or fly kites, others to practice Ta...

Close to the city center and featuring 368 hectares of water and 104 hectares of land, Xuanwu Lake Park is a favourite getaway for locals.  Well before the sunrise and even after sunset, the park is bustling with visitors. Some come to walk, jog, or fly kites, others to practice Tai Chi, and many more just want to enjoy the scenery

To the east of Xuanwu Lake is Purple Mountain, to the north is Nanjing Train Station, and to the west and south Nanjing’s skyscrapers stretch high above the City Wall that was built during the Ming Dynasty.  Paved paths circle the entire perimeter of the lake and several forested islands within the lake that are linked by causeways.

The best time to visit Xuanwu Lake Park is during May and June.  By visiting the park in late Spring, Nanjing city will not have the opportunity to show you why it is famed as one of the three furnaces of China.

 

Activities

 

Taking a walk along the edge of Xuanwu Lake is an activity in itself, but if you seek something more specific read on.

Jogging

For the serious jogger, Xuanwu Lake is a suitable place to jog year round.  There are still a few cars on the road, but compared with the busy city streets, it is far superior and safer.  The roads and street lamps were upgraded in 2006, so the park is an excellent place to jog after sunset.

During the summer, the best times to go for exercise are in the early morning and late evening, because that is when temperatures are the coolest. In fact, in the middle of the summer the morning is noticeably cooler than the evening.

See more about Nanjing’s climate

Paddle Boats

Four person paddle boats cost 25 yuan per hour and require a 50 yuan deposit.  Paddle boats can be rented to the east and west of Nanjing Train Station or to the north of the Xuanwu Gate.

Walk, Relax, Etc.

Xuanwu Lake Park is a popular place to take a romantic walk. In the evening Chinese couples fill up the benches overlooking Xuanwu Lake.  Some more adventurous couples park their cars (which include tinted windows, wink, wink) or set up tents.

Cycling

The roads along Xuanwu Lake form the ideal setting for a ride around Nanjing.  Unfortunately it seems that cycling is not allowed as the guards often try to prevent people from taking bicycles within the park.  However, if a visitor is persistent, makes an excuse, or enters through a nearby gate, the guards usually let it slide.

The entire northeast side of the lake is not actually part of the park.  This means that there is no gate to go through if you just want to bike in that area, but it also means that if you want to bike around the entire lake, you may be hassled by guards twice (once to enter and once to re-enter).

 

Fireworks

During Chinese New Years Festival, hundreds, if not thousands of people flock to Xuanwu Lake to set off fireworks – some bring boxes of fireworks the size of refrigerators.  Be warned, setting off fireworks is far from safe.  In many countries, fireworks of this caliber are only legally used by professionals.

Fishing

A popular fishing spot in Xuanwu Lake is on the north side, just to the east of Nanjing Train Station.  However, people can be seen fishing at many places around the outside of the lake and inside the inner islands. 

 

 

The Inner Isles of Xuanwu Lake

Open 7:00am-9:00pm
Entrance Fee: 20 Yuan.

Inside Xuanwu Lake are 5 isles that are suitable for a scenic walk and contain many small tourist attractions such as Lama Temple, small amusement park rides and the "Temple of Xuanwu Lake God."

 

How to Get There

 

Xuanwu Lake takes up a very large area and there are several places from which to enter the park.  Here’s a list of the busier entrances in clockwise order.

Xuanwu Gate

Xuanwu Gate (Xuanwu Men, 玄武门) is next to the Xuanwu Gate subway station at the intersection of Hunan Lu (湖南路) and Central Road (Zhonyang Lu, 中央路).  From the subway station, the park entrance is just a three minute walk east, passing by the convention center (南京市规划建设展览馆).  Xuanwu Gate’s appearance is also the biggest and most impressive.

North and East Sides

The official park does not stretch around the north and east edges of the lake. Still, there are several other places that allow you to reach the edge of the lake including Nanjing Train Station and Lovers Garden.  The southeast corner features Taiping Gate while Peace Gate is just to the west of Nanjing Station. Neither gate’s appearance is particularly significant.


View of Xuanwu Lake from the Nanjing Train Station

Jiefang Gate

Jiefang Men (解放门) is a couple blocks North of Beijing Dong Lu (北京东路) and the municipal government building.  You can get to the top of the city wall from this gate.

 


Xuanwu Lake is a popular spot to light fireworks during the Chinese New Years Festival.

 

Zhujiang Road - IT Products

 

If we call Xinjiekou and Hunan Road the prime shopping centers in Nanjing, then Zhujiang Road is Nanjing’s IT product center. If you want to buy desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, MP3 players, or any and all kinds of IT products, head for Zhujiang Road. The prices her...

 

If we call Xinjiekou and Hunan Road the prime shopping centers in Nanjing, then Zhujiang Road is Nanjing’s IT product center. If you want to buy desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, MP3 players, or any and all kinds of IT products, head for Zhujiang Road. The prices here are around 1/3 lower than in stores such as Gold Eagle, Xinbai, etc. There are four main shopping centers on Zhujiang Road: Cyber Digital Products Square, Huahai Digital Square (华海电脑数码广场), Buynow (百脑汇), and Hong Tu San Bao. In each of these four shopping centers, there are many different small shops selling various digital products. Small stores found along the street are also dealers of different brands of e-products such as HP, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, Canon, Aigo and many more. It is rumored that some counterfeit products exist here, so use a keen eye and do a little research on the internet before going.  If you can, have an expert accompany you when buying. It should be mentioned that many after-sales service stations of e-products are also located on Zhujiang Road.  Next to the stores, the street is lined with individuals selling counterfeit DVDs and computer software.  If somehow you do not notice the small cardboard box of DVDs in front of the hawkers, they will reliably shout “DVD!” at you.


Huahai Digital Square

Jiangsu Province Articles

Top Jiangsu Province Tours

$40 Per Day

Nanjing nightlife tours - Bar crawling

In recent years Nanjing’s nightlife scene has undoubtedly changed for the better.  The 1912 bar district is a common place to start a tour of Nanjing’s nightlife as it features Nanjing’s largest concentration of bars and clubs.  Besides 1912, bars, pubs, clubs, karaokes, restaurants and not-so-mentionable locales are dispersed across the city, especially near Xinjiekou and close to the student population.

Nail Jazz Bar is a light bar with good Jazz muisc, live sometimes, they have over 50 kinds of imported beer from all over the World, the Draft beer Hoegaarden is with special roam and taste, for lady, here have over 100 cocktail to choose, lovely and enjoyable.  The price here is quite as other bars, short cocktail for 28 Yuan, long drink cocktail for 38 Yuan. Hoegaarden draft beer, 38 for 0.3L and 68 for 0.5L.

Behind the Wall - A cozy atmosphere, decent food, live music and cheap margaritas make Behind the Wall a popular hang-out, especially with the foreign student population. Inside, Behind the Wall’s three rooms are linked by over-sized arched doorways, and provide seating for groups of two to ten. Mexican, Latin and Greek cuisine is served. The drink menu is varied and not too expensive by Nanjing standards - margaritas are served for only 15 Yuan from Sunday to Thursday.

Castle Bar - Castle Bar is lively on weekends and can become packed during special events. However, during weekdays staff members often outnumber customers. A good place if you like dancing.

Secco Restaurant and Bar - Great German restaurant and bar in Nanjing, they have a good rang and selection of cocktail made by a German, he is also the manager there, really strict to every cocktail he made, always bring you the best taste.

Finnegans Wake - A traditional Irish bar in Nanjing,offering Kilkenny, Guinness and strongbow cider on draught.

 

Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

$50 Per Day

Nanjing Hiking tour with local tour guide Sam

It`s springtime, it`s hiking time!

This tailor-made tour is for people who like nature, history, and hiking!

Ming Tomb (Admission: FreeCNY) - Nanjing became the capital of China when Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368.  During his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang built the great city walls of Nanjing, the imperial palace, and his future tomb - the Ming Tomb in Nanjing.  The Ming Tomb is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a must-see for travellers to Nanjing.

Xuanwu Lake (Admission: Free) - Close to the city center and featuring 368 hectares of water and 104 hectares of land, Xuanwu Lake Park is a favorite getaway for locals.  Well before the sunrise and even after sunset, the park is bustling with visitors. Some come to walk, jog, or fly kites, others to practice Tai Chi, and many more just want to enjoy the scenery.

Nanjing Food Court -  my favorite local Nanjing restaurant, Nanjing people like to go there with family. It`s a resultant with a lot of Nanjing local food and ancient style of decoration, at night they will have Kunqu playing, coolest restaurant ever.

City Wall (Admission: 45CNY) - Nanjing City Wall, constructed during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties between 1365 and 1386, originally stretched over 30km which made it the longest city wall in the world.  Now, with about two thirds of the wall still intact it still remains the longest city wall in China. We could walk on the city wall and feel the history of Nanjing.

*Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

$80 Per Day

Relaxing Hot Spring Tour at Tangshan Area

Nanjing Tangshan is famous for the hot spring, hot spring is good for your skin and health, and relaxing your body and get rid of the press.

Maybe you don't like all the tourist attractions in the downtown, here would be one of another option.

This tour will be only visit 2 attractions and the rest will be spend the whole time in the hot spring. Or, if you prefer, you can only go for the spring.

Tour plan would be:

Hotel pick up -----> Yangshan Stele -----> Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Caves -----> Hot Spring -----> Send back to hotel.

 

Since Tangshan is a little town outside of Nanjing city and it`s quite far away, i would suggest to use a private car to drive there directly.