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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Offical Website (Chinese only)