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How to Visit Nanjing Confucius Temple

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Plan you Nanjing tour? Visiting the Confucius Temple (夫子庙）and a stroll around its neighbour is worth your time during your short stay in Nanjing. The Confucius Temple in Nanjing is popularly known as Fuzi Miao or Fuzi Temple. Fuzi Temple ( Nanjing Confucius Temple ) is one of the four most famous confucius temples in China. Temple of Confucius is a temple devoted to the memory of Confucius (551–479 BCE), the sage and great philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history.

Today, the Confucius Temple accompanied by its surrounding neighbourhood (pedestrian streets) has become a mecca for holiday makers. Every day it seems all the locals of Nanjing throng here, eating, drinking, shopping. The famous Qinhuai River winds past the south of the Confucius Temple. Boating on the Qinhuai River is one of the highlights visiting Fuzi Temple. There is a huge dragon screen, 110m long and 20m high, recoganized as the largest screen in China, on the south bank of the Qinhuai River.

How to get there

It is most convenient to take subway line – take subway line 1 and get off at the station of Sanshan Jie (三山街), and exit from Exit 4 (Jinshanjing 金沙井) and walk a few steps to get to the site of the Confucius Temple area.

A large Confucius Temple Pailou ( a traditional Chinese archway).

A large Confucius Temple Pailou

A retored Qing and Ming dynasty style buildings packed with leisue travelers.

A restored Qing and Ming dynasty style buildings packed with leisue travelers

The entrance to the Confucius Temple ( entrance fee: RMB 30)

The entrance to the Confucius Temple

Dachen hall is the main dedicated to Confucius

At the rear of the temple was the place to study. well known as “No.01 School in the southern China”.

At the rear of the temple was the place to study

Play old and traditional music

A huge dragon screen is on the south bank of Qinhua River.

Crowded with people on the Wende Bridge over Qinhuai River

Choosing Yuhua stones (rain flower stone) on the markets in Fuzi Temple area.

Plentiful shops and restaurants line the streets

Steamed buns

The famous local snack – “Stinky Tofu” (smelling Smelly tofu)

he famous local snack – Stinky Tofu (smelling Smelly tofu)

Any questions, drop a line.

Tags: Confucius Temple Nanjing, Fuzi Miao, Fuzi Temple
Posted in Beijing Travel, Jiangsu Travel, Nanjing Travel | No Comments »

How to Visit Zhonghua Gate Nanjing

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Plan your Nanjing Tour? Don’t miss Zhonghua Gate （中华门) , the largest ancient city wall gate complex in China. The massive city wall gate is a historical relic left by Zhu Yuzhuang, the first emperor and founder of Ming Dynasty (1638 -1644) There used to be 13 gates along the over-30km ancient city wall of the Ming Dynasty.

The name of Zhonghua Gate was changed for several time. Firs named “south gate” since it was located on the south of the city. It is also known as Jubaomen “Gathering Treasures Gate”. In 1931 when the Republic of China government set Nanjing as its capital, the gate was named Zhonghua Gate ( the Gate of China ).

To get there, just take subway line 1 and get off at the station of Zhonghua Gate (中华门).

The city gate castle has 3 inner cities connected by four arched gates with its dimensions 118.5 m from east to west, and 128 m from south to north. Each inner city had holes to hide soldiers. Each gate was equipped with a Qianjinzha ( Heavy Gate ) which could be opened up and down.

The Zhonghua Gate has gong through wind and rain for 600 years. It still keeps it original appearance though much of its wooden structures destroyed. Zhonghua Gate is a master piece of China’s ancient engineering project of complex and intricate design, which has a prominent place in the wall construction history in China.

Four Gates Linking Three Inner Cities inside the Zhonghua Gate.

On each side of the gate, there are two large ramps used for running soldiers on horse up to the top of the gate castle.

ramps used for running soldiers on horse up to the top of the gate

The Gate is made of huge strip stones and bricks.

Brick stairs leading up to the top

On the top and have a look at the three inner cities.

On the top and look at the ramp and the inner cities.

The City Wall and the Zhonghua Gate

The ancient cannons on the top

The Nanjing ancient city wall

Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: Nanjing Zhonghua Gate, the Gate of China, Zhonghua Gate, Zhonghuamen
Posted in Jiangsu Travel, Nanjing Travel | No Comments »

How to Visit Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

Plan your Nanjing Tour? Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is highly recommended. Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the third bridge over the Yangtze River after Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and Chongqing Baishatuo Yangtze River Bridge. Now there are over 100 bridges over the Yangtze River Bridge. Of the Yangtze River bridges, Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge occupies a unqiue position in China’s bridge building industry with great historical value.

Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the first bridge over the Yangtze River designed and built by China’s own technical strength. Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the pride of Chinese people and a proof of the spirit and ability of the Chinese people in Mao Zedong’s era.

The construction of Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge started on January 18, 1960. Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is a double-decked road-rail truss bridge. Its rail bridge was open to the traffice in September, 1968 and the road bridge was fishined in December, the same year.

The bridge is composed of the ramp bridge and the main bridge. Its main bridge is 1577m long and the ramp road bridge is 19.5m wide and 3012m long, wide enough for four trucks to run abreast. The lower deck rail bridge is 6772m long and 14m wide, double rails wide enough for two trains going in opposite directions.

At the both end of the bridge there are a couple of bridge towers with 70 meters long. You can take a lift to the base of a 70m bridge tower. Three red flags atop the bridge towers, which represent People’s Commune, Great Leap Forward and General Path popular in 1959s.

150 couple of white magnolia shaped road lamps on the bridge are arranged in an orderly manner. At nightfall, when all the lamps are lit, the bridge looks extremely beautiful.

Bridge Entrance Fee: RMB7

Bridge Tower Entrance Fee: RMB8

Opening Hour: 07:30 – 18:00

Free Opening Hour: 5:00 – 7:30; 18:00 – 22:00

How to get there

First take subway line 1 and get off at the station of Gulou (鼓楼). At the northeast corner, you will find the Gulou Bus Station of Bus No.67. Get on the Bus 67 and get off at the last stop – Nanbao Park (South Bridge Tower Park).

The entrance to the bridge park and the ticket office stands by the right side.

Walk past the park under the ramp bridge and aprroch the bridge tower.

Walk past the park under the ramp bridge and aprroch the bridge tower

On the first floor of the bridge tower is the exhibition hall introducing the history of the building of Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge. The huge statue of Mao Zedong is located in the center of the hall.

The huge statue of Mao Zedong is located in the center of the hall.

Waiting for a lift up to the 70-meter high bridge tower.

Waiting for a lift up to the 70-meter high bridge tower

The couple of bridge towers in the south end of the main bridge.

Three Flags atop the bridge towers indicating People’s Commune, Great Leap Forward and General Path popular in 1959s.

Three Flags atop the bridge towers

The sculpture is composed of 5 figures representing workers, peasants, soldiers, students and intellectuals, and businessmen, the major five sectors of the society.