The Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan or literally Purple-God Mountain) Area covers half of the attractions in this city's suburbs. It dominates the northeastern skyline of the city. Some of the famous places of interest found in this area include the father of China's great revolution Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum, Xiaoling Mausoleum of the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, and Meiling Palace, a splendid villa built in 1931.

To the east of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum is the well-known Linggu Temple. Built about 1,500 years ago, Linggu Temple surrounded by aged but still flourishing trees is claimed to be the best Buddhist temple in the world. Also, Purple Mountain Observatory and the planetarium on the mountainside are famous tourist attractions for science gurus. Another place of interest in this area is the Plum Blossom Hill where the annual plum festival in the city is held.

If one goes westward of the Purple Mountain area, another picturesque mountain called Qixia Mountain (pronounced as Kitsya) can be found. It is a popular destination for the locals in the area especially during spring and autumn.

Qinhuai River, Nanjing

Qinhuai River

Confucius Temple, Nanjing

Confucius Temple

Found on the west side of the mountain (southeast of Nanjing Railway Station), is the scenic Xuanwu Lake. The Xuanwu Lake is a former imperial  navy training and recreation center accessed only by extravagant aristocrats. Fishing game and boating are some of the recreational activities in this area. Xuanwu Lake is a must for your itinerary in this city because the clustered sights are quite convenient for visitors to see for a day.

One of the must-see places in the city would be the area around the Qinhuai River, which falls on the southern end of the walled city. During the old days, this riverside region had a bustling nightlife where extravagant nobles, talents and businessmen flock to the restaurants, dance halls and whorehouses in this area. In Chinese literature, it is famed as a place for beauty queens and romance. Nowadays, Gongyuan Street (the modern name of the riverside street) has once again taken on the looks of an ancient shopping area and is fast becoming a busy scenic spot in the city. Antique temples, shopping centers, and restaurants surround Gongyuan Street. This is a very beautiful area because the landscape blends with the cityscape. Other tourist attractions in this area include Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao), Imperial Examination Museum of China, Ming walls, Bailuzhou Park, the Former Residence of the Wang and Xie Families, Zhonghua Gate and Zhanyuan Garden. This area is reputed as the Luminous Pearl of Jinling (former name of Nanjing) for its fantastic night scene. We highly recommend you to visit this area in the evening at around 7:00 p.m.

If one goes southward of the city area, crossing the South Railway Station, Yu Hua Tai - a favorite place for Chinese patriots will be found. The historical park of Yu Hua Tai houses a monument built to commemorate the seventy-two Chinese martyrs. If you will be more curious about historical records, we recommend you to visit the Museum halls, which contain these pertinent documents. The Yuhuashi (Rain Flower Pebbles) Art Festival (annual) is held here. The visit around this area will take you three hours.

 

Zhanyuan Garden, Nanjing

Zhanyuan GardenIn the eastern part outside of Nanjing along the upper part of the Qinhuai River (the river that crosses the city from northwest to the south) is Mochou Lake Park. Near the lake is The Memorial Hall to the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre. The memorial hall contains documents and pictures of Chinese  people under the atrocities of Japanese soldiers during World War II. Time spent on visiting this memorial hall will depend on how much you want to learn about the history of the local people under the Japanese regime. 1.2 km east from the lake is Chaotian Palace, a splendid complex and a former Confucius Temple built in 1384. Now it's the site of Nanjing Municipal Museum.

Besides, Nanjing Museum holding a collection of some 2,000 first class treasures of national and cultural interest, the Xuyuan Garden, a relatively small exquisite southern China gardening style garden and the Yangtze River Bridge are also highly recommended attractions of the city.

The shopping area near Xinjiekou, the street near Hunan Lu and Shanxi Lu Square, is a must for night owls. This is a commercial area and has a varied and bustling nightlife. More information is found in our nightlife section.