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A rare trip to Nanjing is a chance to see the treasures left behind by ten dynasties—days and nights are enough to see them all! In November 2024, the tomb of Zhang Zhao, a prominent official of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, was discovered in Nanjing, adding another museum attraction to the list!
As a Nanjing local, I've carefully selected the following five museums based on their quality, location, and cultural popularity. If this is your first time in Nanjing, I highly recommend visiting them! There's also a Nanjing food guide at the end of this article, which I personally recommend for delicious food.
Admission: Free
As one of China's oldest museums, the Nanjing Museum's predecessor was the National Central Museum, founded in 1933 by Cai Yuanpei. Before the 21st century, the only museums in China that could be called "museums" were the Palace Museum, the Nanjing Museum, and the National Palace Museum in Taipei. I've visited these three countless times since I was a child, with my parents and school. Each time, I'm struck by the profoundness of China's millennia-old culture and the legacy of its artisans. Only seeing them in person can truly capture their awe!
After the renovation in 2015, there are 6 venues in total, including the History Museum, Special Exhibition Hall, Digital Museum, Art Museum, Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and the Republic of China Museum.
Before visiting, be sure to book an appointment on the official WeChat account! Open the Nanjing Museum app on your phone and make an appointment seven days in advance. The museum is currently implementing time-slot reservations, dynamically releasing tickets, and has increased the daily visitor limit to 25,000 people. The extended opening hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (closed on Mondays). We hope everyone can make an appointment!
Stamp collectors should not miss the stamp booths outside each venue; the earlier you go, the less crowded it will be. In addition, the cultural and creative areas on each floor are filled with a wide variety of cultural and creative products, so you're sure to find something you like, so you can pick one as a souvenir.
The History Museum has two floors. The second floor has ancient relics and treasures from the Eastern Han Dynasty, and there is a wonderful story behind each piece; the first floor has a history from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the glorious Ming and Qing Dynasties!
These must-see treasures of the museum:
1. Eastern Han Dynasty Silver-thread Jade Clothes
2. Golden Seal of Prince Guangling of the Eastern Han Dynasty
3. Brick Imprint Painting of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
4. Golden Beast of the Western Han Dynasty
5. Gilded, silver-inlaid, gemstone-inlaid bronze inkstone box in the shape of an animal
6. Jade Cong with a combination of human and animal faces
7. Glazed Pagoda of Da Baoen Temple
The museum’s treasures may travel from time to time, so you may not be able to see all of them when you visit!
Ticket price: 30 yuan
The Six Dynasties Museum is located on Changjiang Road, on the same street as the Presidential Palace, Nanjing Library, 1912 Block and Jiangning Weaving Museum.
It's often said that Nanjing is the ancient capital of six dynasties. Do you know which six dynasties they are? You can learn more about them on the basement and third floors of the museum.
Nanjing has been the capital of ten dynasties, and the Six Dynasties, dating back to the Tang Dynasty, were established there. The Eastern Wu, Eastern Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen dynasties all established their capitals in Nanjing. These six dynasties marked a golden age in ancient Chinese thought, with a multitude of schools of thought and scholarship, hence the saying "the six dynasties of gold and powder." It was these six dynasties that laid the foundation for the subsequent flourishing Sui and Tang dynasties, a period of rich cultural accumulation. Nanjing's profound cultural heritage is truly enough to be studied for a lifetime!
On the second floor, there is the Six Dynasties Museum’s treasure, a celadon underglaze colored feather figure patterned pan-mouthed pot from the Eastern Wu period.
Special exhibitions are usually arranged on the first floor. The special exhibition "The Only Chinese Color - Blue" that just ended was really worthwhile. All the exhibits were borrowed from various museums across the country. Even the Yuan blue and white porcelain "Blue and White Plum Vase with Xiao He Chasing Han Xin Under the Moon" that the Nanjing Museum (Chaotian Palace) usually doesn't want to exhibit was exhibited. You must know that Yuan blue and white porcelain is priceless. 20 years ago, the same Yuan blue and white jar with Guiguzi Going Down the Mountain was auctioned for 200 million yuan. Now this plum vase with Yuan blue and white porcelain has been listed as a cultural relic prohibited from being exhibited abroad!
The Six Dynasties Museum is recommended because the history of some dynasties starting from the Eastern Jin Dynasty can be systematically understood here, which is of certain value!
Ticket price: 30 yuan
It's rare to find a museum in a bustling downtown area, especially considering it serves as the prototype for Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber! The museum is particularly appealing for its convenient location, right outside the Daxinggong subway station and 100 meters from Kexiang Food Street. Furthermore, with the release of the 2024 film adaptation, the exquisite interpretation of the 1987 TV series has once again become a hot topic. Through in-depth interpretations by major bloggers, I believe that more and more people are not only captivated by the sincere love between Baoyu and Daiyu, but also by the diverse perspectives on life captured in the drama.
The Jiangning Weaving Museum was completed in 2009. This site was formerly the West Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau, a royal textile supplier during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Cao family, dating back to Cao Xueqin's great-grandfather, primarily supplied textiles to the imperial court. The imperial family of that time wore Nanjing's own Yunjin brocade. Due to its luxurious texture and unique craftsmanship, Yunjin brocade is now primarily used as a high-end fabric for clothing, particularly in folk costumes, performance costumes, and as decoration in public spaces.
During the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, the Jiangning Weaving Bureau was converted into a temporary palace to accommodate the emperor during his southern tours. The museum's location is named "Daxing Palace" for this reason. The museum consists of an exterior garden and two exhibition halls dedicated to brocade weaving and "Dream of the Red Chamber."
As soon as you enter the first floor, you will see a restored model of the Jiangning Weaving Hall, which shows the Jiangning Weaving Building Complex in the Qing Dynasty.
The Jiangning Palace was also the residence of three generations of officials, Cao Xueqin's great-grandfather Cao Xi, grandfather Cao Yin, and fathers Cao Fu and Cao Yong. The writer Cao Xueqin was born in Nanjing.
The West Pond, Lianting, Xuanrui Hall and other buildings of the Weaving Office were rebuilt in the building. There is a Cao Mansion Theater in the depths of the courtyard. Cao Xueqin's grandfather Cao Yin was proficient in opera and was very knowledgeable about Kunqu Opera. He established the Cao Family Opera Troupe. During his southern tour, Emperor Kangxi watched the performances of the Cao Family Opera Troupe many times in the Jiangning Weaving Office.
Walking through the green forest, I recall that over 300 years ago, Cao Xueqin's grandfather Cao Yin, the renowned poet Nalan Xingde, and Emperor Kangxi, during his southern tour, all walked through similar gardens, paused, and composed poetry. It was here that the young Cao Xueqin was born and raised.
In the Yunjin exhibition area on the underground floor, two Yunjin weavers are busy in front of a huge loom. Here is the Nanjing Yunjin, the highest achievement of my country's silk weaving technology.
Nearly 200 cultural relics and historical materials are on display in the internal exhibition hall. With the evolution of Jiangning Weaving in the Qing Dynasty as the main line, various exhibition forms are used to present the historical development of Jiangning Weaving and its special status in the Jiangnan region.
In the Dream of the Red Chamber exhibition hall, many classic scenes from the Dream of the Red Chamber are reproduced through digital dynamic picture albums and various technological means, including stills from the 1987 TV series Dream of the Red Chamber.
The exhibition hall features a panoramic view of the Grand View Garden, featuring Jia Baoyu's Yihong Courtyard and Lin Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Whether the Grand View Garden is fictional or real remains a matter of debate within the literary world, with no definitive answer. Everyone has a "Grand View Garden" in their hearts, a "Dream of the Red Chamber" in their hearts, perhaps reflecting the most beautiful aspects of their inner selves.
To understand "Dream of the Red Chamber," one must first understand Cao Xueqin and his family. Cao Xueqin was born in Jinling and spent 13 privileged years of his youth there. From his great-grandfather Cao Xi, to his grandfather Cao Yin, to his father Cao Yong, and his uncle Cao Fu, all served as textile manufacturers in Jiangning. Early in the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign, Emperor Yongzheng, upon hearing rumors of the Cao family transferring assets, ordered a confiscation of their property.
Cao Xueqin moved with his grandmother and others to Suanshikou outside Chongwenmen in Beijing, and later moved to Huangye Village in Xishan, Beijing. It was in Huangye Village in Xishan that he completed "Dream of the Red Chamber".
"On the vast white earth, Jia Baoyu finally chose to abandon the world and become a monk with a monk." This is the author's infinite sadness about the Jia family's decline from prosperity. It is also a summary of the fate of the feudal aristocracy represented by the Jia family, showing the historical trend that the entire feudal system and the feudal class are accelerating towards extinction.
Transportation: Take Metro Line 3 to Daxinggong Station and walk for 2 minutes.
This magnificent glazed pagoda, built during the Ming Dynasty, was hailed as "China's greatest antique, a masterpiece of the Yongle era." It's said that Europeans were particularly venerable, and a visit to the Jinling Da Baoen Temple is a must-see for anyone who can travel to the East.
Unfortunately, the Da Bao'en Temple was completely destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion. The current tower is a modern, reconstructed steel and glass structure. Before visiting, I recommend watching the Nanjing Museum special on the first season of "National Treasure," Episode 9 (February 4, 2018). The segment on the Da Bao'en Temple is truly captivating and will help you appreciate the grandeur of this tower, built by Zhu Di and destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion fire.
The Buddha's skull bone relic unearthed here is the only one of its kind in the world. The precious relic has been placed in the Buddha's Crown Palace in the southwest corner of Niu Shou Mountain!
The visit to Da Baoen Temple is divided into three parts: the museum, the underground palace and climbing the tower. There are performances during holidays, and it is also the most exciting part of Da Baoen Temple at night.
This is a light show area where light is refracted through glass into 84,000 lights, symbolizing the 84,000 Dharma doors of Buddhism. Each light, in sync with Buddhist chanting, changes into seven different shades of light, symbolizing the seven relic Buddha lights that have appeared throughout the history of Da Baoen Temple.
As a Nanjing native, I highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting Nanjing! Before you visit, I recommend watching the fourth season of "National Treasure," available for free on CCTV's official website, on July 13, 2024! The second national treasure featured in this episode is the Zhuke Ding, a large tripod from the Anhui Provincial Museum. The National Memorial Tripod at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders is modeled after this very same Ding!
What follows are some touching stories narrated by the former museum director, Zhu Chengshan. As a Nanjing native, I was learning a lot of this information for the first time:
It turns out that Nanjing's annual December 13th sirens began with a successful application by former museum director Zhu Chengshan in 1994 for the Nanjing City Memorial Day. The "air raid sirens" were a crucial element of the event, and they continued to do so for 30 years. He explained that in 1994, he traveled with survivor Xia Shuqin to various locations in Japan to testify. When they arrived in Hiroshima, they witnessed the atomic bomb commemorations, which deeply moved them, as we didn't have such a day of remembrance at the time. In 2014, national legislation designated December 13th as the National Memorial Day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
I was very moved when Zhu Chengshan said that the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall has been working tirelessly to compile a list of names of the victims. He wants to find the names of every one of the 300,000 victims, because 300,000 is not just a cold number, but 300,000 lives! This curator is truly remarkable!
Jinling snacks are ranked first among China's four major snacks! But if you want to taste the authentic flavor of the dishes, listen to the recommendations of Nanjing natives!
For Nanjing residents, salted duck is a dish they eat at least 2-3 times a week. A trip to Nanjing wouldn't be complete without it! While you've likely tried various Nanjing salted duck dishes more than once, many haven't experienced the authentic variety, leading some to dismiss it as merely ordinary.
As a local foodie who has been eating since childhood, here are some practical summaries for everyone:
1. We locals eat our duck from the duck shop downstairs. If you want authentic Nanjing salted duck, I recommend the "Osmanthus Duck" chain. There are many of these small shops near residential areas on the streets of Nanjing, with red signs. Be sure to go early in the morning for the freshest, firmest meat you can tell is going to be delicious! Don't buy the vacuum-packed ones; cut and eat them right away!
2. Nowadays, there are very few restaurants on the streets that serve authentic food, but the Meiyuan Restaurant at Jinling Hotel is the most authentic one I have ever eaten at. I don’t recommend ordering from other restaurants. You won’t go wrong with the two above, so feel free to eat them!
Different from Beijing roast duck, Nanjing roast duck is lean with fat, and the most memorable part is the broth in the topping. Delicious roast ducks are almost all found in the streets and alleys of the old city. Find a local to take you there to eat!
Speaking of Jinling vermicelli, it is a delicious snack that almost every Nanjing native has been eating since childhood. Every time they come back from other places, they must first try a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup to satisfy their cravings. It contains duck blood, duck liver, and duck intestines. Only after eating it will they feel like they have returned to their hometown, Nanjing!
There are many chain stores in Nanjing that serve duck blood vermicelli soup. I think the taste is always stable, so you can be assured. In addition, the following stores are popular and have good taste:
1. Xiao Pan Ji Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup 2. Ye Xin Snack Shop 3. Cui Jie Snacks
Almost every city in Jiangnan has its own homemade special xiaolongbao. The characteristic of Nanjing xiaolongbao is its firm meat and rich broth. You must eat the ones that are hot right out of the oven. I recommend these two, both of which are time-honored Nanjing brands and you won’t miss them: 1. Liu Changxing 2. Sichuan Restaurant. There are also many other mom-and-pop shops in the alleys of the south city. If you have time, you can go and try them.
There is another kind of dumpling in Nanjing called soup dumpling. The way it is wrapped is different from xiaolongbao, but the opening is closed at the bottom. In my opinion, the taste is not much different. The most famous one is the Jiming Soup Dumpling. If you go to Laomendong, you can try the Jiming Soup Dumpling there.
Nowadays, many shops in Nanjing no longer differentiate between xiaolongbao and tangbao. Many of them are made in the same way as xiaolongbao, but are called tangbao. So forget about it, just eat it!
As a native of Nanjing, I have loved steamed dumplings much more than xiaolongbao in recent years. I eat steamed dumplings almost every few weeks because they contain a variety of vegetarian dishes and have a richer taste!
Here are three recommended restaurants: 1. Liu Changxing 2. Railway King Xiaolongbao Restaurant
There are many pot sticker shops in Nanjing's streets and alleys. The most famous ones are all halal. The pot stickers are golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a refreshing marinade and carefully selected beef filling that melts in your mouth. The following are must-try places: 1. Halal Northwest Qiaotou Ramen King 2. Li Ji Halal Restaurant 3. Jiang Youji
This snack, made by boiling red beans into a soup and then adding small rice dumplings and fermented glutinous rice, is the most authentic one to try in Nanjing! My recommendations are: 1. Lan Lao Da Tang Congee and Lotus Root in Laomendong 2. Liu Changxing 3. Caixia Street Noodle House
When it comes to jelly in Nanjing, we locals only know Huang Qinji in Lao Mendong! When we were little, we'd always have a bowl every time we went to Confucius Temple. Since they've since moved to Lao Mendong, it's no longer a street vendor and is much cleaner! Don't miss it if you're in Lao Mendong!
Nanjing has many snacks and many main dishes. If you come to Nanjing with your family and there are many people, I suggest you go to a restaurant to eat!
The reason why I recommend this restaurant is that they can taste all the special elements of Nanjing. The menu is very creative. According to the region, culture, and cuisine, they have set up 4 different series: Jiangnan Twelve Dishes, Huaiyang Twelve Dishes, Red Mansion Twelve Dishes, Jinling Twelve Dishes. The names of the dishes in each series are poetic! I recommend this restaurant in Laomendong.
Braised Lion's Head, Stir-fried Prawns with Yuhua Tea, Simmered Marbled Beef, and Yuhua Stone Rice Balls are all good dishes.
One of their special features is that they use a dressing box to store Jinling specialty dim sum. You can also give it a try~
There is an advantage to eating in Laomendong, because it is also the largest cultural check-in spot in the south of the city. Jieziyuan recommends you to go and have a look!
The Mustard Seed Garden was the residence of Li Yu, a renowned scholar in the early Qing Dynasty. Built in the seventh year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the garden, though less than three acres, was meticulously cultivated by Li Yu, creating a "world within a pot," making it a remarkable gem among private gardens in Jiangnan. He also established a bookshop there, where Li Yu compiled and published the Four Great Classical Books, which laid the foundation for the Four Great Classical Novels.
Every evening at 5:30 PM, the dragon lanterns along the Laomen East City Wall will be lit, and there will be a countdown! This is a limited edition for the Year of the Dragon, so hurry up if you want to see it!
Kexiang's No.1 private restaurant, Qiangye Restaurant, is a long-established private restaurant located on Changbai Street. It has been open since I was born. It has hardly been advertised over the years, but it has a very high reputation among the locals. Relying on word of mouth, it has become a favorite of the young, middle-aged and old. It must have its outstanding features. For example, if there are dishes outside the menu, the chef can make them if you tell him!
When you come, just order these, they are all Nanjing specialties: duck tongue and frog stew, red pepper baked premium hairtail, stir-fried kidney, Jinling double-stinky, garlic duck chin, fish ball soup, black truffle soup dumplings.
If you want to eat authentic Huaiyang cuisine and Jinling snacks, don’t miss this low-key shop at the end of Ke Lane!
At night, melodious singing fills the air from the rooftops of an alley in Laomendong. This is the uniquely artistic atmosphere of the old south city, a favorite gathering spot for young people. This is Nanjing's own local folk music bar: Yangying's Fire Pond! My favorites are those in Jianzi Alley and Laomendong, the former's open-air rooftop setting and the latter's refreshing setting on the cobblestone sidewalk.
This rooftop fire pit in Jianzi Alley is one of Nanjing's oldest. It's free of garish decorations and a refreshingly fast pace. Upon entering the rooftop, you'll find tranquility. Every evening at 6 PM, a folk music tour begins, allowing you to slowly feel the warmth of the city. When the temperature drops below 10°C, the owner will light the central fire pit.
Sitting in the highest position, you can also see the light show on the Da Baoen Temple and the Zhonghua Gate city wall. Under the eaves are pleasure boats roaming on the Qinhuai River. The singer's slow singing of his insights into life has also touched the hearts of urban residents.
Nantai Lane, which can be walked through in 10 minutes, gathers the most distinctive food and bars in the Xinjiekou area. They are next to each other and the entrances are not big, so you may miss them if you are not careful, but when you go inside, you will find a different world!
Recommended restaurants: 1. Bars - Hui Bar (Nantaixiang Branch) - STAFF ONLY Bar (Nantaixiang Branch) - The Sauce 2. Restaurants - San Liang San Chinese Izakaya (Nantaixiang Branch) - Buono
