QINHUAI RIVER

The oldest Site site stretches along the river Qinhuai, formerly named the Petite River or Xiao Jiang, compared to the Great River (Da Jiang) or Yangtze. It takes its source in the surrounding landforms, crosses the city before throwing into the Yangtze to the West. During the centuries, buildings and beautiful gardens set on the edge of the river of Ten Kilometers, represented endless sources of inspiration in the eyes of poets. In 1984, we began renovations to the district between Zhong Hua and Confucius Temple to restore its antan of yesteryear and make it one of China's most visited tourist sites. The whole thing is fairly staggered, even if the places want to be placed under the sign of authenticity. The challenge is highlighted: The neighborhood is very lively, from night to day, an enthusiastic crowd keeps walking in these shopping streets lined with brand new Ming houses. The old restaurants, all renovated on the same model, always attract more amateurs.

Dating back to the Ming period, Zhonghua Men, the southern door of the ancient city, is one of the last vestiges of the fortress. At the beginning, four doors ran out of each other, stretching over a length of 125 m. Built at the beginning of the dynasty, its height of 21,45 m (its walls have a thickness of 118,50 m) makes this monument the biggest door of the present whole.

Today, there is only the base of the huge tower of custody perched above the door. This impressive structure is entirely unique in terms of military architecture. The Zhonghua Men district has been completely renovated. You can reach the Qinhuai River on a few hundred metres by taking the Dayoufang Gang, after the Wuding Qiao Bridge leading to the popular Nanjing Arts Museum (Qinhuai Minjian Yishu Guan). The former residence of Li Xiangjun, a popular Ming singer, rises on Meixiang Lou. The building consists of a succession of three two-storey building, wooden structure, representative of the traditional architecture of the region.