Nanjing off-the-beaten-path itinerary: Avoid the crowds and experience a different Nanjing

Strolling through Nanjing, you can always find a gift from time at the corner of the street. This off-the-beaten-path itinerary will take you to discover the unique charm of Nanjing. Start your day at Zhongshan Wharf and take a ferry across the Yangtze River. The rusty iron gate and mottled wooden chairs from the Republic of China era outline the contours of the old days in the morning light. Looking out the window at the river, the cargo ship drags out long ripples, and you seem to see the platform in Zhu Ziqing's "Back Shadow." After landing, head west to Jinghai Temple, a Ming Dynasty temple open to the public for free, which hides the secret of Zheng He's voyages to the West. The ancient ginkgo trees in the courtyard sprinkle gold, and the inscriptions of "Edict to Overseas Countries" in the stele gallery are faintly discernible. The heroic feat of the treasure ship breaking the waves six hundred years ago is frozen in time here. Looking far away at Yuejiang Tower, this famous tower, which has been empty for six hundred years, stands majestically on the top of Lion Mountain. The vermilion columns reflect the blue sky, and if you have time, you can climb to the top to see the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge lying across the river like steel strings. The smoke of war when Zhu Yuanzhang defeated Chen Youliang seems to still linger in the wind. In the afternoon, head to Qingliang Mountain, where the moss is mottled between the bricks and stones of the city wall. Standing on the ruins and looking down, modern buildings and the Ming city wall intersect in the shadows of the trees, and the sense of history is overwhelming. As the sun sets, the weeping willows by Mochou Lake dip into the water, and the fragrance of lotus is faint. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Xuanwu Lake, this place is more tranquil. The melodious sound of the huqin played by the old Nanjing people in the corridor, combined with the egrets flying over the lake, creates an ink painting-like scene. Then, pass through Gulou Square, where the glass curtain wall of Zifeng Tower reflects the red walls and flying eaves of Gulou Park, and the morning bell of the Ming Dynasty resonates wonderfully with the modern second hand. As dusk approaches, head straight to Jincheng Book City. In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the third floor, the sunset is dyeing the clouds into a gradient of orange and pink, and the reflection of the city on the glass overlaps with the real skyline. In the sound of turning pages, the entire city of Nanjing seems to become a poetry collection that can be read. The beauty of this ancient city, in addition to the popular attractions, is also waiting for those with a heart to slowly savor.