Things to do in Dangtu

Tianmen Mountain, a small scenic spot, is famous for Li Bai's poem "Looking at Tianmen Mountain". Here the mountains are majestic, the river is gurgling, and the scenery on both sides is endless. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can overlook the entire river and feel the poetic feeling of "the green mountains on both sides face each other, and a lone sail comes from the sun".

Most of the porcelain is from the same period as the Six Dynasties Museum. Geographically, it's very close, no wonder it's called Nan Ge's Little Pony. I was surprised to see so many pieces that weren't so rigid and had distinctly period-specific features. They were much more lively than what I saw in Nanjing. Perhaps the local customs here are more relaxed. Ma'anshan doesn't have many attractions, but this place is worth spending two hours exploring.

My second visit to West Lake was great; the boat tour was excellent. The dock was easy to find, the staff were very friendly, provided clear explanations, and helped with any issues. There were also sightseeing buses, which were nice but a bit pricey. Taking the boat tour and then walking around was both perfectly fine.

Shanghai After Dark — The Bund Never Sleeps ✨“Where the river reflects a thousand city lights and the future rises above a timeless waterfront. The Bund is more than a view — it’s Shanghai at its most magical, where elegance, ambition, and endless dreams meet.” 🌃❤

One of my favorite small attractions in Wuhu Ancient City is Zhanchuan Bookstore, which was originally a government office in the late Qing Dynasty and is a two-story Western-style house. When you walk into the bookstore, it is hard not to be attracted by the brightly colored and beautifully patterned floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The Western-style windows and the undecorated mottled walls form an indescribable harmonious beauty. Standing there, holding a book in hand, you can quietly feel the flow of time and the precipitation of years.

I went to see it during the May Day holiday. Some of the performances were nice, but they were too short. Almost all the activities inside were for children. I can only say that the performances were worth the money. It was still very beautiful at night, especially the fountain, which was really nice to see.

The Zhu Ran Tomb Museum in Ma'anshan, which is not even a popular attraction in the local area, should have been heard of by few people nationwide. But in the eyes of a poor student who once studied art history for five years, this museum can be regarded as one of the most low-key treasures of art history in China. Zhu Ran, who participated in the operation to capture Guan Yu and set fire to Liu Bei with Lu Xun, was a little famous in the Three Kingdoms. But the importance of the museum does not lie in the identity of the tomb owner, but in the batch of lacquerware unearthed in the tomb. We know that the history of Chinese painting is long, but the works that are really painted on paper or silk are basically no earlier than the Tang Dynasty because the materials are very difficult to preserve. There are many records of paintings from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period in ancient books, and even many names of painters are left, but there has always been a lack of factual basis. The lacquerware in Zhu Ran's tomb directly fills the gap in the art history of this period. This batch of lacquerware was a high-end handicraft at the time. One of them has the words "Shujun Zuolao" on the back, which should be a product customized by the Shu Han workshop for Dongwu customers at that time. Lacquer paintings are mainly based on figures, some depicting court banquets, singing and dancing, and aristocratic life scenes, as well as historical stories, which are a true display of the painting techniques of the time. The figures have rounded lines and different movements and expressions. Compared with the silk paintings or brick carvings of the Western Han Dynasty, they are more vivid and vivid. They are similar to the style of drum-beating and rapping figurines of the earlier period, allowing people to get a glimpse of the painting art style of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. This time, we took advantage of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday to visit. The museum is in the center of Ma'anshan, but it is unusually quiet. There were only two visitors throughout the whole process. Friends who are interested in art, if you travel to Ma'anshan, you must not miss it and go to the scene to appreciate the Chinese painting treasures 1,800 years ago.

The Confucius Temple and Jiangnan Examination Hall along the Qinhuai River in Nanjing offer stunning nighttime views. A stroll through them in the gentle autumn breeze is incredibly pleasant. There are free performances and some attractions that charge admission, so you can choose what to do. In short, anyone visiting Nanjing should definitely check them out.

If you haven't been there, it's worth a visit. It's a famous spot in Nanjing, always packed with people. As for the boat tour, if you haven't been before, you can take a ride, but it's probably a one-time thing, so the price isn't great. It's a 40-minute round trip on the boat, listening to the announcements, watching the night view of the Qinhuai River, with its many bridges along the banks. You can learn about history, see the waterscape and night view, and soak in the atmosphere.

This tour guide, Zhang Yi, was exceptionally dedicated. The scheduled 2-hour tour started at 9:30 AM, but actually lasted until around 12:30 PM. His explanations were very professional and detailed, and he interacted with the children throughout, answering questions and even giving them gifts. The most expensive private tour I booked for Sanxingdui last time, featuring the character Sanmao, had a tour guide who rushed through the entire tour, barely touching the last minute. This small group of 15 was definitely superior.