Nanjing Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao), Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)

Originally built in 1034, Confucius Temple is a sacred shrine to Confucius, a famous thinker and educator in ancient China. The thoughts of Confucius are still highly appreciated by scholars. Actually the Confucius Temple is a group of old buildings with the Temple as the main construction. These structures have undergone countless changes, being destroyed and rebuilt time and again. Now the Confucius Temple is one of the most famous scenic spots in Nanjing.

There is a sculpture of Confucius in Dacheng Palace in this temple. The figure is about 6.5 meters high (about 21 feet) and about 3.15 meters wide (about 3 yards). It is said that, out of the many Confucius figures in China, this is the largest. On both the east and west sides of the temple there are markets, which form a distinctive architectural pattern.

Getting there:
You can take No.1, 4, 7, 30, 40, 49, 301, or 304 bus or special sight seeing bus No. 2 or 4 in Nanjing City to get to Confucius Temple.

Admission Fee :

CNY 15 (Dacheng Hall)

Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the mausoleum of the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) Zhu Yuanzhang. Located in the eastern outskirts of Nanjing, the total area of the mausoleum is 1,700,000 square meters (about 420 acres). Construction began in 1381 and took more than 30 years to complete. Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the largest mausoleum in Nanjing and one of the largest in China. After undergoing many changes only the brick construction remains and all the wooden parts have been destroyed by fire. The position of the mausoleum was chosen by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang himself. The position along with the structural style had a great affect on the construction of later mausoleums.

The scenery around Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is extremely beautiful. Plum Garden in its south, Zhongshan Arboretum in its southwest and Sea World in its southeast are all worth visiting.

Admission Fee : CNY 70
Bus Route : 20, Tourism Bus No. 2 & 3