To the south of Nanjing, sits the Confucius Temple on the bank of the Qinhuai River in the old town. Built in the Song Dynasty, it is the ritual place of worshipping and offering sacrifices to Confucius. But now the whole area, after its recent renovation and restoration, becomes a replica of old local life and typical architecture in Ming and Qing styles. Accomplished with the secondary reconstructing project on the basis of its original scale in 1997, the dainty snacks street, Wang's and Xie's old residences in Wuyi Lane and the Oriental Art Courtyard have been restored to increase the cultural atmosphere in the temple area.
Former Residence of Wang's and Xie's at Wuyi (Black Clothes) Lane.
The place was the former army garrison of Wu Kingdom, which dates back to over 1,700 years ago. The soldiers wore black clothes at that time, hence the name, Wuyi Lane. In early East Jin Dynasty, Prime Minister Wang Dao lived here. Wuyi Lane gradually became the residence area for Wang's and Xie's (Xie An was also a high-ranking official during East Jin Dynasty). During the mid-Tang Dynasty, poet Lin Yuxi visited Wuyi Lane and sighed in his famous poem, "The swallows from the residence of wang's and Xie's are now entering the ordinary people's houses". The poem gives us a faint idea of the splendor of Wuyi Lane during the East Jin Dynasty. In 1997, the Qinhuai District People's Government renovated Wuyi Lane and Former Residence of Wang's and Xie's. It provides a wonderful place for tourists to understand the history of Nanjing during the six dynasties (Wu Kingdom, East Jin, Song, Qi, Liang and Chen dynasties, 229AD-589AD). Inside the residence there are many paintings, books and carvings of historic and artistic value.
Located on the Qinhuai River at the Confucius Temple Area, Nanjing Oriental Art Gallery is a building made of blue bricks and tiny tiles. Its graceful courtyard, secluded corridors, doors and windows with carvings and lattices reflect the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties. The art gallery was also called "Qifeng Gallery", since it was built by Zhu Qifeng, who lived in the period of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty in Anhui Province. The gallery served as a place for the men in Zhu family to study for the imperial examination. This typical Anhui style building is the only one well preserved from Ming and Qing period at Confucius Temple area.
Fold Art Exhibition
Displayed here include kites, scented bags, door paintings, batik, coloured string knots, paper-cutting, masks, tree-root carvings, pyrograph, eccentric stones, and South China style paintings and calligraphy, Rain flower pebbles and woodcarvings.
Shadow Play
The 1,600-year-old shadow play only exists in China's Heilongjiang, Henan and Nanjing. Nanjing Shadow Play Troupe can play over a dozen of acts shadow play. When invited, the troupe can play for at hotel.
Local Delicacies
Nanjing Oriental Art Gallery has a restaurant with 50 seats. People can try the delicacies of Qinhuai River area.
Confucius Temple is located at the center of the old town of Nanjing. First build in the Song Dynasty; Confucius Temple was a place where students came to pay respect to Confucius. It was gradually renovated and expanded to a place with a group of Ming and Qing style buildings. A street of local delicacies, Former Residence of Wang's and Xie's at Wuyi Lane, and Nangjing Oriental Art Gallery were rebuilt and renovated in1997. Confucius Temple Area becomes a commercial and tourist site. It is a good place for tourists to understand traditional Chinese culture.
Jiangnan Imperial Examination Center was located to east of Confucius Temple. It was first built during Song Dynasty in a grand scale. It was called Jiangnan Examination Center because there was Jiangnan Province in Qing Dynasty. Chinese emperors began to select officials through imperial examination from Sui Dynasty in the 7thcentury.
Jiangnan Imperial Examination Center had its heyday during early Ming Dynasty when Nanjing was the capital of China. It was for the examinations at province level. Visitors today can see a watchtower, where the invigilators watched the students during the examinations, a good number of stone tablets and 40 cubicles where the students took the examinations in the daytime and slept at night. Sometimes visitors can also see a demonstration of the imperial examination.
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