10 Tips for Visiting Nanjing's Bao'en Temple in Spring!

🌿 The misty, flower-filled month of March is the perfect time to visit the south of the Yangtze River! When traveling to Nanjing in spring, exploring the city walls, enjoying the night view, praying for blessings, and admiring flowers, the Bao'en Temple Ruins Scenic Area is a fantastic choice. · 🌿 Bao'en Temple is located next to Zhonghua Gate, along the Outer Qinhuai River, adjacent to Laomendong Scenic Area, and a 10-minute walk from Confucius Temple. When visiting Nanjing, you can make this your first stop on a Nanjing city walk. · 📸 Having visited Bao'en Temple more than 10 times in a year, I've compiled 10 tips for a spring prayer journey to Bao'en Temple, which may be helpful for those traveling to Nanjing recently. · 1. About the history: Bao'en Temple was originally Jianchu Temple, the origin of the "Four Hundred and Eighty Temples of the Southern Dynasties." Although the glazed pagoda of Bao'en Temple has been destroyed, through the cultural relics, you can still see the magnificence and prosperity of the past, the vicissitudes of the years, a thousand years at a glance. · 2. Visiting route (clockwise 🔃) 📍 Scenic Area Entrance (check in at the Nanjing Book Frame) ➠📍 Millennium Gaze (crystal prayer beads) ➠📍 Glazed Archway (same style as National Treasure) ➠📍 Underground Palace Sacred Relics (Asoka Pagoda) ➠📍Sarira Buddha Light (seven-colored Buddha light) ➠📍 Bao'en Forest ➠📍 Bodhi Tree (popular photo spot overlooking the Buddha) ➠📍 "Nanjing Literary Context" Themed Exhibition ➠📍 Bao'en Pagoda (illuminated at 6:30 pm, absolutely stunning!) ➠📍 Millennium Underground Palace (sensing sarira) · 3. Bao'en Temple "Daming · Lamplighter" lighting ceremony ↓ Monday to Thursday: 6:30 pm Friday to Sunday: 6:15 pm There will be a light show during this time, it's super impressive to see it live! · 4. Photo spots: ✔️ Nanjing Book, at the scenic area entrance ✔️ Nanjing Calendar + bell striking, in front of the pagoda square ✔️ Mirror reflection, pagoda square, next to the Nanjing Calendar ✔️ Under the Bodhi tree, Millennium Gaze ✔️ Four Hundred and Eighty Temples of the Southern Dynasties, the reflection of the murals is stunning · 5. Must-see exhibition: "Nanjing Literary Context." The exhibition is very impressive, starting from the Southern Dynasties, all the way through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, up to modern times, showcasing the evolution of Nanjing literature. The exhibition installations are beautiful, including the Prosperous Scenery of the Southern Capital and the train station from *Back View*. · 6. Bao'en Temple stamps: Nianzitang Cultural and Creative Store + Wish Supermarket. The latest limited edition stamp for the "Nanjing Literary Context" exhibition is Li Bai, don't miss it! · 7. 💰 Ticket price: 90 · 8. ⏰ Opening hours: 8:30 am - 7:30 pm · 9. Transportation: Subway Line 1, Zhonghua Gate Station, Exit 2; Line 3, Yuhuamen Station, Exit 4 · 10. Bao'en Temple Ruins Scenic Area has limited edition cards for International Women's Day, and the March Bodhi tree adoption activity is about to start. · 📸 Finally, a few more tips: ✔️ The Bao'en Temple Ruins are quite large. Climbing the pagoda, taking photos, and seeing the exhibition takes about 2-3 hours. You can enter the park at 4:30 pm to see both daytime and nighttime scenery! ✔️ Bao'en Temple Ruins is a 10-minute walk from Confucius Temple. After watching the Bao'en Pagoda lighting ceremony, you can also visit the Qinhuai River at night and enjoy the night view of Confucius Temple.