Winter Scenery in Nanjing as Beautiful as an Ink Painting

The winter of Nanjing is a strong ink painting with massive Jiangnan style, giving the city a unique charm in winter. Relying on winter rain, first snow and warm sun, it presents a huge traditional Chinese painting of Nanjing for every one of you. Atmospheric solemnity sets its main tone. A hint of red and yellow revealed from time to time causes Nanjing to set free its winter aura.

(Photo: Snow view of Nanjing; Source: Unsplash)

Winter rain

Nanjing's winter always comes with a drizzle. The cool rain drips sporadically in the city, as if it tries to wash everything, and coats the city with mist, making everything illusory. This ancient and solemn city is made elegant and gentle gradually by the winter rain, like rolling out a beautiful ink painting.

Qinhuai River is also getting softened and elegant in the winter rain. This river, which has nurtured the ancient city for thousands of years, has always been one of the most prosperous sections of Nanjing. During the Six Dynasties, it was a place where famous clans clustered, merchants and scholars gathered, and Confucianism flourished. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, its status gradually declined, but countless literati and poets were allured to mourn its fall. The Ming and Qing Dynasties represent the prime of the Qinhuai River. “Thousands of houses are seated in the spring breeze by Qinhuai River”.

(Photo: Qinhuai River on a rainy night; Source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)

As the cool rain drips sporadically into the Qinhuai River, lights reflected in the water are disorganized. The golden terraces, painted boats, the sound of oars and the shadows of lamps constitute a beautiful and fantastic spectacle. Pavilions and ancient folk houses built along the river extend far and get stained by mist and rain. They are reflected in the water, setting off the hazy mist. A huge ancient ink painting is formed as such, giving you a sense of the Sui and Tang dynasties where a group of literati and poets are expressing themselves by the Qinhuai River. Looking from afar, the distant pavilions are caged in the misty rain, like a dream.

You can't help wondering how many more views can you witness.

First snow

Snow is probably a unique gift to Nanjing given by winter. Snowflakes cover the magnificent ancient buildings in Nanjing. Red city walls covered by snow, yellow glazed tiles and houses with high eaves are full of ancient charisma and fascination. One can't help getting intoxicated by the snow in Jinling.

The famous scenic spot Xiaoling Tomb of Ming Dynasty is added with more charisma after a snow. Snowflakes fall on the ancient mottled city walls and stone statues, and crystal icicles hang down with the eaves, which inject a new aura into these buildings that have long been guardians of the city.

As the most complete ancient architectural complex of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Nanjing, Chaotian Palace also has its charisma best set off in the white snow. The glazed tiles with high eaves make the red wall more bright and beautiful in the flying snow.

(Photo: Xiaoling Tomb of Ming Dynasty; Source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)

As the "highest point" of Nanjing City, Zijin Mountain is undoubtedly the best place to enjoy snow view in Jinling The entire mountain is coated with white snow, just like a world of ice in the fairy tale, which is clear and refreshing.

Warm sun

Nanjing shows up with another style on a sunny day. The sunshine spread on the ancient city walls, the shadow of trees on red walls, the orange Metasequoia on Meihua Mountain, and the sparkling water of Xuanwu Lake, all of which plate Nanjing with a thin layer of warm gold in winter, vitalizing and softening the whole city.

Chasing the sunshine to Gulou Park, you may see red walls, arches and eaves highlighting the amazing appearance of the park in the sun! Sunshine, red walls and mottled tree shadows overshadow all other scenery in this season.

Pond cypresses stand as the beautiful winter scenery echoing this. In the Pine and Cypress Garden and the Zhima Ridge of Nanjing Zhongshan Botanical Garden, there is a pond cypress forest, in which tall and straight pond cypresses are arranged orderly. As soon as winter comes, the pond cypresses turn red, and form the most primitive style of winter against the blue sky and the afterglow of the warm sun, brightening Ink Nanjing.

(Photo: Metasequoia in Zhima Ridge; Source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)

Qinhuai River, white tiles and red walls, stone city wrapped in silver, whirling shadow of trees on red walls, and orange-red metasequoia on Meishan Mountain display to you the magnificence and tenderness of Nanjing in winter. We may appreciate the winter style of Nanjing both statically and dynamically.