Encountering with Nanjing in Summer - Secrets of Starry Sky and Fireflies at Night in Summer

On summer nights in Nanjing, a strong sense of Jinling culture imperceptibly adds radiance and beauty to the modern urban customs, echoing countless beautiful natural sceneries. Walking through the fireflies filling the whole sky, you can not only look up at the starry sky but also have a bird's eye view of the lingering river-like lights in the city. Accompanying gentle breeze to witness the brilliantly-illuminated Nanjing, you will set off a wonderful journey to the quiet starry sky and drifting fireflies, in which you will be allowed to experience the unique romance of Nanjing summer at close range.

(Photo: Night in Nanjing Zijin Mountain; Source: stock.tuchong.com)

The Zijin Mountain is an excellent place to observe the stars, which is located in the suburb of Nanjing. Here, you can look up at the vast stars with your close friends and overlook the prosperity of the whole city. This is one of the most romantic things worth trying on a summer night in Nanjing.

Zijin Mountain, also known as Purple Mountain or Zhong Mountain, is located in Xuanwu District of Nanjing. As one of the four most famous mountains in regions south of the Yangtze River, it enjoys the reputation of "Elegant and Graceful Jinling", and is also recognized as a gathering place of scenic spots and historical sites in Nanjing, a national eco-cultural demonstration site, and a world cultural heritage site. Zijin Mountain Scenic Area, one of the first batch of national 5A scenery sites, is located at the southern foothill of Zijin Mountain. With an altitude of 448.9 meters, Zijin Mountain is regarded as the highest mountain in Nanjing. Meanwhile, it is also a natural scenic lookout in Nanjing, which presents different beautiful scenery throughout the year, constantly witnessing the changes of Nanjing's four seasons.

On a sunny summer day near the evening, you can climb the Zijin Mountain with your best friends to see the most beautiful sunset in Nanjing. At nightfall, a myriad of twinkling lights of Nanjing will slowly shine, ultimately converging into a gorgeous nightscape with dazzling lights and marvelous colors.

(Photo: Nightscape Outline of Zijin Mountain Source: 699pic.com)

More specifically, maybe you could go on a hike with your best friends and camp at the top of Zijin Mountain. Enjoying the lights of the city and the stars shining in the sky, you can talk with friends in a jovial mood until the moment of sunrise the next day. (Tips: During night camping, it is strongly recommended to participate in group camping activities organized by experienced camping companies or camping activities organized by large teams. Do not go camping in Zijin Mountain without permission. In addition, it is recommended that you arrive at the scenic lookout before dark)

(Photo: Fireflies at Linggu Temple; Source: 699pic.com)

There is another summer-only scenery in Zijin Mountain -- Linggu Fireflies. On midsummer nights, swarms of fireflies will gently dance in the trees of Zijin Mountain. Dots of light, like stars in the night sky, become the most beautiful scenery on a summer night on Zijin Mountain.

The best place to watch fireflies in Zijin Mountain is Linggu Temple. This old-timey Buddhist temple, as one of the three major Buddhist temples built in the Ming Dynasty, is full of surrounding verdant trees, winding paths leading to secluded spots, morning bells, and evening drums, as well as ethereal chanting sounds, presenting a fascinating artistic concept. In the shade of the night, this temple, which seems to be lost in meditation, is surrounded by swarms of fireflies, with flickering lights flashing. Walking into this dreamland of happiness, the flickering fluorescence seems to lead you into a long-awaited fairy tale world.

(Photo: Fireflies at Linggu Temple; Source: 699pic.com)

Along the greenway path on both sides of Linggu Temple, fireflies shed dreamlike light in the dark, as if they had fallen into the world with nothing from the Milky Way. In the disorderly dancing, their flashing light spots fall on the seats of the temple, the corner of the courtyard wall, the bridgehead, and the side of the stream... Those ancient stone carvings, ornamentation, bricks, and even the building with Buddhism lection and joss, are increasingly fantastic and moving under the embellishment of the light emitted by fireflies as if taking you back thousands of years to this ancient temple.

These fairies flying naturally reflected the candlelight of the temple and the grey-green bricks on the stupa, patiently dotting the whole mountain forest. The steps in front of the brick-vault hall, Zhigong Hall, and the Sanjue Monument in Linggu Temple, are the best places to photograph the glowing fireflies and record the dreamy summer nights.

Considering the high requirements of fireflies on the ecological environment, light pollution, noise pollution, and artificial capture typically cause fatal harm to them. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that everyone endow these fairies with a better habitat while observing them, enjoying the sight of this beautiful scenery in a quiet, scientific and civilized manner.

Besides the glowing fireflies, the fair-sounding chirps, the spectacular starry sky, and the brilliant stars, more romance of Nanjing summer nights needs to be explored for the unforeseen palpitations that every corner of Nanjing may bring us. After all, there is always a special summer romance that is unforgettable.