Wu Yi Alley

Wu Yi Alley

Wu Yi Alley is located south of the Confucius Temple. During the Three Kingdoms period, it was the site of the military barracks where the Wu Kingdom stationed its troops to guard Stone City. At that time, soldiers wore black uniforms, hence the alley was named “Wu Yi” (Black Clothes). In the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, the statesman Wang Dao lived here, and it later became the residential area for prestigious families such as the Wang and Xie clans. By the mid-Tang Dynasty, poet Liu Yuxi lamented that “the swallows that once nested in the halls of the Wang and Xie families now fly into common people’s homes,” a clear sign that the former residences of the Wang and Xie families had long disappeared. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the city of Jiankang experienced a period of recovery and development, becoming “prosperous in commerce and rich in resources.” People rebuilt the “Lai Yan Hall” on the ruins of the former Wang and Xie residences. Located east of Wu Yi Alley, the hall featured an elegant, classic design, with portraits of Wang Dao and Xie An hanging inside. It attracted scholars and tourists alike, becoming a renowned site for paying homage to the famous statesmen of the Eastern Jin and indulging in nostalgic reflection. The small street was lined with shops selling folk handicrafts, where both domestic and international visitors could admire and purchase a variety of crafts. In 1997, the Qinhuai District Government restored Wu Yi Alley and reconstructed the classically styled former residences of the Wang and Xie families.

Wu Yi Alley has a long history. According to historical records, its name originates from the Three Kingdoms period. After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu and Liu Bei of Shu formed an alliance and defeated Cao Cao’s forces, laying the foundation for the tripartite division of China. In 220 AD, Cao Pi declared himself emperor and established the Wei Kingdom. In 221 AD, Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor and founded the Han Kingdom, commonly referred to as Shu or Shu Han. In 229 AD, Sun Quan declared himself emperor and established the Wu Kingdom, historically known as Eastern Wu. That autumn in July, Sun Quan moved the capital from Wuchang to Nanjing, renaming Moling to Jianye, which means “establishing achievements.” He thus became the first emperor in history to establish the capital in Nanjing. At that time, Sun Quan’s soldiers all wore black uniforms, and the garrison was called the Black Clothes Camp.

In 280 AD, the Jin army captured Jianye, Sun Hao surrendered, and the Wu Kingdom fell. The city was then renamed Jianye (today, one of Nanjing’s districts is called Jianye District).

In 290 AD, Emperor Wu of Jin passed away, leading to power struggles among the emperor and his princes, resulting in mutual killings and triggering the War of the Eight Princes. In 307 AD, Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Chi, appointed Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, as the General of the East, overseeing regions including Yangzhou and southern Jiangnan. In 317 AD, Emperor Sima Ye was captured, leading to the fall of the Western Jin. The following year, Sima Rui was enthroned as emperor and established the capital at Jiankang (modern-day Nanjing). Sima Rui’s ability to establish himself in Jianye, reorganize the government, and extend the life of the Jin Dynasty was largely due to the strategies and mediation of Wang Dao. The Wang family, represented by Wang Dao, and the Xie family, represented by Xie An, both resided on the former site of the Wu Kingdom’s Black Clothes Camp. By this time, the camp had come to be known as “Wu Yi Alley.”

Wang Dao assisted in founding the Eastern Jin Dynasty, which lasted for a century. Xie An commanded the Battle of Fei River, achieving victory against overwhelming odds by defeating Fu Jian’s million-strong army. As eminent statesmen, the Wang and Xie families remain figures of lasting admiration. Even more remarkably, both families produced generations of talent. Wang Xizhi, along with fellow master calligraphers Wang Xianzhi and Wang Xun, achieved the pinnacle of calligraphic artistry. Xie Lingyun is regarded as the founder of Chinese landscape poetry, and alongside later Xie family poets such as Xie Huilian and Xie Lingyun’s other descendants, they are collectively celebrated in literary history as the “Three Xies.”

Address: No. 152, Gongyuan Street, Qinhuai District, Nanjing (Inside the South Temple)

Type: Themed Street

Rating: AAAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Phone: 025-52651345

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

Free admission.