The Qinhuai River

The Qinhuai River

The Qinhuai River is a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Qinhuai River is the largest river in Nanjing. It is divided into an inner river and an outer river, with the inner river located within the city and being the most bustling part of the Ten-Mile Qinhuai area. The Qinhuai River has two sources: the eastern source originates from Baohua Mountain in Jurong City, and the southern source comes from Donglu Mountain in Lishui County (the Yanzhi River beneath the Tiansheng Bridge). These two sources converge at Fangshandai in Jiangning District and flow into Nanjing City through the East Water Gate. The Qinhuai River runs horizontally from east to west across the urban area, exiting the city from the West Water Gate in the south and flowing into the Yangtze River.

The Qinhuai River was anciently known as the Huai River, originally called “Longcangpu.” It is approximately 110 kilometers long, with a drainage area of over 2,600 square kilometers, making it a major waterway in the Nanjing region and historically very famous. Legend has it that when Emperor Qin Shi Huang toured the east, he saw purple air rising over Jinling (Nanjing), which he believed to be an imperial omen. He then ordered the cutting through of Fangshan Mountain and the breaching of a long ridge to divert the river into the Yangtze. Later generations mistakenly believed this river was excavated during the Qin Dynasty, hence the name “Qinhuai.” The Qinhuai River is the cradle of Nanjing’s ancient civilization. As far back as the Stone Age, there were human activities in the river basin. From the East Water Gate to the West Water Gate, both riverbanks have been bustling commercial and residential areas since the Eastern Wu period. During the Six Dynasties, it became a gathering place for noble families, bustling with merchants and literati, and known for the flourishing of Confucian scholarship. After the Sui and Tang dynasties, it gradually declined but still attracted countless poets and scholars who came to mourn the past, lamenting “swallows that once nested in the halls of the nobility now fly into commoners’ homes.” By the Song Dynasty, it gradually revived as the cultural center of the Jiangnan region. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Ten-Mile Qinhuai reached its zenith. Ornate buildings stood in close succession; painted pleasure boats glided along the water, with the sounds of oars and the shimmer of lanterns creating a dreamlike and fantastical scene. However, in modern times, due to wars and other reasons, the river gradually became polluted and many riverside buildings were destroyed, leaving the former glory all but gone. Since 1985, Jiangsu Province and Nanjing Municipality have allocated substantial funds to restore this scenic area, and the Qinhuai River has once again become a renowned tourist destination in China.

Address: Qinhuai District, Nanjing City

Type: River

Recommended visiting time: 4–5 hours

Phone: 025-52377008

Official website: http://www.njfzm.net/

Opening hours:

Open all day