Nanjing Muyan Riverside Scenic Area

Nanjing Muyan Riverside Scenic Area

The Nanjing Muyan Riverside Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Muyan Riverside Scenic Area is situated between the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge and the Second Yangtze River Bridge, with Mufu Mountain as its main ridge. Nestled against the city and facing the river, the area features numerous historical and cultural relics on and around the mountain, rich forest resources, and uniquely distinctive limestone karst cave landforms. It is an important part of the riverside scenic area that reflects Nanjing’s historical and natural landscape characteristics, and is also one of the exemplary zones highlighting Nanjing’s integration of urban mountains, waters, forests, and the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

The Nanjing Muyan Riverside Scenic Area lies at the junction of the northern temperate zone and the subtropical zone, featuring distinct seasons, with an average annual temperature of 15.4°C and ample rainfall averaging 800–1000 millimeters per year. The scenic area is covered with lush and diverse vegetation. The mountain forests consist mainly of planted forests supplemented by natural secondary forests. The trees are predominantly mixed coniferous evergreens and deciduous broadleaf species. Planted evergreen conifers include black pine, cedar, and Masson pine, while deciduous species include pomegranate, persimmon, and bamboo. Natural secondary forest species include blue sandalwood, tung tree, honey locust, ginkgo, hackberry, and pear trees. Understory shrubs include wild rose, hydrangea, Chinese prickly ash, vitex, and photinia. Ground covers consist of mondo grass, viola, plantain, and wild senna. Vines include creeping fig, ivy, trachelospermum, and Boston ivy. The animal population mainly consists of common beneficial birds for agriculture and forestry, such as the Eurasian green woodpecker, red-billed blue magpie, Chinese hwamei, crested myna, great tit, Oriental cuckoo, lesser cuckoo, Pacific swift, and black-naped oriole. The excellent vegetation and fresh air make the scenic area a vast “natural oxygen bar.”

The Nanjing Muyan Riverside Scenic Area has a unique historical and cultural heritage and landscape resources. Since the Six Dynasties period, it has been a renowned scenic spot in Nanjing, encompassing six of the ancient “Forty-Eight Scenic Spots of Jinling”: Mufu Ascent, Dharma Ancient Cave, Yanji Sunset, Yongji River Flow, Jiashan Scripture Listening, and Hualong Beautiful Land. To this day, there are still many historic sites, including Shengyou Temple, Dharma Cave, Yunshui Pavilion, Jialuofeng Peak, Imperial Stele Pavilion, First Terrace Cave, and Guanyin Pavilion. Historically, figures such as Qin Shi Huang, Sima Rui, Wang Dao, Dharma, Emperor Wu of Liang, Li Bai, Li Yu, Zhu Yuanzhang, Kangxi, and Qianlong have left numerous historical traces here. The scenic area offers visitors a chance to explore antiquity and serenity, experiencing the fusion of Nanjing’s rich ancient capital culture and beautiful natural landscapes.

Scenic Area Address: Yongji Avenue, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: Within Nanjing City, take bus routes 35, 176, or 308 and get off at Wutangcun East Station; take bus routes 149 or 307 and get off at Shangyuanmen Station; take bus routes 8 or 122 and get off at Yanziji Station; or take a cruise ship and disembark at Yanziji Wharf.