The Ultimate Guide to the Qinhuai Lantern Festival: No More Wasted Steps!

The beauty of this year's Nanjing doesn't need much explanation, the internet is full of rave reviews. The Qinhuai Lantern Festival is the most famous lantern festival in China, known as the 'Number One Lantern Festival in the World' and 'The Best of Qinhuai Lantern Colors'. This year's Qinhuai Lantern Festival mainly features the Confucius Temple, Bailuzhou Park, and Laomendong in these three places!! (Free) The lantern decorations in Laomendong are displayed for free every year, and this year's dragon lantern is particularly spectacular, perfectly integrating with the ancient-style architecture, instantly filling the atmosphere. Recommended must-see spots include Sanyi Camp, the food street, and the main street's dragon lantern, which are both majestic and particularly photogenic. (Free before 10:00 AM, charges apply at other times) This lantern festival is created based on the Ming Dynasty's national treasure painting 'Shangyuan Lantern Festival', featuring 68 sets of variously sized themed lantern decorations, divided into 5 major cultural theme exhibition areas, recreating the grandeur of the past. Personally, I think the most spectacular is the 'Dragon Welcoming Guests from All Directions' at the West Gate, truly loveable. Since ancient times, the Confucius Temple has held a Lantern Festival during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, attracting tourists from all over the country to admire the lanterns. The lantern decorations at the Confucius Temple are mainly concentrated in the Confucius Temple Dacheng Hall, Jiangnan Gongyuan, and the Imperial Examination Museum, but tickets are required. If you don't want to buy a ticket, you can enjoy the night view of the Confucius Temple from the Wende Bridge, and take photos with the dragon wall nearby. Tips: Recommend visiting Laomendong first, as it's a great place to stroll during the day and afternoon, take photos, and dine, just in time to enjoy the lanterns when they're lit. Many guides recommend going to the city wall to admire the lanterns, but as far as I know, there are no lanterns on the city wall this year!! It's just a viewpoint to appreciate the giant dragon in Laomendong. This year, the Zhonghua Gate Castle is mainly about the light show. If you want to visit the Qinhuai Lantern Festival in one evening, you can start with Laomendong, then enter from the east gate of Bailuzhou Park, exit from the west gate, and finally stroll through the Confucius Temple, so you can avoid unnecessary detours.