Culture

Nanjing Museum

Nanjing is a city known for its cultural tradition in China. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the city was a place where poets gathered and composed poems celebrating its magnificent landscape and glorious past. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), it was the site for the imperial civil service examinations for southern China, functioning as a center of intellectual and cultural interaction.

Nanjing as a historical city is rich in cultural heritage.

In 2009, the craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocade, together with China’s engraved block printing technique, was added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Nanjing Yunjin brocade has a history of over 1,500 years. It was known for its elegant and gorgeous colors and patterns, which are compared to the bright clouds in the sky. (The name Yunjin in Chinese means "cloud" brocade.) The craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocade marks the zenith of Chinese silk weaving skill.

Engraved block printing technique can be seen in Jinling Buddhist Scripture Press in the city. The technique, which has a 1,300-year-long history, requires the collaboration of half a dozen craftspeople with printing expertise, dexterity and team spirit.

Engraved block printing technique

Nanjing is home to some of the best libraries, art galleries and museums in China. Nanjing Library, founded in 1907, houses more than 7 million volumes of printed materials and is the third largest library in the country, next to Beijing and Shanghai Libraries. Jiangsu Art Gallery, the largest gallery in the province, presents some of the best traditional and contemporary art pieces of China. Nanjing Museum, formerly known as the National Central Museum before 1949, is the first modern museum and remains as one of leading museums in China.

World Theater Festival in Nanjing

Lang-lang Nanjing Piano Concert

9th Nanjing Cultural and Art Festival

Nanjing has many fine theatres where professional opera troupes perform the Peking opera as well as many local operas of the Yue, Yang, and Xi. The Jiangsu Kunqu Troupe has played an important role in reviving the Kunqu opera, China's oldest surviving stage art. Originating in Jiangsu Province in the 16th century, the Kunqu opera combines acting with singing and dancing. 

In the southern part of the city is the Qinhuai River Belt, a place known for its historic sites, gardens, barges, pavilions, and folk culture and customs. The most famous Qinhuai attraction is the lantern boats which sail in the river, big and small, with decorative colorful lanterns hanging on the hull. Other attractions of the cultural belt include the Confucius Temple, Zhanyuan Garden, Egret Islet, and Zhonghua Gate.

Night scene of the Qinhuai River

Nanjing hosts a series of festivals throughout the year. The annual International Plum Blossom Festival is held in Plum Hill, the largest plum collection in China. It attracts thousands of tourists home and abroad. Other events include Nanjing Baima Peach Blossom & Kite Festival, Jiangxinzhou Islet Fruit Festival, and Linggu Temple Sweet Osmanthus Festival.