Beautiful Scenery along Qinhuai River

The Qinhuai River  was renamed Qinhuai for the legend that Qin Emperor Shihuang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), ordered to introduce Huai Water to the city by excavating a mountain. It is a branch of the Yangtze River, running about 110 kilometers, a major watercourse around Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. It was very famous in the history but lost its fame due to wars, which destroyed many buildings along both banks. The water became filthy and no sign of wealth could be found anymore. After repair and restoration in 1985, the river became a beautiful resort.Nowadays Qinhuai River and its beautiful scenery form a widely recognized tourist destination. With the Confucian Temple at its centre, this location offers a combination of historical sites, gardens, painted boats, streets and folk customs.

Scenery along the river includes the Bailu Zhou Garden,Confucius Temple, Zhanyuan Garden, Zhonghua Gate and characteristic boats on the Qinhuai River from the section of Taoyedu to Zhenhuai Bridge. Among them, the painted boat from which lanterns hang is the most charming and attractive that adds a festive feeling to the river in the evening. The Confucius Temple, which has become the representative of culture of South of the Yangtze River, is usually crowded with people in the evening. Wine shops, tea houses, snack stalls and handicraft works hawked along the street forms the unique scenery of the Temple. Jiangnan Examination Office, which is not far from the Temple, offers visitors the chance to see the place where scholars took their examinations back in the days of feudal Chinese society.

River Cruise:
Ordinary ship for individual travelers - CNY55 per person at daytime/CNY80 per person at night
Luxury ship for tour group - CNY2400-2600 per ship allowing 16 or 20 people (CNY3600-3800 with shows in Bai Lu Zhou)
Duration: 50 minutes' journey
Routes: (Luxury ships follow the day route)
Day route: Panchi Wharf - Bai Lu Zhou Cultural Theme Park - Dong Shui Guan - Qi Cai Shui Jie - Zhong Hua Men (Zhonghua Gate) - Li Xiangjun's Former Residence
Night route (18:00-23:30): Panchi Wharf - Bai Lu Zhou Cultural Them Park - Dong Shui Guan - Qi Cai Shui Jie - Zhong Hua Men - Panchi Pier
Boarding place: the Panchi Wharf in front of Dacheng Hall of the Confucius Temple

秦淮河（qín huái hé）是南京第一大河，秦淮河分内河和外河，内河在南京城中，是十里秦淮最繁华之地。古称淮水，本名'龙藏浦',全长约110公里，流域面积2600多平方公里，是南京地区主要河道，历史上极有名气。秦淮河的源头有两处，东部源头出自句容市宝华山，南部源头出自溧水县的东庐山（天生桥下胭脂河），两个源头在江宁区的方山埭交汇，从东水关流入南京城。秦淮河由东向西横贯市区，南部从西水关流出，注入长江。相传秦始皇东巡时，望金陵上空紫气升腾，以为王气，于是凿方山，断长垅为渎，入于江，后人误认为此水是秦时所开，所以称为'秦淮'。

在远古时代，秦淮河就是扬子江的一条支流。新石器时代，沿岸就人烟稠密，经济发达，这里孕育了南京的古老文化，被称为'南京的母亲河'。

秦淮风光，以灯船最为著名。河上之船一律彩灯悬挂，游秦淮河之人，以必乘灯船为快。朱自清名篇《桨声灯影里的秦淮河》中可领略灯船丰采。现在，经过修复的秦淮河风光带，以夫子庙为中心，秦淮河为纽带，包括瞻园、夫子庙、白鹭洲、中华门、以及从桃叶渡至镇淮桥一带的秦淮水上游船和沿河楼阁景观，可谓集古迹、园林、画舫、市街、楼阁和民俗民风于一体的旅游线，极富感情和魅力。秦淮河是南京古老文明的摇篮，远在石器时代，流域内就有人类活动。从东水关至西水关的沿河两岸，东吴以来一直是繁华的商业区的居民地。