Come to Nanjing in Summer and Look Ahead
(Photo: Spiral stair of the library of Hohai University; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Looking back, there's the glorious history of Nanjing, and looking ahead, we see a bright future of this city.
In the bright summer days, let's visit museums and architectures in Nanjing and follow the guide of the historical imprints in them to look for Nanjing memories, recall the past and perceive the future. To predicate the future of a city, nothing could do better than the bright and exuberant faces of students in college campuses and teaching buildings. Education and talents are at the core of the future of a city. Confidence of a city only comes from the confidence in culture.
(Photo: Auditorium of Nanjing University; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Please follow me to university campuses in Nanjing, to get back your memories of school days and feel the learning atmosphere and youthful flair. Wandering in campuses in this ancient but thriving city, you'll know Nanjing and see the future.
Recommendation 1: Nanjing University (Gulou Campus)
Nanjing University originates from Nanjing Imperial College in 258 A.D. After rounds of changes, it became the first modern university in China. Gulou Campus of Nanjing University is the original site of the former University of Nanking (founded in 1888). As one of the three major campuses of Nanjing University, it preserves many buildings with a sense of history. Even the trees along the road to the campus gate have been planted for many years. Nanjing University (Gulou Campus) is divided into the South Schoolyard and the North Schoolyard; the South Schoolyard is the student dormitory living area, while the North Schoolyard is the teaching and research area. Walking through the university history museum, the former residence of celebrities and the Bell Tower, a landmark building covered with Parthenocissus, you feel as if you were going back to the Republic of China era and really feel the charm of this century-old university. While you are passing through the teaching building, students in twos and threes walking with books or the crowd playing sports on the playground in sight make you feel as if you were returning to school days and setting people afire with your words and boldly casting all restraints aside with them when you were young.
(Photo: Nanjing University; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Address: No. 22, Hankou Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Ticket: Free
Opening hours: All day
How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 or Line 13 to Zhujianglu Station, Bus No. 1, Bus No. 22, Tour No. 1.
Recommendation 2: Nanjing Normal University (Suiyuan Campus)
Nanjing Normal University is the old site of the former Ginling College, and also the site of former residence of Yuan Mei, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty, boasting the reputation of "the most beautiful campus in the Orient". The history of the university can be traced back to Sanjiang Normal University founded in 1902.
Walking around the campus, you will feel like walking in the old city. Buildings in the university are built close to the mountains, with the steps walking ups and downs and the cornices now appearing, now disappearing amid the green leaves. Parthenocissus climbs all over the buildings and pavilions. A scene of winding paths leading to a secluded quiet place like that in gardens on the Yangtze delta takes shape. There are only graduate students and art students on campus now. You can hear the bel canto and the sound of playing the bamboo flute and vertical bamboo flute while walking around the campus. In the midst of those beautiful sounds lingering on the campus over a century, people seem to see the previous and present existence of Ginling College, and see teachers giving course of study and disabusing on the platform.
(Photo: Nanjing Normal University (Suiyuan Campus) Ziteng Garden; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Address: No. 122, Ninghai Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Ticket: Free
Opening hours: All day
How to get there: Take Metro Line 4 to Yunnanlu Station (Exit 2)
Recommendation 3: Hohai University (Qingliang Hill Campus)
As a century-old university, Hohai University, whose predecessor can be traced back to the "Hohai Civil Engineering School" founded in 1915 in Nanjing, is the first institution of higher education in China to cultivate water conservancy talents, with a strong sense of history. Following the characteristics of science and engineering, buildings on campus are constructed in a solemn, magnificent and quite satisfactory style, different from that like gardens in the south of the Yangtze River in other universities.
The shady avenues with phoenix trees along the sides and the spiral stairs of the old library are all young people who love culture and arts are yearning for. In summer, the sunshine pours down on the road through thick leaves of phoenix trees, creating the ambience of literature and art. And the spiral stairs combining with the ceiling of the library form a crisscross pattern bringing to people a feeling of fantasy. When you are looking down or looking up, you may find it all amazing over time to dream back to the past. This sense of history may let you recall the elapsed time when you were young with deep feeling. Some students are sitting on the steps of the spiral stair of the library in small groups reciting a lesson from memory. Seeing this, you may know very well the bright future of this university, which is famous for its water conservancy culture at home and abroad and provides a large number of water conservancy talents nationwide.
(Photo: Spiral stair of the library of Hohai University; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Address: No. 1, Xikang Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Ticket: Free
Opening hours: All day
How to get there: Bus No. 3, 109, 302, 318 and 818, Xikanglu Station, Bus No. 806, Guangzhoulu Station
Recommendation 4: Southeast University (Sipailou Campus)
Southeast University is a national key university as famous as Nanjing University. It is also one of the eight famous architectural colleges and one of the four former engineering colleges in China. Its predecessor is still Sanjiang Normal University founded in 1902, which is of the same origin with Nanjing University and Nanjing Normal University.
The architecture and design at the campus is of European Renaissance charm, as a result, it often serves as a shooting location for movies and TV dramas. Entering the campus, the first thing you see is the central avenue with parasol trees on both sides. Although it is hot in summer, the thick leaves of parasol trees provide a perfect shade place. At the end of the road stand the famous European fountain and the auditorium with a green dome. The landmark auditorium of SEU was built in 1931. More than that, the Meng Fang Library, Zhongshanyuan Teaching Building, and stadium are also worth a visit. The cinereous stadium, built in 1923, deserves a visit in particular. In terms of architecture, the stadium with its block-like design was the most luxurious college sports facility in China at that time, featuring symmetry, with small sloping tops on both sides, a half-domed porch in the middle, and symmetrical steps on both sides of the porch. In terms of historical moments, it has been selected as the venue for speeches by such great names as British philosopher Bertrand Russell, American educator John Dewey, and Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore.
The old buildings of SEU have witnessed history since the Republic of China in modern times. Students commuting between these buildings and studying hard in libraries are creating the future.
(Photo: Mirror Pool, Sipailou Campus, SEU; source: Nanjing Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)
Address: No. 79, Suyuan Avenue, Xuanwu District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province
Ticket: Free
Opening hours: All day
How to get there: Take Metro Line 3 and Line 4 to Jiming Temple Station
Schools symbolize the future of a city. Entering the campus, walking along the tree-shaded roads, looking at the old buildings and connecting their former glory in the mind, you naturally feel calm and away from the hot summer days. The campus is full of young and promising students, and seeing their energy will certainly remind you of your own youth. It's a hot summer, and the best trip is to enjoy it both mentally and physically. A trip to Nanjing will be an exploration of attractions and your own psyche.