Nanjing’s Qixia Mountain(棲霞山) Presidential Palace & 1912 Bar Street
Qixia Mountain has a variety of maple trees render it a spectacular place to visit in the autumn when the foliage becomes colorful.
Entrance to Qixia Mountain Scenic Area where one can buy tickets for the bus to take you around the mountain to various scenic sites or buy tickets to Qixia Temple.
When we arrived at Qixia, the foliage was only starting to turn. Therefore we just visit the Qixia Temple considered to be the birthplace of the “Three Treatise” school of East Asia Buddhism. Built-in AD 489 contained a large collection of visual arts associated with Buddhism and continuously add on during different Dynasties. It was destroyed by Taiping rebellion and restored by the Republic of China. However, it was ransacked by the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution.
The way to Qixia Templegateway into the Qixia TempleThe Pagoda in the middle of the lake is connected to the bank by a Nine Bend Bridge which makes it look like a rainbow.
This place has very nice sou-venir shops. The first site we came to is Mirror Lake. It was created during the Qing Dynasty during Emperor Qianlong’s reign.
Mirror Lake created in 1644-1911
Going up the slope of Qixia Mountain we come upon the “Thousand Buddha Caves”. The grotto contains many Buddhist sculptures of art.
Thousand Buddha CaveThe largest is Buddha of immeasurable life is the exact depiction of Buddha of Immeasurable Life in the Southern Dynasty around the year 489 and his attendant Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta bodhisattvas. This is the oldest statue here which is 1528 years old.
Here is a closer look at the Buddha caves.
Sarira Pagoda is of octagonal shape, 5 stories total 18 meters high. Highly decorated with carvings. Built-in 601 re-built in 945, holds the relics of Buddhas. The pagoda is a little worn but its underground is still in pristine condition.Pilu Hall (毗卢殿) house a statue of Vairocana Buddha- Primordial BuddhaThe Shanmen, the official entrance into the Qixia temple. The three archway is a symbol of entering the three liberation door.
Qixia Temple took in refugees during the Nanking Massacre. Saving 23000 lives from the Japanese.
Presidential Palace
This was the center of government for the Republic of China before 1949
Bar Street of 1912 was where the center of entertainment. Bring back the nostalgia. German brewery was new and in fashion.
old German brewery equipmentWhere Chinese beer was made and soldThe modern cafe moved in to keep this area viable still.This restaurant was popular in 1912 and kept the place the same. Even the menu is the same with some new addition.Our dinner from the Red Restaurant
awesome retirement 