Who doesn’t know that China is a massive geographic landmass? There are so many beautiful cities spread across this beautiful country to inspire a vagabond traveler to wander endlessly. Fortunately, I work in Suzhou and it’s relatively convenient to gradually explore China. In fact, I’ve travelled rather extensively in the mainland — I’ve managed to travel from Harbin to Guangzhou, going solo every single time! And in November 2018, I headed from Suzhou to Zhenjiang city (both in Jiangsu province). It was a weekend trip to my 26th Chinese city.
So, in this blog-post, I’d share my memories from Zhenjiang. Initially, I’d go through some of the general observations about the city. Then, I’d go through some of the top things to do in Zhenjiang. Also, the post includes photos of the famous Zhenjiang city travel attractions that I clicked during my November trip.
Zhenjiang city brief
Well, Zhenjiang city is globally famous for nurturing the American writer, Pearl S. Buck. She grew up in Zhenjiang and spend around four decades living in China. As a brilliant writer, she wrote extensively about the Chinese peasants, kids, family life, etc. and went on to win a Nobel prize for literature in 1938.
Zhenjiang is also known for producing a great quality of vinegar. The Zhenjiang vinegar is transported to different parts in mainland China. If you are eating steamed dumplings in Zhenjiang or in nearby cities, such as Shanghai or Nanjing, most likely you’ll be served with Zhenjiang vinegar.
If you like Chinese food, you’ll love Zhenjiang. The city offers the well-known “Zhen-Yang” dishes that are famous across China. These dishes are made of seafood, vegetable and fish. Apart from the Chinese food, you can also find KFC, McDonalds, Korean and Russian food in Zhenjiang.
Where is Zhenjiang city?
As mentioned earlier, Zhenjiang city is located in China’s Jiangsu province (in the eastern part of the mainland). Geographically, the city is very close to the famous Chinese cities like Shanghai, Suzhou and Nanjing.
Zhenjiang city travel attractions Map
For your convenience, I’ll add a simple Baidu travel map of the city. Some of the top things to do in Zhenjiang city are marked in English.
Zhenjiang weather
Well, the Zhenjiang weather conditions in November looked nearly perfect for travelling. The midday temperature was around 12’C. It was very pleasant to come out and stroll around. However, it happened to be the beginning of the winter season. That means, if you are coming here in the winter season (November-March), do bring enough winter clothes. Moreover, it did rain at times, and so, often it was difficult to come out. However, I carried an umbrella that helped a lot. 🙂
Hotels in Zhenjiang
The city doesn’t seem to have suitable backpacking options. However, there are plenty of reasonably priced hotels across the city. I had booked accommodation with the Hanting Express for RMB 132/night (very close to the city center). It was indeed a decent choice.
Zhenjiang public transportation
As of November 2018, Zhenjiang city doesn’t have an operating subway line. I, however, extensively used the public buses as they cover the city comprehensively. The bus fares were usually fixed to RMB 1/ride, irrespective of how many stops you choose to go. Also, once I took a bus from the Jinshan park to my hotel and I was asked to pay RMB 3 (I don’t know why). Although often crowded, with my basic Mandarin Chinese skills, I found the buses to be a very reliable mode of transport in the city.
The taxis are also omnipresent in the city. The basic flag down fare for some initial 2km distance is RMB 9. Don’t forget to use the Baidu map.
Top things to do in Zhenjiang
Now, let me introduce you to some of the top things to do in Zhenjiang city. The city has 4 beautiful parks worth stopping by.
Jiaoshan Park
The Jinshan Park (焦山风景区, Jiāo shān fēngjǐng qū) is one of the 4 scenic parks. It’s located on the closely situated islands of the mighty Yangtze River. The park is covered by the bamboo forest and the most notable tourist attractions include the temple pagoda and the peacock farm.
Jinshan Park
Another interesting park in the city is the Jinshan Park (金山公园, Jīnshān gōngyuán). RMB 65. The park also includes a famous Buddhist temple pagoda (金山寺, Jīnshānsì) and a lake (金山湖, Jīnshān hú). You can rent a paddle boat to explore the lake. The nearby Zhenjiang attractions include-
- Ancient cave – (法海洞, Fǎ hǎi dòng)/(古法海洞, gǔ fǎ hǎi dòng)
- Bailong Cave (白龙洞, Bái lóngdòng)
Beigushan Park
This Beigushan Park (北固山公园, Běi gù shān gōngyuán) is located along the northern side of the city. There are a couple of mausoleums in the park. You can hike to the peak of the hill in less than 10 minutes of a slow walk. The landscape of the park is nice and it’s a good place to click photos of the city. In particular, the park offers great views of the Yangtze River. There is a Buddhist temple pagoda on the hilltop. RMB 40.
Nanshan Park
The Nanshan Park (镇江南山, Zhènjiāng nánshān) is located a bit far from the city center. I came here on the Sunday morning and it was drizzling. I kept walking alone for some 45 minutes before returning back.
The park’s scenery is amazing. Also, there are some BBQ pits along the park. You shouldn’t miss the pagoda on hilltop. Free entry.
Zhenjiang Museum
This is a relatively small but nicely maintained museum (镇江博物馆, Zhènjiāng bówùguǎn). The museum has two stories. There’ll be local volunteers to guide you through the details of the artifacts.
During my trip, it turned out to be a rainy Sunday, so I decided to spend some of my time in the museum and it was overall a pleasant experience.
Museum opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (Tuesday to Sunday);
Guide Reservation: 0511—85285032;
Bus: 2, 102, 12;
Entry ticket: a ticket is required, however, the ticket is provided for free.
XiJinDu Ancient Street
If you crave for Chinese food, then Xijindu Ancient Street (西津渡/西津渡古街, Xījīndù) is the place worth exploring. It’s very near to the Yuntai Mountain. In fact, I’ve seen so many Chinese shopping markets (such as in Xiamen) and this one is definitely one of my favorites. The shopping center consists of numerous streets. The buildings are well-maintained and offer a traditional feel.
There are food stalls spread in all the streets and the prices are quite reasonable. For example, you can have one bowl of noodles for RMB 15.
If you happened to be at the Xijindu Ancient Street, do consider visiting the following nearby attractions-
- Yun Tai Hill (云台山, Yún táishān)
- Yun Tai Pavilion (镇江云台亭, Zhènjiāng yún tái tíng)
- Boxian park (伯先公园, Bó xiān gōngyuán)
You can also try to attend the Chinese opera performances near the Xijindu Ancient Street. It’s for free. I’m not sure if the performance happens every day. I think I was lucky to attend the show on the Saturday afternoon, around 4pm. Let me show you a photo-
Mengxi Garden, the Former Residence of Shen Kuo
If you like discovering early scientific developments in China, this place is for you. The Mengxi Garden (梦溪园沈括故居) is the Former Residence of Shen Kuo (沈括), a famous Chinese scientist and politician from the Song Dynasty. This is the place where he wrote the famous scientific book called Dream Pool Essays.
Shen Kuo spent the final years of his life in the Mengxi Garden residence.
Bus services: 1, 9, 10, 19;
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday;
Closed on Monday (except for national holidays), Free entry;
Address: 21 Mengxiyuan Lane in Zhenjiang;
Chinese address: 江苏省镇江市京口区梦溪园巷21号;
Baidu Map- 梦溪园;
Phone: 0511-84495665.
Pearl S. Buck house
The Former Residence of Pearl S. Buck (赛珍珠故居, Sài zhēnzhū gùjū) is another must visit historical landmarks in Zhenjiang city. Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973), often known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu (赛珍珠, Sài zhēnzhū), was an American writer and novelist. As a daughter of Christian missionaries, Pearl spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang city. She also worked as an English teacher in two schools in Zhenjiang. Her two-floor residence, located at Dengyun Hill, was built in the 20th century. In 1990, the residence was repaired by a collaboration of Chinese and American governments. Free entry.
Bus services: 5, 10, 19, 28;
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Monday (except for national holidays);
Office Phone: 0511-84495665;
Baidu Map: Pearl S. Buck Museum (赛珍珠纪念馆, Sài zhēnzhū jìniànguǎn – meaning Pearl S. Buck Memorial).
Pearl S. Buck Museum
In 1992, the Residence Museum was set up and became a famous culture relic in Zhenjiang. The museum is located just beside the Pearl S. Buck house. Free entry.
During my visit, I didn’t see any crowd in the House or Museum. There were just a couple of Chinese tourists. There was a lone staff at the museum. I didn’t see anyone else in the residential building.
Former Residence of Lu Xiaobo
Another interesting residence to visit in Zhenjiang is the house of Lu Xiaobo (陆小波故居). Lu Xiaobo (陆小波, March 3, 1882-May 1, 1973), whose ancestral place was Zhenjiang, had his apprenticeship in a private bank at 15 and went on to become the manager and the chairman of the board of many private banks and companies in Zhenjiang and other cities in China. He founded more than 100 companies and dozens of schools throughout his life, making great contributions to the rise of Zhenjiang’s modern industry and commerce and the development of education.
Bus services: 123, 12, 2, 102;
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Monday (except for national holidays);
Office Tel: 0511-84495665;
Baidu Map: 陆小波故居 (Lù xiǎobō gùjū –Former Residence of Lu Xiaobo).
Zhenjiang Nighlife
Well, the nightlife scene in the city is probably not very inspiring. You can, of course, come out and have a meal or probably visit some shopping places. A walk along the Zhongyang street (中央大街, Zhōngyāng dàjiē) was indeed a pleasant experience. There are some decent bars (along the Zhongyang street and Xijindu street) worth checking out. Wandering around Xijindu street is recommended. Beyond that, as far as the nightlife is concerned, there isn’t much to do in Zhenjiang city.
In summary, so far, I’ve travelled solo to 26 Chinese different cities, and I’ve always loved China. Zhenjiang is probably not a big city for the international travelers and there are not too many travel attractions. However, the city is indeed sweet and loving. The locals are friendly and the food is delicious. As such, a weekend trip to Zhenjiang is absolutely recommended. The city is totally worth the trip.
That’s all in this blog-post about travelling to Zhenjiang city.
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Wish you all a great time exploring Zhenjiang!
Cheers!
Last updated: Sunday, November 25, 2018