A Weekend Trip to Nanjing as an ESL Teacher

One of the many rewards of working as a travelling ESL teacher in China is how easy it is to explore new cities on your days off. With trains, planes, and WeChat in my pocket, I’ve been able to turn regular weekends into quick adventures. My Chinese coworkers usually help me book tickets through WeChat or online websites, and I always make a rough plan beforehand to maximize my time and budget. with these plans in mind, this post covers my weekend trip to Nanjing as an ESL teacher.

Working Day, Half-Day One: The City Wall Walk of Nanjing

I work Thursday through Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday as my official days off. That means my trips usually start after my last Monday class. I was able to arrive in Nanjing somewhat early, allowing me plenty of time to explore in the evening.

I didn’t want to push myself too hard on arrival night, so after dropping off my bag, I took a walk to see the Nanjing City Walls. These walls, originally built during the Ming Dynasty, form the longest ancient city wall still standing in the world. They loop the city interior and offer especially excellent views at night, where the preserved traditional city glints below.

City Walls and History Day, Day Two

On my first full day in Nanjing, I focused on one feature before all others. The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing is extraordinarily famous and worthy of a visit. The original tower was sometimes considered one of the Wonders of the World once explorer Johan Nieuhof brought news and descriptions of the structure back to Europe.

The original Porcelain Tower was a imposing pagoda constructed in the 15th century during the Ming dynasty. However, the architectural marvel was mostly destroyed in the 19th century during the Taiping Rebellion. Now, tourists can visit a modern, full-size replica of it with several unique features. Though the new tower isn’t made of porcelain it incorporates a futuristic Buddhist-themed museum and is surrounded by an expansive park. Aside from an impressive replica tower, the interior of the temple grounds offers painted tunnels, holographic buddhas, serene mediation rooms and rescued artifacts. By far, the Porcelain Tower was my favorite part of my trip to Nanjing as an ESL teacher.

After visiting the Porcelain Tower, my next stop was the Gate of China, one of the most iconic and well-preserved sections of the City Walls of Nanjing. It was an easy landmark to work off of as I continued to explore the city on foot.

Tianxia Wenshu and Six Dynasties Museum

Next, I visited Tianxia Wenshu, a Nanjing Confucius Temple andcultural spot often overlooked by tourists. It’s peaceful and slightly tucked away, but a lovely stop for quiet reflection and appreciation of traditional calligraphy and classical design. There were very few people here when I walked through, making it an easy place to stroll.

I made my way from there to the Six Dynasties Museum, which documents a chaotic yet culturally rich period in Chinese history. The underground layout of the museum is sleek and modern, and the exhibits were easy to understand, even though I had to use my phone’s camera for a lot of translations.

I ended up eating a rather large lunch since I’d accidently skipped breakfast earlier in the day.

Ming Dynasty Wall Museum and Silk Weaving

After lunch, I walked to the nearby Nanjing Ming Dynasty City Wall History Museum. It offered more focused information about the wall’s construction and historical significance. There were detailed models, aged bricks, and tools used during the Ming Dynasty wall-building process.

To finish off the afternoon, I headed to the Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum, which showcased the artistry of Yunjin Brocade, a silk weaving technique unique to Nanjing. The exhibits demonstrated how the intricate patterns were made on antique looms. This specific tradition has even been recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

While I had some more time, my day was basically finished. Most museums in the area close around 5 PM, so I spent the rest of the day relaxing, eating street food and eventually returning to my hotel early in the hopes of getting two or three extra hours of sleep.

Blossoms, Hot Springs, and Modern Art Day, Day Three

Botanical Gardens and Plum Blossoms

The next morning, I started my day at the Nanjing Botanical Garden, which was absolutely exploding with color. Although I missed the seasonal plum blossoms, it’s still a very impressive green space. I read online that Nanjing is sometimes called the “City of Plum Blossoms,” and during spring, it’s worth planning a visit. I spent another hour or so around Zhongshan Mountain, hanging out in the quiet green spaces.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial and Zhongshan Scenic Area

From the lower parts of Zhongshan Mountain, I walked over to Sun Yat-sen’s Memorial. It’s one of the most revered historical spots in the city, honoring the man known as the “Father of Modern China.”

After dealing with a lot of stairs between Zhongshan Mountain and the Memorial, I arrived at the Zhongshan Scenic Area, which includes tombs, gardens, and monuments set in lush mountain terrain. I was fairly exhausted already, especially since I started my day extra early, around 5 AM. I took a Didi to my next location.

Treasure Shipyard and Pearl Spring Park

Next, I stopped at my hotel for checkout and picked up my small backpack, since I wouldn’t have time to return before my flight later in the evening. By midday, I was at the Nanjing Treasure Shipyard Relic Site Park, which features the archaeological remains of ancient Chinese treasure ships from the Ming Dynasty’s famous maritime expeditions. Most of my time here was spent relaxing and waiting on bus which took me to my next destination.

Hot Springs of Nanjing

By late afternoon, I booked some time at a nearby local hot spring, where I spent my time in a semi-snoozing state. Sadly, I don’t remember the exact name of the hot spring I visited, but Nanjing has plenty of great ones throughout the region.

I ran out of time before heading to catch my flight, so I missed the last location on my itinerary; Sifang Art Museum. I only briefly got to walk through a few streets of Lao Men Dong, a restored historic street full of crafts, snacks, lanterns, and little tea shops. I grabbed a final snack for my flight and made my way back to the airport for my evening flight home.

Final Thoughts on Teaching and Travel in Nanjing

Nanjing exceeded my expectations. I’d absolutely recommend a weekend in Nanjing to any ESL teacher looking for a mix of history and relaxation. I fully intend to make a return trip to Nanjing as an ESL teacher to see other portions of the city I missed during my short visit. So until next trip.