Qin Huai River, a branch of the great Yangtze River, is 110 kilometers (about 68 miles) in length and covers a drainage area of 2,631 square kilometers (about 1,016 square miles). It is the largest river in the Nanjing city area and is the "life blood" of the city. The river breaks into two branches called internal Qin Huai River and Ezternal Qin Huai River. The internal Qin Huai River is the highlight of the Qin Huai River Zone. The Confucius Temple area is by far the most worth visiting. Qin Huai River is so fascinating that it captures the imaginations of people both at home and abroad.

It's said that the Qin Huai River was named after Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in Chinese history. In his period of time, a channel through stony mountains was hewed and water of the River was drawn up. Ever since the Six Dynasties, the region on either bank along the Qin Huai River was the place where many nobles lived in compact communities; merchants and talents in culture and arts used to gather here; song and dance halls were everywhere as well. A truly flourishing region! But, with the rising and falling of the Dynasties, the picture there was quite different.

There are many famous sites of interest along the banks of the Qin Huai River, including Confucius Temple, Zhanyuan Gurden, Zhonghua Gate, and the sights along the Taoye Ferry ride to Zhenghuai Bridge. It is a grand temple with an unassuming style, which was built to commemorate the famous Chinese sage, Confucius. Zhonghua Gate, also found along the inner river, is the largest city door in China as well as the beat-preserved and most intricate city door in the world.

Now, the region has been taken a new look after years of development and reconstruction, and become one of the busiest tour zones centering on Confucius Temple (for paying respect to Confucians), Xue Gong (palaces for scholars to study), Gong Yuan (palaces for persons to take part in the imperial examinations). Here, temples, markets and landscape are blended into one picture of folk custom of Nanjing.