Purple Mountain (Zijinshan, 紫金山) is a forested national park on the eastern edge of the city, and it holds three of Nanjing’s biggest sights: the Ming Xiaoling tomb of the first Ming emperor, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Linggu Temple. You can see all three in one day using Metro Line 2 and the scenic-area buses.
6:30
free entry to Ming Xiaoling before this (Feb–Nov)
¥50
student combo for four sights
392
steps to Sun Yat-sen’s mausoleum
Line 2
metro to Muxuyuan / Xiamafang
The Plan
- 06:15 · Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum — arrive before 6:30 (February–November) for free entry, or pay ¥35 with a student card. Walk the Sacred Way of stone animals.
- 08:30 · Plum Blossom Hill & Music Stage — walk through the plum grove (in bloom February–March) to the open-air music stage.
- 10:30 · Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum — free with a pre-booked time slot; climb the 392 steps. Closed Mondays.
- 12:30 · Lunch — duck blood soup or noodles near the Zhongshanling car park, about ¥20–35.
- 14:00 · Linggu Temple & Meiling Palace — climb Linggu Pagoda through the forest, then visit Soong Mei-ling’s villa.
- 17:30 · Sunset at Xuanwu Lake — back into town for the lake and the Taicheng wall, then dinner around 1912.
What It Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Ming Xiaoling | ¥70 · students ¥35 · free before 6:30 (Feb–Nov) |
| Purple Mountain combo (Ming Xiaoling, Linggu, Meiling Palace, Music Stage) | ¥100 · students ¥50 |
| Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum | Free with booking |
| Scenic-area sightseeing bus | ¥10 per ride |
| Metro from the city centre | ¥2–4 |
Booking the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
Book a free time slot 1–7 days ahead on the official WeChat account or mini-program with your passport number. There are five slots a day, and the burial chamber is closed at weekends except on public holidays.
Best Seasons
- February–March: Plum Blossom Hill in bloom.
- Late October–November: golden ginkgo along the Sacred Way; in 2025 Ming Xiaoling also sold early-morning half-price tickets in this period.
- Summer: start early — by noon it can be 35°C.
New to China?
Set up payments, mobile data and essential apps before exploring Nanjing — each topic has one national guide, so this page stays focused on the city itself.
Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay · Get a SIM, eSIM and internet access · Install the essential apps · Book high-speed trains · Visa & documents · Your first 48 hours
More Nanjing Guides
Last updated: September 2026. Prices, opening hours and rules in China change often — treat costs as estimates and confirm anything important with the official source before you go.
Photos: xiquinhosilva / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Peter Dowley from Dubai, United Arab Emirates / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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