Xijindu Ancient Ferry Street

西津渡古街

A millennium-old Yangtze ferry crossing dating back to the Six Dynasties, with the Zhaoguan stone pagoda, a lifeboat station and layered pavements from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, known as China's 'ancient ferry museum'.

Xijin Ferry sits at the foot of Yuntai Mountain on the western side of Zhenjiang. In the Six Dynasties period it was called Suanshan Ferry, in the Tang it was known as Jinling Ferry, and from the Song onward it has been called Xijin Ferry. It was once one of the most important crossings on the south bank of the Yangtze, and the saying 'Jingkou and Guazhou are separated only by a river' refers to this area. As the Yangtze shifted north, the old ferry landing is now far from the water, but about 1,000 metres of the ancient street survives. Highlights include the Yuan-dynasty Zhaoguan Stone Pagoda, a rare and complete Tibetan-style pagoda built over a street; the layered pavements, where you can see road surfaces from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, which give the place its 'a thousand years at a glance' reputation; the site of the former Qing-era lifeboat station, one of the earliest private water rescue organizations in the world; the Guanyin Cave; the Waiting-for-the-Ferry Pavilion; and the former British consulate, now the Zhenjiang Museum. The district has snacks such as pot-lid noodles, Zhenjiang pork aspic and crab roe soup dumplings, along with guesthouses and bars. Lights come on after dusk, making it good for an evening stroll. The street is free to enter, while some museums charge separately or require booking. A visit takes about 2 hours. Getting there: take a city bus to Xijindu station, or a taxi from Zhenjiang station (about 10 minutes). It is about 2 km from Jinshan.

Xijindu Ancient Ferry Street

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