Nanjing Confucius Temple hosts book market from 23 October

Nanjing Confucius Temple (Fuzi Miao) will host the Jinling used-book market from 23 to 25 October 2026 in Nanjing, China. The three-day event brings books, historical collections and educational activities to a cultural complex shaped by Confucian learning and the Qinhuai River.

Jinling used-book market runs from 23 to 25 October

The 2026 Jinling used-book market and the Wenshu ancient-books exhibition will centre on the China Imperial Examination Museum. The announced venue network also includes the Old Book Lane, Gongyuan Street and the north archway of the temple area, creating four connected zones for the market and exhibition. The market announcement for 23 October gives the event dates and the Nanjing venue.

More than 70 specialist booksellers from Nanjing and elsewhere are expected to take part, alongside 20 bookshops in Old Book Lane. The organisers have announced nearly 200 market units, combining old-book trading with a rare-book exhibition, lectures and hands-on activities. The programme is therefore tied to the site itself rather than being a general city book fair.

Visitors will find scheduled scholar processions, poetry activities and the Wenshu lecture programme. The announcement also lists demonstrations by students from Nanjing University of the Arts who will show traditional book-repair techniques. Children can take part in activities linked to historical education, including an introduction to the imperial examination system and practical demonstrations of binding and movable-type printing.

Why books fit Nanjing Confucius Temple

The market uses a setting whose history is closely connected with learning and examinations. The temple was first built beside the Qinhuai River in 1034 during the Song dynasty. It was destroyed in 1937 and reconstructed and expanded in 1984 in the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, facts recorded in Nanjing tourism information.

The complex includes Dacheng Hall and the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall, linking the temple’s ritual function with the history of civil-service examinations. That relationship gives the October market a particular setting: books and lectures are being placed beside buildings associated with study, examination and public learning. The Qinhuai River forms the scenic area’s central waterway, while historic buildings and the market streets extend around it.

The event’s focus on old books also connects with the examination museum’s subject. Its exhibition programme is scheduled to present ancient books and historical documents through five themes, including examination culture, royal collections, Jinling memory, the Silk Road and traditional craftsmanship. The same programme names calligraphy by successful examination candidates and demonstrations of conservation work.

From examination history to practical book skills

The planned activities broaden the market beyond buying books. A children’s learning area will introduce the imperial examination system through stories and quizzes, while a traditional school-entry activity includes ritual clothing, a greeting to Confucius, calligraphy and a red-dot ceremony. The programme also includes poetry games, night poetry recitation and an activity involving the historical figure Li Bai.

For travellers from Western Europe, the useful distinction is between the wider temple district and the named market venues. The event is centred on the China Imperial Examination Museum and extends through adjoining streets and the temple’s north archway area. The published programme does not give opening times or a separate access rule, so visitors should use the event dates and venue details when planning their visit.

Visiting Nanjing Confucius Temple: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Jinling used-book market takes place from 23 to 25 October 2026, with the China Imperial Examination Museum as its core venue.
• The programme includes rare-book displays, lectures, book-repair demonstrations, poetry activities and children’s learning sessions across the announced temple-area zones.
• The site is beside the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, with the market extending to Old Book Lane, Gongyuan Street and the north archway area.
• The complex includes reconstructed buildings dating from the 1984 redevelopment and historic educational sites linked to the imperial examination system.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Nanjing Confucius Temple on social platforms

These links open searches for Nanjing Confucius Temple on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Nanjing Confucius Temple

When does the Jinling used-book market take place at Nanjing Confucius Temple?

The market runs from 23 to 25 October 2026. Its central venue is the China Imperial Examination Museum, with activities extending through adjoining temple-area streets.

What is Nanjing Confucius Temple?

It is a Confucian temple complex beside the Qinhuai River, first built in 1034 and reconstructed and expanded in 1984. The wider complex includes Dacheng Hall and the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall.

Where is Nanjing Confucius Temple and how do you get there?

The temple is in Nanjing beside the Qinhuai River, around Gongyuan Street and the China Imperial Examination Museum. The announced market venues include Old Book Lane, Gongyuan Street and the north archway area.