The Fuzimiao district around the Confucius Temple is the old entertainment and commercial quarter of Nanjing, centred on the Qinhuai River. The neighbourhood is densely packed with traditional-style buildings (rebuilt), restaurants serving Nanjing snacks, tea houses, lantern shops, and tourist stalls. At night the river is lit with coloured lanterns and the whole area takes on a festive atmosphere.
It's commercial and touristy, but the crowds are mostly Chinese domestic visitors rather than international tourists, which gives the scene an authenticity of its own. The best snacks to try: duck blood soup, stuffed osmanthus rice cake, and the pan-fried dumplings at the vendors near the temple steps. Zhanyuan Garden and the Qinhuai boat trips are both within the same neighbourhood.