City of Springs

City of Springs

Jinan, the 'City of Springs' is popular among tourists for its many springs, however after a visit to them you may wonder why. Compared with those capital cities, or other large and medium-size cities in China, Jinan has few advantages and lacks a metropolitan atmosphere, the highlight being its numerous springs. The majority of springs, known historically as the "72 Famous Springs" are concentrated in the downtown district and flow north to converge in Daming Lake. High on the must-see list is the Baotu Spring Park, where the Baotu Spring and many other smaller springs nearby have been a major attraction for tourists for many years. Not far from the northeast of Baotu Spring Park is Daming Lake, which together with Baotu Spring Park and Thousand-Buddha Mountain have been considered the 'Three Greatest Attractions in Jinan' before other historic site outside of the city started to be developed for tourism. And the best time you'll see any vestige of activity is during the rainy season in August.

Jinan is famed for its numerous relics. It is the cradle of the Longshan Relics Culture, the reputed prehistoric culture of China and is found in Longshan Town of Jinan, hence the name. In the area of Jinan, you will find far more than you would expect, the ancient Great Wall of the Qi State (a state of the Zhou Dynasty (770B.C. C 221B.C.), the colored sculptures of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in the Lingyan Temple and so on. Downplayed in Jinans tourist pitch, but perhaps of more interest, are the Chinese celebrities who have come from Jinan. Bian Que, founder of traditional Chinese medicine, Zou Yan, founder of the Yin and Yang five element school, as well as Zhou Yongnian, founder of Chinese public libraries, all herald from these parts. A number of nationally and internationally recognized writers also hail from Jinan. Jinan is the home of Lu Cai (Shandong cuisine), a popular cuisine of China.

The unique tourist souvenirs available in Jinan include Ejiao, Black Pottery, Lu Embroidery and Wooden-Fish wares. .Jinan is the right place to see some very typical festivals including The Lantern Festival in the Baotu Spring Park, the Lotus Festival in the Daming Lake Park and the Double-Nine Festival on the Thousand-Buddha Mountain. Jinan is a hospitable city and receives tourists from all over the world. Marco Polo once visited Jinan and left words of praise to this city. The Baotu Spring, Daming Lake and the Thousand Buddha Mountain decorate Jinan as a Garden City