Jinan – The City of Springs

Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in eastern China. It is referred to as the City of Springs because it is home to 72 springs, where clean groundwater is brought to the surface. Many of these springs are worth visiting on a trip to Jinan.

Unfortunately when I visited Jinan there was very thick smog, which made being outside quite unpleasant. By the time I left China around 3 years later, smoggy days had become less frequent, so hopefully your visit to the city won’t be plagued by thick smog as there are some great spots to visit while in the city.

Thousand Buddha Mountain

Thousand Buddha Mountain was what initially drew me to Jinan. I wanted to do a little hike and see the big Buddha statue. The peak is only 285m, so it’s more like a park on a hill.

The entrance to the mountain on the north side features many statues, and as you make your way up you’ll encounter lots of Buddha statues, some hidden away in caves and some at the Xingguochan Temple partway up.

Near the top there is a pavilion on the north side, where on a clear day you’d get a great view over Jinan. Unfortunately it was just a wee bit smoggy when I visited…

Head over the peak of the mountain and come down the east side to see the impressive Buddha statue, known as the Maitreya statue.

Baotu Spring

Of the many springs in Jinan, Baotu Spring is the most famous. You can see the water bubbling up out of the three spring outlets from the aquifer below the city. It’s some of the cleanest water I saw in China.

You can also walk around the park surrounding the spring where there are many different plants and pavilions.

Black Tiger Spring

Another spring in Jinan worth seeing is the Black Tiger Spring, located to the east of Baotu Spring. Following the Dongluo River which runs in the old city moat, you’ll come to the Black Tiger Spring in the southeast corner of the old moat.

A pair of ornamental tigers stand guard over the spring, where the water flows from an underground cave out of the mouths of three tiger heads into the spring pool.

Liberation Pavilion

Very close to the Black Tiger Spring at the southeast corner of the old city moat is the Liberation Pavilion. This is a monument to commemorate the storming of the city by the People’s Liberation Army during the Chinese Civil War. Its location marks where the army breached the city walls.

You can head up the stairs of the pavilion for a view over this corner of Jinan.

Spring City Square

Spring City Square stands between Baotu Spring and the Black Tiger Spring on the south side of the Dongluo River. It’s central monument has become a symbol of Jinan. The large blue sculpture is called ‘Spring’ and the inspiration behind it comes from the character for spring in an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy. It’s worth checking out if you’re going between Baotu Spring and the Black Tiger Spring.

Fuxue Confucian Temple

The Fuxue Confucian Temple was originally built during the Northern Song Dynasty, making it over 900 years old. Since then it has been rebuilt numerous times.

Have a look round the different gates, halls and pavilions while in the area, before checking out the last place on this list of things to do in Jinan.

Street Food (Furong Street)

The street food in Jinan is surprisingly good and can be found at a number of sites around the city. Perhaps one of the best spots to try some street food is on Furong Street.

This street runs north to south through the historical centre of Jinan, from Fuxue Confucian Temple in the north to Quancheng Road in the south, spanning over 430m. Try some of the delicious street food as you walk down this historical street!