Special

Jinan cuisine is famous for its scrumptious, aromatic, fresh and pure dishes. The methods of cooking employed in the preparation of these local foods include deep-frying, grilling, frying and stir-frying but the food is non-greasy. Nutritious soup is an important feature of Jinan cuisine while shallot and garlic are widely used to create delicious flavors. Tang Cu Li Yu (Sweet and Sour Carp), Jiu Zhuan Da Chang (Fried Pork Chitterlings) and Jinan Roast Duck are very popular local delicacies.

Tang Cu Li Yu

Jiu Zhuan Da Chang

Jinan Roast Duck

If you want to know how to make some local food, you can go to http://www.jinantravel.com/en/food.html Here's a lot of information.

A video for Jinan

This video is made by the government to publicize Jinan for all the citizens of China when Jinan held the 11th National Games. And this one is the English version for foreigners. I find this for you because it gives you the whole view of the city and you can see more than what I've written down.

Quancheng Square Part 3

Northern part of the square is the walking part beside the city moat. Inside this place, willows dance in the wind and transparent springs flow sluggishly, reminding us of the old life style of the city, “There are flowing streams by every house and willow trees by every door”.

Underground mall covers 46 thousand square meters, with such main businesses as trade, touring, culture, entertainment and parking.

Stepping up to the east and strolling along center of the square, you will be full of zest no matter you are touring, resting or dancing and excising. At the cross point of main axis and Shuowen Avenue, lotus sculpture and colorful laser musical fountains show graceful bearing. More than four thousand sprinkler heads play several thousands changes of water views together with the music. The integration of moving and freezing fountain demonstrates a riotous profusion. Cultural corridor looks like a jade screen half embracing the square. You can ascend to have a birds-eye view of the square or appreciate the art gallery showing Qilu culture. Through the middle of corridor, Liberation Pavilion is close at hand as in a picture. The relief “ Relics of Saints” is sculptured at two endings and pillars of the corridor, which shows “Shun (an ancient Chinese king) cultivating at Li Mountain” etc. 15 ancient stories form the historical line of Qilu culture. Inside are statues showing the grace of 12 ancient celebrities of Shandong, including Shun, Confucius, etc.

Here is a video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/p9Pr7Z2lZtE/

Born in the first light of morning, Spring City Square is the combination of city style and natural scenery. It conveys the new millennium hope of the city's people: old spring city constructs the brilliance of modern provincial capital.

Quancheng Square Part 2

To the east of the main sculpture is situated the transitional space connecting the above-ground and the underground, adding changes in levels. Granite paved “Shandong Territory” portraits the vast land.

The Maturing Garden and the Growing Garden are constructed around the main sculpture, which is the rest and pleassure place for children and old people to enjoy themselves near the green grass and colorful flowers or falling leaves.
A large- scale relief "Resorts of Spring City" reclining to the west displays the beautiful scenery of Jinan.

The flower garden lies against Luo Yuan Main Street. Flowers contend in beauty like spring all year  round. Citizens can delight in spring flowers or autumn leaves so as to enjoy colorful beauty of horticulture.

Quancheng Square Part 1

Quancheng Square is named after the name of the city, Jinan. Because Jinan is famous for the springs, it's also called Spring City, in Chinese is Quancheng(泉城).

Embraced by mountain, spring, river and city, Quancheng Square is the central square of Jinan. Looking around, you can have a look at the old city in the north, see Baotu Spring spurting or flowing slowly in the west, look into distance at the verdant Qianfo Mountain stretching along in the south, look ahead the Liberation Pavilion fresh and elegant as a picture in the east.

“Celebrity Forest” is divided into south and north parts, inside which are growing many exuberant trees. Two groups of celebrity pavilions are built in the two parts of the forest, serving as a rest place for the tourist. Between the two parts the space is wide and plain, providing pleasant stage for entertainment and celebration. 

From a Chinese blog

Large-scale steel sculpture “Spring” is 38 meters in height and 170 tons in weight, towering over the crossing point between the axises, which is very rare in the country. Coming from the charm of Chinese seal character “spring”, the sculpture looks like three spring-like stream statues going up windingly, which accords with the creation of Jinan city logo appropriately. The decoration of the floor originates from the description of the city in history book, coordinated with 72 springs in 4 groups. The frozen “spring” and the spouting springs spurt majestically, showing the elegance of this spring city. 

Lingyan Temple (líng yán sì 灵岩寺)

Lingyan Temple is a Buddhist temple located 20 kilo-meters from Tai'an in Changqing. The temple grounds are situated along the western Taishan range. The temple has a long recorded history, the notable landmark of the 11th century Pizhi Pagoda tower, and the Thousand Buddha Hall which houses a Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statue as well as 40 painted clay statues of life-size luohan (kind of Buddha) from the Song Dynasty.

More than 500 Buddhist monks lived at Lingyan Temple during its height. The oldest structures at the site ate the various stone stupas and square-based stone Chinese pagoda in the pavilion style from the Tang Dynasty, the 8th century Huichong Pagoda. Of the 167 stone stupas at the temple, no two are identical, and like the luohan statues of the Thousand Buddha Hall, have been well-preserved and untouched by the Cultural Revolution. The tallest structure of the temple is the 54 m (177 ft) tall Pizhi Pagoda, built originally in 753, although the present structure was built from 1056 to 1063. Although the wooden halls were all reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), the stone pedestals at the base of the pillars in the Thousand Buddha Hall are the original work of the Tang and Song eras.

The Four Gates Pagoda (sì mén tǎ 四门塔)

The Four Gates Pagoda is a Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD) stone Chinese pagoda located in central Shandong Province. It is thought to be the oldest remaining pavilion-style stone pagoda in China. The oldest extant brick-built pagoda in China is the 40 m (130 ft) tall Songyue Pagoda (sōng yuè tǎ 松月塔) of 523 AD.

According to an inscription on a stone tablet which was discovered inside the pagodas ceiling in 1972, the pagoda was "built in the seventh year of the Daye (dà yè 大业) period of the Sui Dynasty". This corresponds to the year 611 AD, near the end of the dynasty. During the Sui Dynasty, stone and brick were introduced as material for building pagodas. The Four-Gates Pagoda was build from blocks quarried from a hard local rock. All extant older stone pagodas are sculptured pagodas or columns in the shape of a pagoda. The simple design of the Four Gates Pagoda is typical for one-storey, pavilion-style pagodas: It has a square cross-section delineated by plane side walls. All elements of the structure are symmetrical with four identical sides each facing one of the four cardinal directions. In the center of each wall is a door with straight sides and round arch on top (hence the name). The roof of the pagoda is pyramid shaped. It consists of 23 tiers of overlapping stone slabs and is supported by 5 tiers of stone eaves. The tip of the roof is occupied by a stone steeple. The overall shape of the steeple resembles a box-shaped pagoda which is carved with Buddhist scriptures and sits on its own Sumeru pedestal with stone corner decorations in the shape of banana leaves. The spire of the steeple is made up of 5 stone discs. The total height of the pagoda is 10.4 meters; each side is 7.4 meters long.

Poetry

If you are interested in Li Qingzhao, and want to read her poetry, I find some English version for you here.

To the Tune of LIKE A DREAM

I always remember the sunset
  over the pavalion by the river.


So tipsy, we could not find our way home.


Our interest exhausted, the evening late,
  we tried to turn the boat homeward.


By mistake, we entered deep within the lotus bed.


Row!  Row the boat!


A flock of herons, frightened,
  suddenly flew skyward.

To the Tune of LIKE A DREAM

Last night a sprinkling of rain,
  a violent wind.


After a deep sleep, still not recovered
 from the lingering effect of wine,


I inquired of the one rolling up the screen;


But the answer came: "The cherry-apple blossoms
  are still the same."


"Oh, don't you know, don't you know?


The red must be getting thin,
  while the green is becoming plump."

To the Tune of TO ROUGE THE LIPS

Lonely in my secluded chamber,


A thousand sorrows fill every inch
  of my sensitive being.


Regretting that spring has so soon passed,


That rain drops have hastened the falling flowers,


I lean over the balustrade,

Weary and depressed.


Where is my beloved?


Only the fading grassland
  stretches endlessly toward the horizon;


Anxiously I watch the road for your return.

To the Tune of RINSING SILK STREAM

 
        My courtyard is small, windows idle,
  spring is getting old.


Screens unrolled cast heavy shadows.


In my upper-story chamber, speechless,
  I play on my jasper lute.




Clouds rising from distant mountains
  hasten the fall of dusk.


Gentle wind and drizzling rain
  cause a pervading gloom.


Pear blossoms can hardly keep from withering,
  but droop.

To the Tune of BODHISATTVA ALIENS

 
Soft breeses, mild sunshine,
  sring is still young.


The sudden change to light apparel
  brightened my spirit.


But upon awakening from slumber,
  I felt the cilly air;


The plum flower withered in my hair.


Where can I call my native land?


Forget - I can not, except in wine
  when I drown my care.


Incense was lighted when I went to sleep;


Though the embers are now cold,
  the warmth of wine still holds.      

http://www.chinapage.com/poet-e/liqing-e.html

Li Qingzhao

Since I referred Li Qingzhao in the last post, I want to introduce her to you.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=李清照

Li Qingzhao (old spelling: Li Ch'ing-chao) was born into a Chinese family known for literary talent and service to the emperor. Her poetry was well known even before her marriage in 1101 to a student, Zhao Mingcheng (1081-1129). In 1103, her husband began his official career in Shandong province, but a few years later political turmoil involved both of their families and the couple lived in seclusion for ten years. In 1121 Zhao Mingcheng regained his position, and then he spent much time traveling around the province; his periodic absences may have provided the occasion for some of Li's love poems. Throughout their married life, the couple collected antiquities; this, combined with the political upheavals of the time, explains the relative poverty in which they lived.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=李清照

In 1126, the Song dynasty capital, Kaifeng, fell to the Jin people from the north; Shandong province was in their path and considerable fighting took place there. In the fighting, the home of Li and Zhao was burnt. In 1127, the emperors were captured by the Jin; the Han loyalists named a new emperor, and the entire court, plus all those who served the court, moved slowly to the south, to establish a new "Southern Song" court in Hangzhou. During this period Zhao died, and his widow was left to try to save their collection. She describes her married life and the turmoil that ended it in Hou hsu.

In 1132 Li Qingzhao entered into a brief unfortunate remarriage with an unscrupulous official, described that same year in a letter she wrote to another official, Qi Chongli. In the 1500s and later, some neo-Confucian writers said that the letter must be a forgery because a "proper lady" wouldn't ever have remarried; however, the letter is now accepted as genuine. Settled permanently at Hangzhou, Li Qingzhao published her husband's work, Jin shi lu (Records on metal and stone), a 30-volume collection of inscriptions that Zhao Mingcheng had copied over the years, and in the later 1130s and 1140s continued to write both poetry and prose.

Li Qingzhao's poetry was originally published in seven volumes of shi (traditional poetry) and prose, plus six volumes of ci (lyrics composed to be set to existing popular music). About 50 ci (tz'u in the old spelling) and 17 shi survive. Also extant are three complete prose works: Hou hsu, a postscript that she added in 1134 to her husband's book; Lun ci (or Ci lun, On lyrics), a study of the ci form of poetry; and the letter to Qi Chongli.

Baimai Springs Park (bǎi mò quán 百脉泉)

The Baimai Springs are a group of artesian karst springs located in the town of Ming Shui (míng shuǐ 明水), Zhangqiu City (zhāng qiū 章丘), about 25 kilometers west from the city center of the provincial capital Jinan. The site of the springs is renowned for its natural beauty and as the one-time residence of the female Song Dynasty poet Li Qingzhao (lǐ qīng zhào 李清照).

The Baimai Spring proper is located in the courtyard of the Dragon Spring Temple (lóng quán sì 龙泉寺). Its spring pool covers a rectangular area of 25 by 14.5 meters and has a depth of 2 meters. The springs and the historical buildings that surround them are part of a public park. The park was established in 1985 and covers an area of 25 hectares. Besides the springs, it also contains some small lakes, such as Wanquan Lake (wàn quán hú 万泉湖;literally "10,000 Springs Lake") that are fed by the springs. Within the park, the Qingzhao Ci (qīng zhào cí 清照祠) Poetry Garden is laid out according to the aesthetic principles of ci poetry with the four romantic themes: wind, flowers, snow, and moon.

Now, I gonna show you some pictures of the famous springs in the park.

ShuYu Spring

ShuYu Spring

Mo Spring

MeiHua Spring

The Black Tiger Spring (hēi hǔ quán 黑虎泉)

The Black Tiger Spring is a culturally significant artesian karst spring located in  Jinan. The spring is ranked as the second most significant among the 72 named springs in Jinan (after the Baotu Spring). The water of spring stems from moderately-deep circulation and emerges from a water-filled limestone cave in a steep cliff. From the mouth of the cave, the water is funneled to flow out of the mouths of three ornamental stone-carved tiger heads into a square-shaped spring pool. From there it runs into the old city moat, next to which the spring is located. According to the tradition, there was a black rock lying in front of the cave in ancient time. The name of the spring is said to be derived from the shape and color of the rock, which resembled a black tiger, and the sound of the water gushing past the rock being reminiscent of the roar of a tiger.

"HeiHuQuan jin is the chain of the Ming dynasty, monuments YanBi 72 springs poems and 72 springs in the qing dynasty HaoZhi revenue of 72 springs that description in jinan, one of the HeiHuQuan QuanQun. HeiHuQuan huancheng road in jinan under the south park integrafive moat. Because of its characteristics, color. Spring is a deep under the cliff 3 meters high, 2 meters, width and depth of 1, 7 meters of natural cave. Water, which is clear person. The LeiQi bluestone and stones from the roots lies, like mosses, tiger hidden. Water gushed out from under the stone struck a rock and turbulent, the thundering sound. The north wind blowing in stone gap cracks, amazing roar in the cave echoed, resembling is reported hearing roars. HeiHuQuan maximum flow quantity about 4.1 million m3 / day in jinan, after ZhuQuan baotu spring, in the second. Water from the hole through conduits, 88 metres by the elevation and the stone head shape, mouth beast, then spilled into the waterfall about 13 meters wide, the old people. The beast, called ba legend as the dragon, good six or water, often waters habitat. Qing pool their mouth, only for a twenty years (1850) regulation for three pools when. In the pool, pool water as clear as a north gate, elevation, 93 meters, six ManLiu ShuiLian formation water inflow moat."

Five Dragon Pool Park (wǔ lóng tán 五龙潭)

The Five Dragon Pool is a culturally significant pond fed by artesian karst springs in the city of Jinan,. It is one of the most renown springs among the 72 famous springs of Jinan.

The spring that supplies the water for the Five Dragon Pool belongs to a group of springs that also contains 28 other springs, such as the Tianjing Spring, Seventy-three Spring, Ximizhi Spring, Huima Spring, Yueya Spring, Xianqing Spring, and the Qiuxi Spring. The water of the Five Dragon Spring originates from the deepest circulation of all the springs in Jinan City.
Legend links the Five Dragon Pool to the Tang Dynasty general Qin Shubao, whose residence is said to have stood at the site. According to the legend, the spring pool formed after torrential rains and submersed Qin Shubao's home.

In 1985, the Five Dragon Pool Public Park was established and the garden landscape surrounding the springs was restored.

http://www.tripadvisor.in/LocationPhotos-g297457-d1805011-Wulongtan_Park-Jinan_Shandong.html#33319987

"There is a legend that the deep pool is not measurable. The legend has it that it will rain every time there is drought; therefore a temple in the deep pool side (Yuan Dynasty) was constructed. Peek from within; there are vivid shape statues with dragon head, dragon beard and body in five directions of the dragon immortal. They are the five sons of the dragon king to guard the place; hence the place was named as Five Dragons Pond. The water temperature is about 18 ℃. It steams here during the deep winter. There are several red fishes in the pool, where the length is several feet and the thickness like barrel. The year from which the breed was reared is unknown."

-- http://www.gochinatravel.com/n2135c174.aspx

Qianfo Mountain

The last one of the three great tourist attractions of Jinan is Qianfo Mountain. It has an altitude of 285 meters, it was called Li Mountain before the Zhou Dynasty (about 1100 -256 BC). It was said that Shun once toiled at the foot of the Li Mountain, and left many folk stories which are still well-known today. In the Sui Dynasty (581 -618 AD), under the reign of Kaihuang Empire, many figures of Buddha were carved according to the topography of the mountain, and the Qianfo Temple was built, so the mountain was also called Qianfo Mountain. In the Tang Dynasty (618 -907 AD), the name of “Qianfo Temple” was changed into “Xingguochan Temple”; since the Yuan Dynasty(1368 -1644 AD), the temple was expanded, so it gradually became a pilgrimage shrine. In 1995, it became one of the Seven National Great Scenic spots.

Scenery in lat summer

According to a legend related in theYouyang Zazu (Youyang Miscellanies) by the Tang Dynasty writer Duan Chengshi (800-863), the Qianfo Mountain was originally located by the sea and the sea god had locked it in place there by a large lock in order to prevent the god in charge of the mountains from moving it around. However, eventually the lock broke and the mountain was hurled through the air into its present position. An artwork shaped as a large lock and a piece of chain has been placed on the summit of the mountain as a reference to the legend.

Chinese character, means Buddha

The mountain's flora and fauna are a adraw, but most people go there to see and learn about the Buddhas. Everywhere you look on Qianfoshan, you see Buddha. From the Qianfo Shi temple at the foot of the mountain to the sleeping Buddha temple, via Guan Yin – also venerated by Taoists – Qianfoshan scratches every religious itch Buddhists can expect to experience. Here's the run-down on Qianfoshan's main Buddhist shrines:

Xingguo Chan: Dedicated to the National Development (Xingguo), this temple was built during the reign of emperor Taizhong, the second monarch of the Tang dynasty (618-907).

Bouddha Maitreya: One of the more recent constructions on Qianfoshan, Boudha Matreya was built in 2000. The park even includes the largest buddha statue in Northern China, 20 metres high and 30 metres diameter.

See how big the Buddhas are!

The sleeping buddha: Built in 1996, it is one of the most beautiful Buddhas in Qianfoshan. With a (religious, not ideological) swastika on his chest, this horizontal Buddha is almost 10 metres long and weigh 50 tons.
Wanfo Dong, the cavern of a myriad of Buddhas: 28,000 representations of Buddha can be found in Wanfo Dong cavern. The biggest one is a gigantic , 28-metre long horizontal Buddha.

Guan Yin temple: Qianfoshan's must-see temple. This sanctuary is dedicated to Guan Yin ( 觀音 Guānyīn), one of the most popular deities in China, which is unsurpsing really, as her name means "the one who answers all calls". In some ways her veneration resembles that of the Virgin Mary within Catholicism, with Taoists also worshipping.

Baotu Spring Park Part 2

The spring water feeds into a rectangular spring pool that extends 30 meters from east to west and 18 meters from north to south. The spring pool is surrounded by historical structures such as the Leyuan (or Luoyuan) Hall (Song Dynasty, to the north of the spring), the Guanlan Pavilion (Ming Dynasty, west of the spring), and the Laihe Bridge (built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, east of the spring). Closeby, on the shore of the spring's runoff stands the Wangheting Teahouse.

Other noteworthy structures are the Banbi Corridor and the Waterside Chamber. The largest architectural ensemble is the 10,000 Bamboo Garden. It comprises 186 buildings arranged around 13 courtyards as well as four pavilions and five bridges. Orginially built during the Yuan Dynasty, it served as the home to a famous poet. In 1912, Zhang Hauizhi, a commander of the local army who later became governor of Shandong Province bought the garden and kept enlarging it from 1912 to 1927. Other gardens within the park are the Whanzhu Garden, the Cang Garden (with the memorial to Wang Xuetao), the Luoyuan Garden, the Hundred Flowers Garden, and the (May 3rd Massacre) Memorial Garden.

First Spring under the Heaven

Baotu Spring has been a recurring subject of classic Chinese literature and has been written about by authors such as Zeng Gong (Song Dynasty), Zhao Mengfu (Yuan Dynasty), and Pu Songling (Qing Dynasty). The spring was visited by the emperors Kang Xi and Qian Long who left inscriptions at the site. Qian Long conferred on it the honorary title "First Spring under the Heaven".

The Baotu Spring public park also houses memorials to the local painters Li Kuchan (1898-1983) and Wang Xuetao (1903-1982) as well as to the poet Li Qingzhao. The latter has a memorial hall set in a traditional courtyard dedicated to her.

The Baotu Spring is the site of an annual lantern festival (starts on the Chinese New Year day and lasts for one month, and a chrysanthemum show (since the 1970's, held from the end of October to the end of November.

A local beer brand ("Baotu Quan" beer produced by Jinan Beer Group Corporation) is named after the spring and said to be brewed with water from the spring.

What's more, the traditional and

very popular Lantern Festival and Chrysanthemum Show are also held here every year, which greatly highlights the cultural significance and importance of this beautiful and very impressive scenic spot. There's no doubt that visitor's will be struck with this very memorable place.

Baotu Spring Park Part 1

Baotu Spring is located in the centre of Baotu Spring Park and is renowned as the best of the 72 springs in Jinan. Since ancient times, many famous poems and prose have been written relating to its unique beauty. According to experts' research, this spring has a history of 3,543 years, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (16th –11th BC). The special geographical structure in Jinan creates the special Baotu Spring. The spring pool is rectangular in shape, stretching about 30 meters (about 98 feet) west to east and about 18 meters (about 59 feet) north to south. Spring water pours out from the underground limestone cave throughout the night and day, sometimes reaching its maximum of 240,000 cubic meters per day. When water bursts out from the three outlets, the spring creates thunderous sounds and sprays water jets. Sometimes water columns are created that reach as high as 26.49 meters (about 86.9 feet), making a real spectacle.

The Spring is hot enough to boil eggs

The spring retains its temperature at 18 degree Celsius (64.4 degree Fahrenheit) all year round. In cold winter, water mist rises and floats over the spring pool like clouds. Ancient pavilions and halls with colorful drawings and carvings reflect in the clear water creating a landscape virtually emulating paradise.


Pure in quality and mellow in taste, the spring water is ideal for drinking and making tea. Tea tasting is a favorite past time here. There is a saying here that you will spoil your Jinan tour if you do not drink the tea brewed with Baotu Spring water. To the east of the spring is the famous Wangheting Teahouse, where you can recreate the moment when past Emperors sat there, tasting tea and enjoying the beautiful scenic delights of Baotu Spring.

The existence of the Baotu Spring has been dated back more than 3,500 years to the times of the Shang Dynasty The spring is mentioned in the Spring and Autumn Annals, the official chronicle of the ancient State of Lu and one of the Five Classics of Chinese literature. The Baotu Spring is also described in the Suijing Zhu ("Commentary on the Waterways Classic") compiled by the geographer Li Daoyuan during the time of the Northern Wei Dynasty. He writes that "spring gushes up, water gushing like wheel". During the time of Li Daoyuan, the Baotu Spring and adjacent springs formed the source of the ancient Luo River. The present-day name of the spring refers to the gushing up of the water. It dates back to the Song Dynasty; previously the spring had been known under different names such as "Baoliu" and "Lanquan".
The area of the Baotu Spring as well as some neighboring springs in the same group are protected by a public park. The park was created in 1956 and covers now about 10.5 hectares.