Baotu Spring and Daming Lake in Jinan

Background

Baotu Spring is the source of Jinan's ancient Luo River; its three vents sit close together in a line and burst forth together. Zeng Gong of the Song dynasty first called it “Baotu Spring”, the Qianlong Emperor named it the “First Spring under Heaven”, and “Baotu Leaping into the Sky” is one of the Eight Views of Jinan. Guanlan Pavilion stands to the west of the spring pool, and the park also holds springs such as Shuyu, Mapao and Jinxian, with the Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall beside Shuyu Spring. Baotu Spring is a classic artesian spring: rain on the mountains south of Jinan seeps underground and builds up pressure as it gathers beneath the city, and the spring cluster is where the water escapes. The spring has dried up several times in history; according to Wikipedia, it resumed flowing on 6 September 2003 and has gushed ever since, and current water levels are published daily by the Jinan Urban and Rural Water Affairs Bureau. Daming Lake is a natural lake formed by many springs, covering about 46 hectares, with six islands and pavilions, lotus blooming in summer and weeping willows on three sides. Its shores hold memorials linked to Jinan's writers, such as Lixia Pavilion and Jiaxuan Shrine, and “Autumn Wind at Lixia” and “Evening Glow at Huibo” are also among the Eight Views of Jinan. Daming Lake, Baotu Spring and Thousand Buddha Mountain are together known as Jinan's three great sights. A folk saying dating back centuries holds that Daming Lake “has no snakes or frogs and a constant water level”; it is popular lore.

Local customs

• You can watch the three vents and Guanlan Pavilion from the east and north sides of the Baotu Spring pool and visit the Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall beside Shuyu Spring
• walk around Daming Lake or take a boat, enjoy the lotus in summer and see Lixia Pavilion and Jiaxuan Shrine on the shore
• then stroll along the moat and spring-side lanes to sense the old city that Liu E described in The Travels of Lao Can as having “spring water in every home and willows at every door”.

Travel tips

• Baotu Spring's water level and flow depend on groundwater, so you can check the levels published by the Jinan Urban and Rural Water Affairs Bureau before you go. Guard against heat and sun by the lake in summer, and note that stone paths are slippery in the rain
• opening and admission arrangements for both sites follow official announcements. Both are in the center of Jinan's old city: take local public transport to the center and walk between them along Quancheng Road and the moat
• check official sources for routes.
• Spring willows and summer lotus are Daming Lake's most characteristic seasons
• Baotu Spring can be enjoyed year-round, though its flow and level change considerably after summer rain
• dress warmly in winter.