Baotuquan
Location: Jinan city, Shandong Province
Transportation: Bus service
Culture/History Rating: 3/5
Scenery Rating: 3.5/5
Hotels: N/A
Summary:
Description:
| Featured as a gushing springs garden, Baotuquan Spring Park of 27.7 acres in land area is located in the downtown area at South Baotuquan street and the middle of Luoyuan Avenue, with Mt. Thousand Buddha to the south, Quancheng Square to the east, and Daming Lake to the north. With another name as Jianquan Spring, Baotuquan springs have been the source of the Le River for 2700 years. The three major springs gush simultaneously with thundering sound, which are described as fountains constantly pumping water. |  |
 | The spring water keeps its temperature around 18 degree centigrade all year round. In cold winter, the steam forms a curtain of thin fog over the surface. With clear deep water in the spring pool on one side and pavilions of color painting and rich ornaments on the other, visitors feel as if they were on a fairyland on earth. Many writers, philosophers and poets left poems and verses in praise of the wonderful scene.The Billow Observation Pavilion, which extends into the water on the left side of the pool, was built in the fifth year of Tianshun emperor, Ming Dynasty. There are stone tables and benches in it so that visitors can enjoy the scene while relaxing. Embedded on the west wall of the pavilion is the writing of billow observation by a calligrapher of Ming Dynasty. |
| The stone inscription of No.1 Spring was written by Wang Zhonglin, a famous calligrapher of Qing Dynasty. Baotuquan Spring carved on a monument to the west of the pavilion was left by Hu Zanzhong, governor of Shandong during Ming Dynasty. On the north bank of the east pool at waterside is the renowned Penglai Society, a construction with bright windows and tidy tables. Also called Tea House for Viewing Cranes, the place were visited respectively by Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong, who sat here by the window and enjoyed the colorful charms of the springs over a cup of fragrant tea. At the pleasing taste of water from Baotuquan springs, they even threw out the water they brought all the way with them from Beijing on their inspection to the south. It is said that water from springs further reinforces the taste of good tea and that one would not be visiting a real Jinan without drinking the spring water. |  |