The World's Best Spring Scenic Area, located in downtown Jinan

　The World's Best Spring Scenic Area, located in downtown Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, consists of one river ( the Moat), one lake (Daming Lake), three springs (Baotu, Black Tiger and Five-dragon Pond springs) and four parks (Baotu Park, Huancheng Park, Five-dragon Pond Park and Daming Lake) and. An embodiment of the unique landscape of natural water springs and a profound historical and cultural heritage, it forms an important part of the characteristics of Jinan, the City of Springs.
　　The Scenic Area, built around the Baotu Spring, which is knows as the Best Spring in the World, is further divided into three major spring groups, Baotu, Black Tiger and Five-dragon Pond spring groups, which stand in harmony with the ancient walls and mansions from the Ming Dynasty, where springs, rivers, lakes and towns are seamlessly integrated and present a spectacular picture as described in a poem: Every household has springs and weeping willows in front of their homes with water running over stones. The spring water breaking out of the ground is a truly remarkable thing to see. Of these major springs, the Baotu Spring comes on the top, as it throws water several feet up in the air, roaring and churning, a scene that has been ranked the top of the eight must-sees in Jinan since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Black Tiger Spring, guarded by three formidable beasts carved out the stone, is forever gushing out a huge amount of water, while the Five-dragon Pond is overwhelmed by a sense of tranquility, with a pool of deep and limpid water hidden away in a mysterious shade of trees. These springs gurgling with water day in and day out form countless streams that rush into the moat and the Daming Lake, giving birth to a complete, unique landscape belt encompassing the old district of Jinan and which has come to known as the only one of it kind in China.

　　You can take a cruise boat down on the moat while sipping tea and appreciating the bubbling water and the playful fish disappearing into the swaying aquatic plants now and then, until you suddenly find yourself in the Daming Lake. Along the route, you can see a number of places of interests and historic relics among the weeping willows, including the Luoyuan Temple, Lixia Pavilion, Nanfeng Temple, Jianxuan Temple, Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall, Chaoran Tower, Baixue Mansion, Teixuan Temple, Shangzhi Temple, Cang Garden, Ten-thousand Bamboo Garden, Autumn Willow Park, "Lao She and Jinan Gallery, and Liberation Pavilion. As scenery unfolds, it also shows the landscapes and the cultural and historical sites that are unique to Jinan, a city known for its springs.