¡¡

Jinan, Shandong Province

Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, is on the southern bank of the Yellow River, north of the famous Mt. Tai. The Beijing-Shanghai and Qingdao-Jinan railways meet here. 

The area was first inhabited during the Neolithic Period. Some 3,600 years ago, walls were built to enclose the town, which was then called Lu. The name was changed to Jinan 3,100 years ago because it was located to the south of the ancient Jishui River. In 1116, Jinan was established as a prefecture, and in 1368 it became the provincial capital.

For centuries, the city has been renowned for its lakes and springs, including Daming Lake, and ¡°The First Spring under Heaven,¡± the Baotu Springs. 

The most exciting sights on a trip to Jinan, however, are probably excursions to Qufu, the birthplace of the ancient philosopher, Confucius, and Mount Tai, the best of the country's ¡°Five Sacred Mountains.¡±

TAISHAN (Mount Tai) 
Taishan, more than 345 miles in circumference, rises steeply and majestically in the middle of Shandong Province about 45 miles from Jinan. Massive and awesome, it has featured in many historic events throughout the ages, and has been a rich source of inspiration for countless maxims, poetic allusions, and literary works. To many people the mountain is a symbol of grandeur and stability as shown, for example, in the popular Chinese saying, ¡°As solid as Mount Tai.¡± 

Tiankuang (Celestial Gift) Hall, the main hall of the Dai Temple, consists of nine rooms with double eaves, eight cornices and yellow glazed tile roofs. The frescoes (10 ft. high and 170 ft. long) of life-like figures, covering the east, west, and north walls are rare, outstanding works of art. 

Jinshiyu Valley: Half a mile to the northeast of Doumu Palace is a huge wall of rock (one 15th of a hectare) bearing an engraving of the Diamond Sutra. Each character is more than a foot high. The forceful calligraphy of this ancient inscription is regarded as the prototype of the bank (placard) style. 

Nantianmen (South Celestial) Gate: This is opposite the Beitianmen Gate (the Northern Celestial Gate) and can be reached by a steep, winding staircase. At the top is Mokong (Touching the Sky) tower with a stone table bearing an inscription by Du Renjie, a Yuan Dynasty poet. 

QUFU 
Arriving in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, the first thing coming into sight is the spacious temple of Confucius, which dominates the town. 

Confucius is the world-renowned Chinese philosopher born in Qufu more than 3,500 years ago. His influence on Chinese society culture lasts until the present day. Qufu has recently been restored to its former glory. It has become a tourist attraction rivaling the Great Wall.

In size and scale, the Confucius Temple ranks second only to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Construction of the Temple began in 478 B.C., the year after Confucius's death. It was rebuilt many times throughout the ensuing 3,000 years. 

The Temple grounds cover an area of 33 hectares with buildings laid out symmetrically along a 0.6-mile north-south axis. There are 53 magnificent gateways and numerous halls, pavilions and shrines elaborately roofed with glazed tiles.

¡¡