Jinan

From Muslim Bookings

Baotuquan, Jinan banner.jpg

Jinan (济南 Jǐnán) is the provincial capital of Shandong in the People's Republic of China. It is located in the north-west of the province. In the south the city is flanked by the hills of the Tai'an massif, while the Along the Yellow river|Yellow River passes north of the city.

Jinan carries the nickname City of Springs (泉城 quánchéng) because of the many artesian wells that bubble up within the city limits. The water from these springs flows north towards the main landmark, Daming Lake (大明湖 dàmíng hú), and onwards to the Yellow River.

While it doesn't always make the short list of visitors visiting China there is certainly enough to be done in Jinan to warrant a couple days stay. It is also a perfect base for adventuring the region, notably Qufu and the hometown of Confucius, and Mount Tai and the foremost of the sacred Five Great Mountains known in Taoism.

Halal Travel Guide

History

The Yellow River basin was China's cultural centre during the Neolithic period, and so it comes as no surprise that the area around present day Jinan has been inhabited for over 4,000 years. The oldest finds in the region are from the Longshan culture (roughly 3,000-2,000 BCE), a Late Neolithic culture noted for its advanced black 'egg-shell pottery', sometimes as thin as a millimetre. The name is from Longshan District, an area in Jilin Prefecture where the first relics were found, but the culture seems to have been considerably more widespread than that.

Fast forward past the Shang and Zhou dynasty. After the fall of the Zhou dynasty many independent states arose during a time known as the Spring and Autumn period. Eventually only a handful remained, striving for power during the Warring States period. During this perioid Jinan lay on the border of the state of Qi and the state of Lu. The great wall of Qi, to the East of Jinan, is a remnant of this age. It is the oldest Great Wall in China, and portions are accessible as open air museum. Lu (鲁) on the other hand was the home state of Confucius, and the character is still used as abbreviation for Shandong.

It was during the Han dynasty that Jinan became an important economic and cultural hub, and its role only became more prominent during the following dynasties. Some well known poets, painters and even a Han dynasty ruler all called Jinan their home.

Two events that connected Jinan to the outside world in a new way spurred development and brought Jinan firmly into the modern age. The first was a natural evolution. In 1852 the Yellow River shifted its course, moving to the bedding of the Ji river from which Jinan derives its name. The Yellow River, being connected to the Grand Canal, now connected Jinan both to the Imperial capital in the north, and to agricultural areas in the south.

By the end of the 19th century the German Empire had established a concession in Qingdao on the Shandong coast, and a similar German area was built in what is now the area around the train station. The Germans built a railway connecting Jinan and Qingdao, this however was met with strong local resistance, which eventually led to the anti-foreign Boxer Rebellion. Despite all this the railway was opened for traffic in 1904, opening up Jinan to foreign trade.

Climate

Jinan has four well-defined seasons: spring is dry, summer is hot and wet, autumn is crisp and winter is dry and cold with little snow.

Travel to Jinan

Jinan is the hub of traffic for the region and province so you'll likely end up here if heading elsewhere in Shandong, notably Qingdao and Yantai. High speed rail runs on both north-south and east-west lines through Jinan.

By Plane

You can fly to Jinan, but the airport is located 40 km northeast of downtown. A taxi will take an hour and cost about ¥250. A shuttle bus travels between the airport and downtown hourly from 06:00 to 17:00. It takes just as long and costs ¥20. A subroute of bus 16 also goes to the airport.

You can find Flights from most major cities. Shandong - Airlines is the major carrier. (Shandong - Airlines code-shares with Air China, so your ticket and check-in may well say Air China.)

  • Jinan Yaoqing International Airport - 36.857222, 117.216111 - Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport Jinan Yaoqiang Airport 2005 10 15 378003 A small but modern airport far to the north-east of the downtown.

By Rail

Jinan is on the major line from Shanghai to Beijing so you can take the train. It's about 2½ hours by fast train from Beijing and 3½ hours from Shanghai. Overnight sleeper trains can also be taken to Beijing.

  • Daming Lake Station - 大明湖站 | 36.6808, 117.0234 - A smaller station in central Jinan.
  • Jinan East Station - 济南东站 | 36.747995, 117.153795 - Jinan East Station serves trains to Shijiazhuang. This station is however some distance from the downtown but is closer to the airport. Not to be confused with the old Jinan East train station (now a protected building) which is in Licheng neighborhood and within the city proper.
  • Jinan Station - 济南站 | 36.6702, 116.9856 - Jinan Train Station is on the Qingdao-Jinan High-Speed Railway and is most convenient for traveling to stations further east in Shandong such as Zibo and Qingdao. A few high-speed trains from Beijing also pass through the station daily. Jinan Train Station is in the downtown and a short taxi or bus ride from Quancheng Plaza.
  • Jinan West Station - 济南西站 | 36.6688, 116.8878 - Jinan West Station serves trains on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and can be used for trains to many other major cities including Tianjin, Nanjing, and Suzhou among others. This station is however an roughly 45 minutes drive from the downtown if the traffic is good.

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Travel on a Bus

It is extremely simple to get to Jinan with lots of buses running all day and some at night. Be sure to ask which station the bus will arrive in as there are two main ones and the long distance bus station (长途汽车站) and the train station bus station (客运汽车站).

  • Jinan Plaza Station - 济南广场汽车站 | Chezhan Street, Tianqiao District 36.6696, 116.9875 - Long distance bus station opposite Jinan Train Station.
  • Jinan Long Distance Bus Station East Side Road of 2nd Ring Road East, Huayuan Road, Licheng District 36.6681, 117.0680 ☎ +86 531 8893 4988 - Station at the eastern end of the downtown.

By car

Several expressways connect to Jinan.

Get Around

Jinan is a very large city and travelling by public transport is difficult for non-Chinese speakers,with the exception of the Jinan Metro.

Travel on a Bus

Buses are ¥2, or ¥2 for air-conditioned. Buses that begin with K are supposedly air-conditioned and even if the a/c is off or not working, you are likely to get a seat on these buses as they are much less crowded than the ¥2 (no a/c) buses. A line either is a K-line or not and the same lines don't have K buses and non-K buses operating on them, so mostly it is not feasible to prefer either type without some walking being involved.

Most buses with two digits serve the central city. Three digit ones are either coming from or going to the suburbs (may be very far). Bus stops are easily identifiable and bus numbers are written in the Western numbers both on the buses and at the bus stops. The lists of stops for a given route are posted at every bus stop, but in Chinese only, although the beginning and end stations are written in pinyin.

  • Tourism Bus Station 71 Yingxiongshan Road, Shizhong District 36.63032, 116.99228 ☎ +86 531 8831 6116 - A coach station allowing journeys to more distant Jinan sites.

Best way to travel in Jinan by a Taxi

Taxis drivers do not speak English, and they will often not be able to read maps or your destination in pinyin. So to be certain to reach your destination, make sure you have it written out in Chinese. Price for shorter trips from ¥13.50. It can be difficult to get a taxi between 07:00-08:00 and 18:00-19:00. Many taxi drivers will try to cheat out-of-towners, foreigners and Chinese alike. Obtaining a taxi is now more difficult than ever due to the drivers using apps to collect fares rather than parking up and waiting; this can lead to extremely long waits for taxis at the taxi rank outside Jinan Train Station as taxis now avoid the taxi rank after dropping off clients in order to collect better paying fares they have identified through apps.

By Boat

There is a moat encircling the downtown which flows into and out of Daming Lake. Small boats take groups of passengers on trips around the moat and Daming Lake, allowing them to get on and off at various locations (which can be seen on the map at detailed zoom levels). The boat is no faster than walking and is not a form of regular transportation but is useful and pleasant for tourists spending a day in the downtown.

By metro

The first line of the Jinan Metro opened January 1, 2019, which runs from Jinan West train station to Changqing; which is of very limited (if any) use for tourists and casual visitors to the city. Unfortunately, it is feasible that the metro system will never cover some areas of the city because of the harmful effects underground construction can obtain on the water table and therefore the springs.

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What to See

Travellers on a short trip to Jinan are likely to gain most by focusing on the downtown, particularly the north-south stretch from Daming Lake through Quancheng Plaza to Qianfo Mountain, and by adding a trip to the City Government District if time permits. While many museums are free to visit it is always recommended to carry identification such as a passport or risk being refused entry.

Downtown (Daming Lake)

Nationally-famous Daming Lake is an icon of Jinan, a AAAAA attraction, and must-see for visitors.

  • Confucius Culture Museum 214 Daminghu Road, Lixia District 36.67138, 117.01670 Located at the Jinan Confucius Temple, on the southern bank of Daming Lake and northern end of Furong Street, this complex hosts a number halls and pavilions with statues of Confucius and other ancient sages.
  • Daming Lake Park - 大明湖公园 | Baotuquan North Road, Lixia District 36.6759, 117.0131 - Free entrance to the park, inside are some small museums and mansions that cost 5¥ each A park situated on the northern and western banks, within which are cafes, pavilions, a 'strange stone' museum, and other ancient buildings. Scenic boat rides can be booked for around 20¥ per person.
  • Jinan Old Town Qushuiting Street, Lixia District 36.67000, 117.01842 A neighbourhood of alleys and traditional Chinese buildings immediately east of the Jinan Confucius Temple, an expansion with new faux-traditional Chinese architecture was completed in 2016. There are numerous springs, tea houses and the Hundred Flower Pond, and the former residence of 20th century Chinese scholar Lu Dahuang.
  • Memorial Temple of Xin Qiji Daming Hu Road, Lixia District 36.67297, 117.01451 West side of Xia Garden, south bank of the lake Rebuilt from the original Li Hongzhang Temple, this is a memorial to Xin Qiji, a famous poet and warrior from the Song dynasty.
  • Minghu Art Gallery - 明湖美术馆 | Quehua Road, Lixia District 36.6753, 117.0262 An impressive modern pagoda standing on an island near the center of the lake containing examples of traditional Chinese arts.

Downtown (Quancheng Plaza)

  • Baotu Spring Park - 趵突泉公园 - 1 Baotuquan South Road, Lixia District 36.6608, 117.0100 ☎ +86 531 86920439 ¥110/20 for regular/student ticket Must-see park immediately to the West of Quancheng Plaza surrounds the 'number 1 spring under heaven', Baotu Spring. Includes gardens, pavilions and a number of small museums and memorial halls dedicated to famous local residents. AAAAA attraction.
  • Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall
  • Li Kuchan Memorial Hall
  • Wang Xuetao Memorial Hall

Baotu Spring Pavilion

  • Black Tiger Spring - 黑虎泉 | 36.66199, 117.02523 A famous spring alongside the city moat which flows out from the carved heads of tigers. The spring can be visited by a short walk eastwards along the city moat from Quancheng Plaza. A number of other springs in the vicinity flow into pools from which you can collect spring water.
  • Five Dragon Pool Park - 五龙潭公园 | 36.6661, 117.0088 ☎ +86 531 8692 1741 ¥13/2.5 for regular/student ticket A small park within which is a very deep swimmingpool of spring water, a few natural springs, pavilions and a temple for the Tang Dynasty army general Qin Qiong who lived in Jinan.

Five Dragons Pool Entrance

  • Laoshe Memorial Hall 58 Nanxin St, Lixia District 36.6563, 117.0097A short walk south from Baotu Spring - Free A small museum dedicated to early 20th century Chinese author Laoshe based in his former residence while living in Jinan.
  • Liberation Pavilion - 解放阁 | Heihuquan Road West 36.6628, 117.0277 Inner side of the south-eastern corner of city moat - Free A large structure beside the city moat near the Black Tiger Spring, contains Jinan Liberation Memorial Hall at the top.

Liberation Pavilion

  • Quancheng Plaza - 泉城广场 | 36.6613, 117.0164 A large public square in the centre of Jinan, immediately east of Baotu Spring, south of the main shopping neighborhood, and west of the Science Museum. The eastern end of the square contains a musical fountain that displays an artistically directed light, water and music show occasionally throughout the day. A semicircular viewing structure stands next to the fountain and statues of famous ancient Shandong people can be viewed at the base. There is a shopping centre and supermarket beneath the square and entrances leading down can be found at the centre and around the edges of the square (avoid in heavy rain as this shopping centre has flooded in the past resulting in deaths). Locals come here to fly kites or play other traditional Chinese games.
  • Shandong Party History Museum 3 Gongqingtuan Road, Tianqiao District 36.66388, 117.00722 Three exhibition halls display the history of the Party in Shandong Province.
  • Shandong Scientific and Technology Museum Nanmen Street 36.66126, 117.02061 Standing at the eastern end of Quancheng Plaza, this is a very simple museum for schoolchildren.

Downtown (Qianfo Mountain)

Must-see Qianfo Mountain is the southern boundary of the densely urbanized city and contains the ancient 'thousand' Buddha's in their grottoes. Between Qianfo Mountain and Hero Mountain to the West there are a number of locations interesting to visitors.

  • Jinan Archaeological Museum 2 Qianfoshan West Road, Lixia District 36.6446, 117.0204 A small museum displaying the development of archaeological undertakings in Jinan.
  • Jinan Battle Memorial Hall - Hero Mountain 36.6394, 116.9959 - Free (ID required) A museum dedicated to a battle that took place in Jinan during the Chinese Civil War. A stairway north of the memorial hall leads to the Revolutionary Martyr's Memorial Tower, a large war memorial dedicated to Socialists who died during the Chinese Civil War. There is an excellent view of Jinan city from the point at the top of the hill where the tower stands.
  • Jinan Museum - 济南市博物馆 - 30 Jingshiyi Road, Lixia District 36.64527, 117.02097 - Free A short walk west from the northern main entrance to Qianfo Mountain; includes exhibitions on the history of the city, Chinese ceramics and old clocks.
  • Jinan Planning Exhibition Hall 9288 Jingshi Road, Lixia District 36.6474, 117.0088 - Free Small exhibition space at the north-west end of Quancheng Park shows the history of development of Jinan city. Currently closed.
  • Qianfo Mountain Scenic Spot - 千佛山 - Jingshiyi Road, Lixia District 36.6452, 117.0271 Opening Hours: 07:00-18:00 Must-see Jinan site, this famous park contains gardens, pavilions, a bizarre imitation cave with neon-lit Buddha art, an enormous golden Buddha, statues and the Shandong Revolutionary Martyr's Cemetery for the Revolution of 1911, and temples containing the ancient Buddha statues set into stone grottoes. The top of the hill has an impressive view over the city.

Buddha Grotto Qianfo Mountain - Carved and painted Buddhas at Qianfo Mountain Scenic Spot.

  • Quancheng Park - 泉城公园 or Spring City Park | No. 106 Jingshi Road 36.6452, 117.0140 A large public park to the south of Jinan downtown and west of Qianfu Mountain. Paths lead through the densely planted park and around a central pond that contains swan-shaped boats that may be rented. A small children's amusement park stands beside the pond. At the eastern end is a small museum of ancient jades containing interesting examples from most Chinese dynasties (you may need to find an employee to ask them to unlock the door for you).
  • Shandong Carved-Stone Art Museum 6 Qingnian East Road, Lixia District 36.6536, 117.0194 Small museum displaying a collection of ancient stone carvings and statues.
  • Shandong University of Art & Design Gallery - Qianfoshan Campus - art0531@.com 23 Qianfoshan East Road, Lixia District 36.6400, 117.0420 ☎ +86 531 89626567 Opening Hours: 09:00-16:30 Art gallery within the campus of the Shandong University of Art and Design.

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Commercial Port

This area, immediately south of Jinan Train Station, contains a number of European colonial buildings, including houses, former banks, and a large post office. Private art galleries, second-hand bookshops and coffee shops can be found on Jingsan Road. After the opening of the Jinan train station this area was planned & constructed for trade purposes.

  • Folk Art Paradise Museum - Qushanyihai Museum | Wanda Plaza, 5 Jingsi Road, Shizhong District 36.66263, 116.99618 The former site of the out-patient clinic of Shandong Red Swastika Society (a Chinese version of the Red Cross/Red Crescent societies), this museum focusses on Chinese folk arts.
  • Hongjitang Museum - 宏济堂博物馆 | 281 Jinger Road, Huaiyin District 36.6633, 116.9813 A museum of traditional Chinese medicine based in a former building of the Hongjitang pharmaceutical company The building housing the museum was moved 8 meters in 2008 so that it would be saved from demolition.
  • Jinan Commercial Port Cultural Hall and Cai Gongshi Memorial Hall 370 Jingsi Road, Huaiyin District 36.6594, 116.9807 - Free A small museum displaying the history of the German Quarter and developments around the train station as China opened to the world. Shares a building with the Cai Gongshi Memorial Hall, a memorial at the site where Cai Gongshi, a negotiator sent by Chiang Kai-Shek to negotiate with the Japanese during the Jinan Incident, was murdered along with 16 members of his team by their soldiers.
  • Qilu Coin Museum - 齐鲁钱币博物馆 | 382 Jingqi Road, Shizhong District 36.6550, 116.9858 Inside Jinan Branch of China People's Bank Shows coins and paper money from over 4000 years of Shandong history.
  • Qingdao-Jinan Railway Gallery - 胶济铁路陈列馆 | 30 Station Road, Shizhong District 36.6682, 116.9856 ☎ +86 0531 8067 9708 Opening Hours: 09:00-11:00 and 14:00-17:00 A museum showing the history and development of the Qingdao-Jinan railway.
  • Shandong Museum of Letter Writing Culture - 山东华夏书信文化博物馆 | 91 Jingyi Road, Shizhong District 36.6674, 116.9853 - Free Includes exhibitions on the history of letter writing, ancient and modern letter writing, and the letter writing of famous people of Shandong. Very little here for non-Chinese speakers apart from a collection of Chinese postcards although the old colonial building (formerly Jinan Telegraph Office) still has original features and is worth a quick look around.
  • Shandong Post and Telecommunications Museum 77 Jingsan Road, Shizhong District 36.6627, 116.9890 Located in the China Unicom building on the site of the former Shandong Postal Administration Office Building, this museum mainly displays information on the history and development of communications in Shandong Province.
  • Xiaoguanghan Film Museum 48 Jingsan Road, Shizhong District 36.6630, 116.9899 Formerly the site of Jinan Xiaoguanghan Theater and the earliest cinema in Jinan, this now exhibits objects related to film history.
  • Zhongshan Park - 中山公园 | 132 Jingsan Road, Shizhong District 36.6610, 116.9833 - Free Jinan's oldest public park, which was rededicated mid-20th-century to the life and achievements of Chinese revolutionary and first president Sun-Yat Sen.

Xiaoqing River

The Xiaoqing River is a historic river that runs through the northern suburbs of Jinan and a number of sites are based alongside or near it.

  • Huayang Palace - 华阳宫 | 36.728, 117.064 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 ¥20 for the palace. Free to climb the mountain Taoist temple at the foot of Hua Mountain. The mountain was site of a famous battle during the Spring & Autumn period. There is another small temple halfway up the mountain with a viewing platform. Hua Spring, another of Jinan's famous springs is also at this site.
  • Jinan Zoo - 济南动物园 - 87 Jieluo Road, Tianqiao District 36.7006, 116.9812 ☎ +86 531-85958133 Opening Hours: 06:30-17:30 ¥25 Situated in the north-west of the city, this is a large zoo alongside the banks of the Xiaoqing River.
  • Xiaoqinghe River Comprehensive Treatment Exhibition Hall North Qinghe Road / North Lishan Road, Tianqiao District 36.7021, 117.0383 An exhibition hall situated alongside the Qinghe River in northern Jinan, explaining the history and human management of the river.
  • Zhang Yanghao's Tomb Park - 张养浩墓公园 | Shuitun North Road, Tianqiao District 36.6967, 117.0144 A short walk along the Xiluo River that flows into the Xiaoqing River, this small park contains the tomb of Yuan dynasty poet Zhang Yanghao and four of his family members.

City Government District

A relatively new development at the far eastern end of the city, construction began for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but has continued with the addition of a new museum, art gallery, hotels and impressive government offices.

  • Jinan Olympic Sports Center - 济南奥林匹克体育中心 | Hening Road, Lixia District 36.6566, 117.1141 - Free A large complex holding the Jinan Olympic Sports Stadium, Gymnasium, Tennis Stadium, and Natatorium, as well as restaurants and cafes.
  • Jinan Police Museum - 济南警察博物馆 | 17777 Lvyou Road, Lixia District 36.6478, 117.1187 ☎ +86 531 85089436 Free A small museum displaying police related relics from the Qing Dynasty and relating the history of the Jinan police force from foundation in 1902.
  • Shandong - Art Gallery - 山东省美术馆 | 11777 Jingshi Road, Lixia District 36.6582, 117.0924 - Free (ID required) A large modern art gallery immediately south-east of Shandong Museum, this has yet to make it on to some online mapping services despite being a significant new feature in Jinan's cultural scene. It displays international and national roaming exhibitions. Flip-flops not allowed.
  • Shandong Museum - 11899 Jing Shi Road, Lixia District 36.6600, 117.0902 ☎ +86 531 8505 8201 Free (ID required) A large museum displaying historical items from Shandong Province; this is situated in a modern building east of the downtown. Exhibitions include a collection of Han dynasty stone carvings and relics recovered by police from criminal tomb looters, amongst others.

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Jinan City

These sites are outside the downtown but within the urban area and can be visited by a relatively short bus or taxi ride.

  • Baihua Park - 百花公园 | 10 Min Ziqian Road, Licheng District 36.6758, 117.0645 ☎ +86 531 8890 5242 Free A park at the eastern end of the city that contains the Filial Piety Culture Museum.
  • Forest Park - 森林公园 | 321 Zhang Zhuang Lu, Jinan 36.6699, 116.9370 - Free Large well planned park with interesting walks and lots of activities taking place in the daytime.
  • Hongjialou Catholic Church - Hongjialou Gothic Church 洪家楼教堂, Sacred Heart Gothic Church 耶稣圣心主教座堂 - 623099159@ 1 Hongjialou North Road, Licheng District (历城区洪家楼北路1号) 36.6857, 117.0599 Opening Hours: Sunday: 08:00-19:00; all other days: 09:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:00 A large European-styled Catholic Church at the eastern end of Jinan. Men are required to wear full-length trousers to enter.
  • Jiangshui Scenic Area Lvyou Road 36.633364, 117.079804 - Free An attractive natural park, a number of hiking paths lead through the valleys and hills at the south-eastern edge of Jinan. There is a grotto containing some of Jinan's famous springs and ancient Buddha statues carved into a rock face. Higher on the hills is an enormous modern head of the Buddha and a platform with a view over Jinan.
  • Jinan Art Museum Lashanhe West Road, Huaiyin District 36.671435, 116.904820 At the junction of Lashanhe West Road and Weihai Road, this is a modern art museum.
  • Jinan Automobile Museum - 济南汽车博物馆 | 118 Wuyingshanzhong Road, Tianqiao District 36.6824, 116.9607 On the campus of Shandong Transport University, this is a museum dedicated to the history of automobiles.
  • Red History Museum 6 Baimashan South Road, Shizhong District 36.625035, 116.953659 ☎ +86 132 8772 5199 - A small museum and gift shop.
  • Shandong Military History Museum 7777 Jingshi Road, Shizhong District 36.6490, 116.9605 Traces the history of Shandong during the anti-Japanese war.
  • Shandong University Museum Zhixin Building, Shandong University Campus, 27 Shanda South Road, Licheng District 36.6718, 117.0540 Opening Hours: Term-time only Free A museum displaying the collection of the Department of Archaeology and School of Historic Culture of Shandong University over two floors. Floor 26 contains a number of texts written in examples of ancient Chinese writing while the larger floor 27 has descriptions of major archaeological finds in Shandong Province with well designed exhibitions, important relics on display and good English language explanatory texts. Small but among the best museums in the city.
  • Tomb of Min Ziqian 10 Min Ziqian Road, Licheng District 36.6762, 117.0611 - Free Small garden containing the tomb of ancient Confucian philosopher Min Ziqian and a large number of statues and other relics from the larger graveyard that previously stood at this location.
  • Yellow River Forest Park - 黄河森林公园 | 309 Guodao Road, Tianqiao District 36.7266, 116.9883 ☎ +86 531 8809 0023 - A riverside park and garden on the northern bank of the Yellow River, this is at the most northern end of the city proper. The river can be crossed via a busy and old-fashioned floating bridge to a small village beside the park. A beach area along the river is busy with local residents fishing and barbecuing in good weather.

Changqing

A large neighborhood far to the south-west of the city, most sites are in close proximity to each other within Changqing Town but the Qi Great Wall and Guo Family Ancestral Hall are even further to the south-west. There is now a metro from Jinan West train station to Changqing, but given the distance from the downtown to Jinan West station, this is of limited use to most casual visitors to the city.

  • Changqing Museum - 济南市长清区博物馆 | 17017 Jingshi Road, Changqing District 36.3941, 117.052 Exhibits relics from the tomb of the Jibei King's Tomb from Western Han dynasty.
  • Changqing Qi Dynasty's Great Wall Tourist Area - 长清齐长城旅游区 | 220 Zhangda Road, Changqing District 36.342959, 116.632535 An open air museum for the Great Wall of the Qi State, a precursor to the Chinese Great Wall that was used in defence of the ancient state of Qi that ruled half of Shandong before the first imperial consolidation of China.
  • Five Peak Mountain - 五峡山 | 36.478, 116.785 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:20 ¥110 A large natural park 10 kilometers south-east of Changqing town containing two temples and pavilions. AAA attraction.
  • Guo Family Ancestral Hall - 孝堂山郭氏墓石祠 or Xiaotang Mountain Han Shrine | Xiaotangshan, Changqing District 36.398489, 116.605373 A funerary stone shrine from the Western Han dynasty on the bank of the Yellow River.
  • Jinan International Garden Expo Park - 济南国际园博园 | Haitang Road, Changqing District 36.540010, 116.808405 ☎ +86 531 87206666 Opening Hours: 08:30-16:30 ¥110 A large park with a number of different themed gardens. AAAA attraction.
  • Lingyan Temple - 灵岩寺 | Wande Town, Changqing District 36.360, 116.967 ☎ +86 531 8746 8097 Lingyan Temple (Jinan) A famous temple that was amongst the most important in China during the Tang dynasty, points of interest include the Pizhi Pagoda, Thousand Buddha Hall, and a stupa forest.
  • Shandong Traditional Medicine Museum - 山东省中医药文化博物馆 - University Road, Changqing District 36.551700, 116.753000 Museum at the Shandong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
  • Shandong University of Art & Design Museum 36.521164, 116.821063 Located in Changqing Campus of Shandong University of Art & Design, this museum contains two collections: the Sunday Changlin art collection and the Shandong Oriental Chinese Folk Art Museum.
  • Shandong University of Art & Design Gallery - Changqing Campus - art0531@.com 1225 University Road, Changqing District 36.521475, 116.822288 ☎ +86 531 89626567 Opening Hours: 09:00-16:30 Art gallery within the campus of the Shandong University of Art and Design.

Jinan Region

These sites are within one of the administrative neighborhoods of Jinan but are far from the downtown and mostly difficult or expensive to reach with the current public transport system.

  • Baimai Springs - 百脉泉 - 36.720, 117.531 Set within the Baimai Park in Zhangqiu neighborhood, this site was once the residence of Song dynasty poet Li Qingzhao. The park also contains other springs, a lake, historical buildings and a garden dedicated to the poet.
  • Four Gates Pagoda Scenic Area - 四门塔风景区 | 36.4503, 117.1258 ☎ +86 0531 8284 0444 Opening Hours: 07:30-17:30 ¥110 - Four_Gates_Pagoda Contains the Sui dyntasty Four Gates Pagoda, Thousand Year Pine, and Tang dynasty Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda and Minor Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda,
  • Wild World Jinan - Jinan Wildlife World, 济南野生动物世界 - No. 26800 Route S243, Buxi Village, Bucun Town, Zhangqiu District (章丘区埠村镇埠西村S243线26800号) 36.61856, 117.46401 Shuttle bus from Tourist Bus Station ☎ +86 531 83772666 Opening Hours: Monday to Fri: 08:30-17:00; Saturday to Sun: 08:30-17:00; ticket sales end two hours before closing time ¥260 Wild Word Jinan has over 200 species in a 150-hectare park.
  • Longdong Scenic Area - 龙洞风景区 | Lixia District 36.600, 117.108 - Includes the Dragon Cave, Buddha Ravine, Horse Hoof Ravine and a number of springs.
  • Longshan Culture Museum - 龙山文化博物馆 or 城子崖遗址博物馆 | 1 Longshan Town Administration West, Zhangqiu District 36.734, 117.356 Museum connected to the Chengziya Relic Site, displaying items from the prehistoric Longshan culture including the famous black shell pottery.
  • Red Leaves Valley - 红叶谷 - 327 Provincial Road, Licheng District 36.5043, 117.156 Buses 65, 29, 88 ☎ +86 531 8281 3139 - A natural park in the mountains south of Jinan known for its autumn beauty.

Top Travel Tips

  • Jinan International Convention & Exhibition Center - 济南国际会展中心 or 济南国际会展 | Huizha Road, Lixia District 36.6854, 117.1176 ☎ +86 531 8888 5666 - Large conference center on the eastern outskirts of the city proper. Mostly holds industry and business fairs but there are occasional cultural exhibitions too.
  • Minghu Ju - 明湖居 | 29 Daminghu Road, Lixia District 36.67238, 117.02204 ☎ +86 531 8277 3666 Qing Dynasty theater showing traditional operas with a restaurant and tea house.
  • Shandong - Acrobatics Troupe Theatre - 山东省杂技团金奖演艺厅 | 71 Wenhua Road, Lixia District 36.6548, 117.0444 Home theatre of world class Chinese acrobatic troupe.
  • Shandong Grand Theatre Opera Hall - 山东省会大剧院歌剧厅 | Weihai Road, Huaiyin Qu, 250000 36.6691, 116.9023 Modern theatre in the new western area of the city near the western train station.

DaoYuan_in_Jinan_2010-06

Shopping

Jinan is a sprawling city with a huge number of modern shopping centers and older commercial streets. Visitors on a short trip should find almost everything they need within the north-south stretch from Daming Lake through Quancheng Plaza to Qianfo Mountain.

Central shopping neighborhood

The central shopping neighborhood is centered around Quancheng Plaza with the majority of large stores along Quancheng Road a short walk north of the square. Quancheng Road also has access to the southern entrance to Furong Street, a busy food street with many small restaurants and snack traders. There is also a small faux-ancient shopping quarter filled with small cafes and trinket stores at the junction of Heilongquan West and Heilongquan North streets.

  • Guihe Shopping Center - 贵和购物中心 | 3 Tian Di Tan Street, Quancheng Road, Lixia District 36.66359, 117.01969 A luxury shopping center immediately to the east of Parc 66; Guihe shopping center holds high-end stores such as Armani, Boss, Louis Vuitton and Omega. At the eastern side of the building is the entrance to Jinan Crowne Plaza Hotel where you can obtain tea in the lobby or eat at the international buffet.
  • Inzone Shopping Mall (Silva Plaza) - 银座大厦 | 66 Luoyuan Street, Lixia District 36.65951, 117.02366 ☎ +86 531 8606 5990 - A large department store with a number of luxury boutiques such as Prada, this outlet of the Inzone chain stands a short walk from the south-eastern corner of Quancheng Plaza. The store can be entered from either the north or south of Luoyuan Street as a wing of the building is constructed over and on both sides of the street. There is a supermarket and small food hall in the basement.
  • Parc 66 - 济南恒隆广场 or Plaza 66 - 188 Quancheng Road, Lixia District 36.66333, 117.01783 ☎ +86 531 5563 8888 Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 This enormous modern structure stands immediately north of Quancheng Plaza with a convenient bridge passing between them. Lower storeys hold Western brands such as Adidas (currently on the BDS List so for the time don't purchase any Adidas products), Clarks, Nike, Omega, Pizzas Hut, Starbucks , Swarovski, and Zara; higher storeys hold Chinese brands and high-quality restaurants. There is parking and a supermarket in the basement. A number of casual Chinese dessert cafes stand on the multi-storey bridge that spans the two buildings forming this shopping centre.
  • Shimao International Plaza - 世茂国际广场 | 26 Quancheng Road, Lixia District 36.66496, 117.02463 A large modern shopping center on Quancheng Road, a short walk east from Guihe Plaza, this building holds a large number of modern Chinese brands and also some Western brands such as Casio, Costa Coffee, C&A and Uniqlo. There are cafes, restaurants and a bakery plus access through the building to the faux-ancient shopping neighborhood at the junction of Heilongquan West and Heilongquan North roads.
  • Xinhua Book Store - 新华书店 | 185 Quancheng Road, Lixia District 36.66496, 117.01814 ☎ +86 531 8619 3051 - Standing on the northern side of Quancheng Road, opposite Parc 66, this is an enormous multi-storey outlet for the national book selling chain. Foreign language books can be found on the top floor.

Other shopping areas

Other notable shopping areas located around the city include the Jingsi Road shopping neighborhood ten minutes walk west of the central shopping neighborhood and the Harmony and Liancheng shopping centres at the junction of Jingshi and GPS 12th Roads, and the Jinan Gaoxing Wanda Plaza immediately east of Jinan International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

  • Harmony Plaza - 和谐广场 | 22799 Jingshi Road, Huaiyin District 36.64891, 116.97377 ☎ +86 531-81619999 - An enormous modern shopping center standing on the western corner of the junctions of Jingshi Road and GPS 12th Road, this building hosts a number of Western brand stores such as C&A, H&M, Starbucks , Uniqlo, Vera Moda as well as restaurants and a cinema on higher storeys. Another shopping center, Liancheng International, containing more restaurants and a basement food hall stands on the other corner of the junction.
  • Inzone Shopping Mall (Yuhan Branch) 19288 Shijing Road, Lixia District 36.6467, 117.0089 ☎ +86 531 6771 8555 - Another branch of the Inzone chain, this is located to the north-west of Quancheng Plaza and conveniently placed for a day exploring the southern end of the downtown.
  • Wanda Plaza (Gaoxing) 57 Gongye South Road, Lixia District 36.6849, 117.1224 A shopping mall next to the International Exhibition Center.
  • Wanda Plaza (Weijiazhuang) - 万达广场 (魏家庄店) | Jingsi Road, Shizhong District 36.6623, 116.9971 Opening Hours: 10:00-22:30 A large modern shopping mall at the eastern end of the German Quarter, this is the centrepiece of the larger Jingsi Road shopping neighborhood which also includes the Zhenhua and Daguanyuan department stores, an underground market beneath Jingsi Road (look for subway-style entrances on the pavements), and close proximity to the restaurants and cafes at the Greenland Puli Center.

Specialist shopping

More specialized shopping areas include the electronics markets at the junction of Jiefang and Shanda Roads or the Yingxiongshan Cultural Market.

  • Guangyou Tea City Zhuanghu Road, Huaiyin District 36.6656, 116.9500 Large shopping neighborhood for teas including warehouse size stores and a large number of classically styled boutique shops.
  • Hero Mountain Culture Market - 英雄山文化市场 | 46 Ma'anshan Road, Shizhong District 36.6435, 117.0024 ☎ +86 531 8209 5402 - A large market with dozens if not hundreds of stalls selling ancient-styled furniture, homeware, and antiques of all sorts. Thriving on Saturdays when a bird and insect market also takes place outside the western entrance to the culture market.
  • Qilu Qixian Culture City - 齐鲁七贤文化城 | 122 Jiwei Road, Shizhong District 36.607757, 116.955476 ☎ +86 0531 8705 5777 Opening Hours: 08:00-19:00 A market selling cultural items from a number of stores such as the Stone Appreciation Museum and Red Sunday Bookstore.
  • Technology Markets District Shanda Road, Lixia District 36.6669, 117.0509 - At the junction of Jiefang Road and Shanda Road, on each of the northern corners stand Saibo Digital Plaza and Huaqiang Electronics World, two large multi-storey indoor technology markets. Further north along Shanda Road stand a host of other electronics markets and stores. It would be difficult to get a good deal without Mandarin skills.

Halal Food & Restaurants

  • Muslim Quarter - 回民小区 | Yinhuchi Street 36.6614, 117.0066 The authentic Muslim Quarter (Huimin Qu) is set among busy alleys in the city block immediately to the West of Baotu Spring. There are many barbecue restaurants where one may eat lamb and drink Cola; many have outdoor seating with tiny chairs and tables. There are a couple of masjids and market stalls with fresh fruits, vegetables, cloth and trinkets.

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Stay Safe

Jinan is a very safe city and the people of Shandong are famously known as friendly throughout China. The downtown and other commercial areas are safe to walk around until late at night.

News & References


Travel Next

Jinan is a great base from which to explore Shandong Province as it is the central transport hub.

  • Dezhou - A city neighbouring Jinan to the north-west, home to a famous tomb of a king from the Philippines and a famous Chicken dish.
  • Pinyi County - Home to the Guiness World Records approved largest dinosaur museum and the Tianyu Natural Museum.
  • Qingdao - Shandong's second city, home of the internationally known Chinese organic juice brand, and a former colonial city of the German Colonial Empire.
  • Qufu - Host to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Confucius Manor, Temple and Graveyard, plus temples to other pivotal Chinese philosophers.
  • Taishan - Host to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Tai, a short train ride from Jinan.
  • Zibo - A large city neighbouring Jinan to the east, host to a number of interesting museums.

Further afield there are a number of major cities easily reached from Jinan due to the city being on the Beijing-Shanghai railway.

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