Baotu Spring
Baotu Spring Park is located in Lixia District, Jinan, and is a natural landscape park centred on springs. Within it is Baotu Spring,…
Baotu Spring, Jinan
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥40; night square for tea-tasting by the spring ¥20
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Getting there
- Near the south gate of Baotu Spring (bus stop)
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 1327. Open in Google Maps
About Baotu Spring
Baotu Spring Park is located in Lixia District, Jinan, and is a natural landscape park centred on springs. Within it is Baotu Spring, known as the “First Spring under Heaven.” Its most remarkable sight is that the water divides into three streams that gush day and night, rising several feet at high water. The south gate of Baotu Spring Park is especially worth seeing: it is magnificently decorated, and the horizontal plaque above the gate carries the characters “Baotu Spring” in gold on a blue background, written by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty. It is hailed as the “First Gate” of Chinese gardens.
Tips from the guidebook
- Tea brewed with this spring water is wonderfully fragrant. To the east of the spring stands Wanghe Pavilion (Crane-Watching Pavilion), which has a teahouse inside.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Baotu Spring cost?
Admission to Baotu Spring is ¥40; night square for tea-tasting by the spring ¥20, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Baotu Spring?
Near the south gate of Baotu Spring (bus stop)
How long should I spend at Baotu Spring?
Plan on 2–3 hours for Baotu Spring.
Where is Baotu Spring?
Baotu Spring is in Jinan, Shandong Province, in the East China of China.
More places in Jinan
Daming Lake
“Lotus flowers on four sides, willows on three, mountain views across the city and half the city a lake.” Daming Lake has been covered with lotus since ancient times, and willows sway along its banks. The new Daming Lake scenic area adds eight new highlights: Seven Bridges Breeze and Moon, Autumn Willows in Mist, Mingchang Morning Bell, Bamboo Harbour Breeze, Jiaxuan Lingering Melody, Chaoran Distant Journey, Zeng Embankment Water Ripples, and Birdsong in Green Shade. Residents can admire this “lake within the city” from Daming Lake Road, and visitors can take a boat to see the lake's scenery in full.
Free entry; Chaoran Tower ¥40; sightseeing bus ¥10 per person; boat ride ¥10 per person · 4–5 hours
Wulongtan Park
Bordered by Baotu Spring to the south and Daming Lake to the north, Wulongtan has numerous famous springs around its pool, forming the Wulongtan spring cluster. The park is named after its main feature, Wulongtan (Five Dragons Pool). Legend says the pool was once the residence of Qin Qiong, a hero of the Sui and Tang dynasties, and that it later sank after heavy rain to become the Wulongtan of today.
Free · 1–2 hours
Thousand Buddha Mountain
The famous Buddhist mountain, Thousand Buddha Mountain, lies on the south side of Jingshi 11th Road. Historical records show that during the Sui dynasty, Buddhism flourished in Shandong, and devout believers carved numerous stone Buddhas into the mountainside, giving rise to the name Thousand Buddha Temple. The Buddhist sculptures are concentrated on the Thousand Buddha Cliff behind Xingguo Temple and are well worth seeing. Major sights include Guanyin Garden, Xingguo Temple, Wanfo Cave, Longquan Cave, Jile Cave, the Dongtian Fudi Stone Archway and Duihua Pavilion. On the east side of Thousand Buddha Mountain, at the foot of the main peak of Fohui Mountain, a niche holds a carved Buddha head that stands 7 metres tall and over 4 metres wide. Commonly known as the “Great Buddha Head,” it is very rare.
Thousand Buddha Mountain ¥30; Guanyin Garden ¥5; Wanfo Cave ¥15; Xingguo Temple ¥5 · 2–3 hours
Jiuru Mountain Waterfalls
The Jiuru Mountain Waterfall Cluster lies on the northern foot of Mount Tai, with its main attractions being the Eight Pools, Nine Waterfalls, Twenty-Four Springs and Thirty-Six Peaks. Visitors come to Jiuru chiefly for the waterfall cluster: cascades and deep pools, with clouds and mist rising in glorious layers that together create a dazzling natural landscape. The scenic area also contains remains of the Qi Great Wall and stone-slab ancient paths once traveled by people of the Ming and Qing dynasties, where you can feel the vicissitudes of nature and history alike.
Admission ¥89; lifetime pass ¥198; sightseeing shuttle one-way ¥20, round trip ¥40; Free; Free · 4–6 hours; 1–2 hours
Lingyan Temple
Ranked first among the Four Great Buddhist Temples of China, Lingyan Temple has long been described as 'the most secluded spot on the back of Mount Tai; no tour of Mount Tai is complete without Lingyan.' Highlights within the temple include the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, the Pizhi Pagoda and the Pagoda Forest.
¥40 · 2–3 hours
Zhujiayu Ancient Village
Zhujiayu is a classic northern ancient mountain village, known as the 'Number One Village of Qilu.' Unlike the carved beams and painted rafters of the ancient towns of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Zhujiayu is simple and natural: its houses, bridges and roads were built with local materials, with no trace of luxury or grandeur. Since the Ming dynasty, it has weathered more than 600 years yet still preserves its original layout of ancient bridges, roads, ancestral halls, temples, residences, schools, springs and sentry posts. Zhujiayu has nearly 200 ancient structures large and small, 99 stone bridges large and small, 66 wells and springs, and more than 100 natural scenic spots.
¥40 · 3–4 hours