All the water from Ji'nan’s springs eventually flows into Daming Lake, set within the largest park in the city, with boat rides, paddle boats, temples, bridges and little islands to explore. In summer lotuses bloom in pink and white. The park has been a scenic site since the Tang dynasty, inspiring everyone from Marco Polo to Deng Xiaoping to wax lyrical about its beauty.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
 - 0.91 MILES - This park on the Hucheng River is built around Black Tiger Spring (黑虎泉, Hēihǔ Quán), which empties into the old city moat through three stone tiger heads… 
 - 4.18 MILES - The enormous provincial museum, 7km east of the city centre, surveys local culture from the mesolithic age to the present. Its collection began as one of… 
 - 2 MILES - Beginning in the Sui dynasty (581–618), pious folk carved Buddhas into this mountain southeast of the city centre. The oldest are at Xinguochan Temple,… 
 - 0.88 MILES - This park's namesake 'spurting spring' once shot metres into the air, inspiring ancient poets and painters alike. Today, as more water has been channelled… 
 - 29.27 MILES - The sublimely perched Azure Clouds Temple is dedicated to Bixia. The iron tiling of the temple buildings is intended to prevent damage by strong winds,… 
 - 1.96 MILES - North of Thousand Buddha Mountain’s main entrance, the Ji'nan Museum has a small, distinctive collection that includes paintings, calligraphy, ceramics,… 
 - 0.78 MILES - These waters swirl up from the deepest depths of all the springs in the city to fill blue-green pools teeming with lucky carp. The park is a serene study… 
 - 29.47 MILES - Prosaically labelled '18 Twistings' on signposts, the gruelling Path of 18 Bends is an extremely steep 400m ascent to the mountain’s false summit;… 
Nearby Shandong attractions
0.78 MILES
These waters swirl up from the deepest depths of all the springs in the city to fill blue-green pools teeming with lucky carp. The park is a serene study…
0.88 MILES
This park's namesake 'spurting spring' once shot metres into the air, inspiring ancient poets and painters alike. Today, as more water has been channelled…
0.91 MILES
This park on the Hucheng River is built around Black Tiger Spring (黑虎泉, Hēihǔ Quán), which empties into the old city moat through three stone tiger heads…
1.27 MILES
Ji'nan’s oldest mosque has stood in one form or another in the centre of town since 1295. Cover arms and remove hats before entering. A lively Hui (Muslim…
1.96 MILES
North of Thousand Buddha Mountain’s main entrance, the Ji'nan Museum has a small, distinctive collection that includes paintings, calligraphy, ceramics,…
2 MILES
Beginning in the Sui dynasty (581–618), pious folk carved Buddhas into this mountain southeast of the city centre. The oldest are at Xinguochan Temple,…
2.56 MILES
The oldest Buddha statues on Thousand Buddha Mountain are contained here, in this golden-roofed temple complex.
4.18 MILES
The enormous provincial museum, 7km east of the city centre, surveys local culture from the mesolithic age to the present. Its collection began as one of…