Introduction

As the capital of Shandong province, Jinan is one of China's megalopolises. It's the political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural center of Shandong province. The city is a traffic hub for railways, highways and aviation. With its 72 famous springs, Jinan is also known as the "Spring City" and for the fact that "Jinan springs are the best springs in the world". The springs spread everywhere and their water is clear, sweet and pure. The beautiful natural scenery and numerous places of interest make Jinan one of the most famous historical and cultural cities in China.

History

Jinan is included in the national famous historical and cultural city list released by the State Council. Its name was derived from the Jishui River and it is located to the south ("nan" in Chinese pinyin) of the river, so it was called Jinan.

According to archaeological excavations, as far back as the early Neolithic Age, or 9,000 years ago, ancestors were living there. The Longshan culture, which was characterized by its polished black pottery 4,000 to 4,500 years ago, was named after the site where its relics were found in 1928 – Longshan town in the eastern suburb of Jinan.

In February 1994, Jinan was officially designated as a sub-provincial city. In December 2016, Zhangqiu was changed from a city to a district of Jinan. On Dec 26, 2018, the State Council approved the adjustment of the administrative divisions of Laiwu city. Laiwu city was abolished, and its jurisdictional area was transferred to the administration of Jinan. Laiwu officially became a district under the jurisdiction of Jinan in January 2019. Jinan now has 10 districts and two counties.

Geography

With Mount Tai to the south and the Yellow River to the north, Jinan sits in the central part of Shandong province.

As the capital of the coastal province in East China, Jinan is the province's political, economic, cultural, scientific, educational and financial center, and an important transport hub. It has bordered with Dezhou, Binzhou, Zibo, Tai'an and Liaocheng, and covers 10,244.45 square kilometers.

Situated in the warm temperate continental monsoon climate zone, Jinan enjoys distinct seasons and abundant sunshine, with average temperatures in 2023 hovering around 15.4 degrees Celsius and annual amount of precipitation in 2023 reaching 638.3 millimeters.

Population

By the end of 2023, the city had a permanent resident population of about 9.44 million, an increase of 0.2 percent compared to that in 2022.

Economy

Jinan's GDP exceeded 1.28 trillion yuan ($177.7 billion) in 2023, an increase of 6.1 percent compared to that of 2022, according to official statistics.

The added value of Jinan's primary, secondary and tertiary industries hit 42.95 billion yuan, 431.2 billion yuan, and 801.59 billion yuan, respectively, in 2023, an increase of 4.1 percent, 7.8 percent, and 5.2 percent.

Tourism

Renowned for its numerous springs, Jinan is also an excellent tourism, historical and cultural city. Travelling in Jinan, you can view the "World's Best Spring", Baotu Spring, visit the "World's Wonder", Baimai Spring, and appreciate "spring and weeping willows in every household" in the streets of the ancient city. After enjoying the 72 famous springs, you can follow the ancient steps and experience traditional Chinese civilizations along the Yellow River, at Lingyan Temple, Daming Lake and Qianfo Mountain.

With the Water Tour System of "stressing the city's charm, highlighting the springs' features", Jinan connects Jiefang Cabinet, Black Tiger Spring, Quancheng Square, Baotu Spring Garden, Wulongtan Garden and Daming Lake together, traveling by road and boat to achieve "one boat traveling in Jinan, viewing the Spring City in city-round navigation".

As an international city opening to the outside, Jinan is an attractive tourist city with convenient traffic, prosperous trade and outstanding service facilities.

Culture

With such a long history, Jinan has given birth to talented people from generation to generation. Historical celebrities born in what is now Jinan include: Bian Que (real name Qin Yueren), a famous traditional Chinese medicine doctor in the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC); Zou Yan, an ancient philosopher best known as the representative thinker of the Yin and Yang School and the Five Elements in the Warring States Period; Fu Sheng, a scholar of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) who dictated 28 articles of The Book of History; Zhong Jun, a diplomat of the Han Dynasty, who took the initiative to negotiate with the Nanyue Kingdom and made contributions to the reunification of the country; Du Fuwei and Fu Gongshi, leaders of a peasant uprising in the late Sui Dynasty (581-618); politician Fang Xuanling; a famous general Qin Qiong; eminent monk Yijing (original name Zhang Wenming) in the Tang Dynasty (618-907); two Song Dynasty (960-1279) poets Li Qingzhao and Xin Qiji; Sanqu poets of the Jin and Yuan dynasties (1115-1368), Zhang Yanghao and Du Renjie; Zhang Qiyan, editor-in-chief of three official history books of the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties (960-1234); Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) litterateurs Bian Gong, Li Panlong, Li Kaixian and Yu Shenxing; classicist Zhang Erqi; Zhou Yongnian, chief compiler of Siku Quanshu (The Emperor's Four Treasuries); philologist Ma Guohan in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911); and Meng Luochuan, a national industrialist in modern times.

Resources

Jinan is home to six types of soil, with brown soil and loess being the predominant varieties. The city's mineral resources mainly include coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron, geothermal energy, and construction materials. Jinan boasts 149 plant families, encompassing 1,175 species and variations. Additionally, there are 211 species of terrestrial wildlife in the area.