A bird's-eye view of Dongquan village in Jinan. [Photo/WeChat account: jnslyj]

Dongquan village, hidden in the outskirts of the city and named after its spring, is one of the 10 most beautiful ancient villages in Jinan.

Dongquan village boasts a history of over 700 years. Located in the southeastern Caishi subdistrict in Licheng district, Jinan, the village was built on mountainous terrain with a river running through it, and is connected by bridges that were built during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Stones are the muscles and bones of the village from hundreds of years ago, and locals in the village built the houses, roads, and bridges with stones from the surrounding mountains.

A three-hole arch stone bridge spans from north to south in Dongquan village. [Photo/WeChat account: jnslyj]

There is a three-hole arch stone bridge spanning from north to south in Dongquan village, which was built entirely with material stones, and is very similar to Zhaozhou Bridge – the oldest standing bridge in China.

There are also three large stone streets in the village leading to every household.

Stones of different sizes and shapes were piled up by the wise village locals into a unique and beautiful landscape.

The village also has many fresh spring water wells and the most historically significant one is Laojing Well, meaning "old well" in Chinese, which is located nearby Jiufeng Bridge, a more than 100-year-old stone bridge that's located in the upper reaches of the village.

The "old well" boasts cool, sweet and clear water, and gushes all year round.

Legend has it that the first generation settled down in the village during the Hongwu Period in the Ming Dynasty and people have been drinking from the "old well" ever since.

Starting from the well, a flat stone path runs east along the river and arrives at an ancient street called Furong Street, which is said to be the home of rich families in the village in the old days.

An old locust tree with luxuriant foliage stands still on Furong Street and is an ancient and famous tree protected by the Jinan garden and forestry bureau.

A bird's-eye view of a different perspective of the new countryside in the southern part of Dongquan village. [Photo/WeChat account: jnslyj]

In the southern part of Dongquan village is a different perspective of the new countryside.

The new village has a service center, a public stage, a corridor displaying the village's history, a creek running by the corridor, and some modern facilities like a children's playground and a fitness area.