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Jinan,
capital of Shandong Province, is on the southern bank of the Yellow
River, north of the famous Mt.
Tai. The Beijing-Shanghai and Qingdao-Jinan railways meet here.
The area was
first inhabited during
the Neolithic Period.
Some 3,600 years ago, walls were built to enclose the town, which
was then called Lu. The name was changed to Jinan 3,100 years ago
because it was located to the south of the ancient Jishui River. In
1116, Jinan was established as a prefecture, and in 1368 it became the
provincial capital.
For centuries, the city
has been renowned for its lakes and springs, including Daming Lake, and
“The First Spring under Heaven,”
the
Baotu Springs.
The most exciting
sights on a
trip to Jinan, however, are probably excursions to Qufu, the birthplace
of the ancient philosopher, Confucius, and Mount Tai, the best of the
country's “Five Sacred Mountains.”
TAISHAN (Mount Tai)
Taishan, more than 345 miles in circumference, rises steeply and
majestically in the middle of Shandong Province about 45 miles from
Jinan. Massive and awesome, it has featured in many historic events
throughout the ages, and has been a rich source of inspiration for
countless maxims, poetic allusions, and literary works. To many people the
mountain is a symbol of grandeur and stability
as shown, for example, in the popular Chinese saying, “As
solid as Mount Tai.”
Tiankuang (Celestial
Gift) Hall, the main hall of the Dai Temple,
consists of nine rooms with double eaves, eight cornices and yellow
glazed tile roofs. The frescoes (10 ft. high and 170 ft. long) of
life-like figures, covering the east, west, and north walls are rare,
outstanding works of art.
Jinshiyu Valley: Half a
mile to the northeast of Doumu Palace is a huge wall of rock (one 15th
of a hectare) bearing an engraving of the Diamond Sutra. Each character
is more than a foot high. The forceful calligraphy of this ancient
inscription is regarded as the prototype of the bank (placard) style.
Nantianmen
(South Celestial) Gate: This is opposite the Beitianmen Gate (the
Northern Celestial Gate) and can be reached by a steep, winding
staircase. At the top is Mokong (Touching the Sky) tower with a stone
table bearing an inscription by Du Renjie, a Yuan Dynasty
poet.
QUFU
Arriving
in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius,
the first thing coming
into sight is the spacious temple of Confucius, which dominates
the town.
Confucius is the
world-renowned Chinese philosopher born in Qufu more than 3,500 years
ago.
His influence
on Chinese society culture
lasts until the present day. Qufu has recently been restored to
its former glory. It has
become a tourist attraction rivaling the Great Wall.
In size and scale, the
Confucius Temple ranks second only to the Forbidden City in
Beijing. Construction of the Temple began in 478 B.C., the year after
Confucius's death. It was rebuilt many times throughout
the ensuing 3,000 years.
The Temple grounds
cover an area of 33 hectares with buildings laid out symmetrically along
a 0.6-mile north-south
axis. There are 53 magnificent gateways and numerous halls, pavilions
and shrines elaborately roofed with glazed tiles.
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