Daming Lake Scenic Area is located in the northeast of Jinan city center, in the north of the old city area. It is a park that integrates water scenery, garden landscapes, and ancient buildings. Daming Lake is located in the center of the park, and it can be said that the park is built along the lake. Daming Lake is a natural lake, with its water source coming from many springs in the city. There is a saying that "many springs converge", and it has a long history dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty.
The Daming Lake Scenic Area is divided into an old scenic area and a new scenic area, with a total of 16 scenic spots. Strolling through it is like enjoying an ink painting. In addition, the entire scenic area is also connected to the Huancheng River, forming a leisure and sightseeing scenic line around the lake. The beautiful scenery of water and land in the park is continuous, and it was also a gathering place for celebrities and scholars in the past. Nowadays, visitors can also visit the Lao She Memorial Hall and the Jiaxuan Garden, which showcases the life and deeds of Xin Qiji.
The Daming Lake Scenic Area has four main gates, southeast, northwest, and north. Each gate offers a different view. Among them, the east gate leads to the old scenic area, where the main scenery you can see is "Zengdi Yingshui". Zengdi is a long embankment located on the east side of the scenic area, connecting the north and south, and is also a necessary route from the south bank of Daming Lake to Beizhu Pavilion. Willow trees hang on the embankment, and the lake water on both sides of the embankment is rippling. There is a transcendent building next to Zengdi, where you can climb high and overlook the scenery of the entire Daming Lake, which is also one of the 16 scenic spots of Daming Lake, known as "transcendent and far-reaching".
Walk along Zengdi towards the south gate to enter the new scenic area, where there are seven bridges with different styles, and this is the "Seven Bridges Wind and Moon" among the 16 scenic spots. Among them, Quehua Bridge has a long history and is also one of the more famous bridges. The Lao She Memorial Hall is located within this scenic spot. After passing the south gate and walking west, you can reach the "Jiaxuan Youyun" in the 16 scenic spots. It is located between the south gate and the west gate. The original name of Jiaxuan Garden was Jiaxuan Temple, which was erected to commemorate the patriotic hero Xin Qiji. Everywhere you go here, you can feel the patriotic sentiment, military career, and artistic conception of Xin Qiji.
Here, you can take a boat tour within the scenic area to the small island in the center of the lake. There is a Lixia Pavilion on the island, with a red background and a golden plaque written by Emperor Qianlong above the pavilion. The wall inside the pavilion is engraved with the full text of Pu Songling's "Gu Li Ting Fu" written for the pavilion. This is one of the 16 scenic spots, 'Under the Autumn Wind'
Continuing by boat from here to the northern part of the scenic area, there is a "Huibo Tower" near the east gate. Climbing onto Huibo Tower, you can overlook Foshan to the south and Quehua Bridge to the north. Below Huibo Tower, you can find the clear water of Daming Lake. Whenever the sun sets and the lake shimmers, this is one of the 16 scenic spots known as the 'Evening Glow of Huibo'.
After descending from Huibo Tower and walking west, passing through the north gate, you will arrive at one of the 16 scenic spots, "Canglang Lotus Charm". There are Tie Gong Temple, Canglang Pavilion, and Xiao Canglang Pavilion here. Every summer, lotus flowers bloom on the river, which is very beautiful.
Besides walking, taking a boat tour is also a good choice for visiting Daming Lake. Boating on Daming Lake is both relaxing and enjoyable for sightseeing and sightseeing. If you get tired of strolling, there are restaurants at the north and south gates for visitors to replenish their energy, and the prices will be relatively higher compared to outside the park. Tourists who do not wish to dine in the park can bring their own food or go to Furong Street located outside the south gate, which is a street of snacks with good quality and affordable prices. Travel Tips
Address:No. 271 Daming Lake Road, Lixia District, Jinan City, Shandong Province
Telephone:0531-86088900
Opening Hours:From 05:00 to 22:00 throughout the year