Top Hotel Choice Near Jinan Railway Station

🌟 Spring City Jinan: A Poetic Dwelling of "Mountains in the City and Lakes as Its Half" Jinan, the city lauded by writer Lao She as his "second hometown," was recorded in the ancient text *Zuo Zhuan* over 2,500 years ago during the "Battle of An" between Qi and Jin. Strolling near the intersection of Jingqi Road and Weiyi Road, the glass curtain walls of Shandong Oriental Mansion reflect the city's millennia-old history—opposite stands the old Jinan Railway Station that witnessed the prosperity of the commercial port, while a ten-minute walk north leads to the thousand-year-old watery charm of Baotu Spring, hailed as the "No. 1 Spring Under Heaven." 🏯 The Epic of Water 1️⃣ **Baotu Spring** This ancient spring, bubbling ceaselessly day and night, was documented as early as in *Commentary on the Water Classic*. Emperor Qianlong inscribed "Rushing Torrent" during his southern tour, and the stele still stands on the spring's north bank. Interestingly, the three jets of water change their spray patterns with the seasons—spinning like silver wheels in summer and transforming into misty vapors in winter. From the upper-floor rooms of Shandong Oriental Mansion, you can glimpse the rising steam over the spring pool through your window. 2️⃣ **Pearl Spring Cluster** Located on the southern shore of Daming Lake, this spring cluster was once the retreat of Yuan Dynasty literati Zhang Yanghao, who wrote in his poem *Baotu Spring*: "Three feet of unmelting snow on flat ground, roaring like thunder in mid-air all year round." Today, the nearby MixC Mall and Quancheng Square create a dialogue between ancient and modern architecture, sketching Jinan's contemporary skyline. 3️⃣ **Black Tiger Spring** Described by a Ming Dynasty poet as "a stone-coiled water palace in deep hues, hiding a black tiger within," Black Tiger Spring retains its wild charm. At dawn, you’ll often spot locals filling buckets with its water for tea—the spring gushing from bronze tiger heads lends a uniquely crisp flavor to premium Longjing tea. 🏙 **Memories of the Commercial Port** The old commercial district where Shandong Oriental Mansion stands holds countless historical codes: - **Ruifuxiang Silk Shop**: Founded by Meng Luochan, this "living fossil of Oriental silk" even inspired Walmart’s founder with its business philosophy. - **Hongjitang Museum**: A century-old pharmacy transformed into a space for traditional Chinese medicine culture, where the aroma of donkey-hide gelatin lingers under glazed tiles. - **Old Railway Station Clock Tower**: A neo-Romanesque structure designed by German architect Hermann Fischer. Though the main station was demolished, the clock tower still whispers tales of the Jiaoji Railway. At night, Jinan’s charm deepens. Walking from Shandong Oriental Mansion to Baotu Spring, the stone-paved path along the moat twinkles like a galaxy under landscape lights. Tired? Head to the underground mall at Quancheng Square for a bowl of *Tianmo* (sweet porridge) brewed with water from the 72 Famous Springs—steaming with the warmth of old Jinan’s hospitality.