[2025 Jinan Attraction] Travel Guide for Ink Spring (Updated Feb)

I always thought that the Jiangnan water towns in Zhejiang were the most beautiful, but I was surprised to find an even more enchanting snow-covered Jiangnan at the Former Residence of Li Qingzhao in Zhangqiu, Jinan, Shandong! Here, it feels like traveling through time and experiencing the "drunkenness that makes you forget your way home" described by Li Qingzhao. 📍Attraction: Mingshui Ancient City, Qingzhao Spring City, Zhangqiu, Jinan, Shandong **🚄Transportation: Take a high-speed train to Zhangqiu Station/Zhangqiu North Station, then take a taxi for only 10–20 minutes. **🚶Recommended itinerary: **Day 1: Visitor Center → Changhong Bridge → Confucian Business Street → Cloth Workshop → Meng Family Courtyard → Huxian Street → Mingshui Street → Yamen → Tofu Workshop → Sauce Garden → Post Office → Oil Workshop → Newspaper Office **Day 2: Former Residence of Li Qingzhao → Shuyu Spring → Plum Blossom Spring → Longquan Temple (Baimai Spring) → Mo Spring → Golden Mirror Spring **🎆Unmissable performances: **✅Yian Poetry Party Location: City Tower Square Participate in poetry interactions and have a chance to win a mysterious blind box gift! **✅Fireworks Location: Dongmawan The iron flower performance is a spectacular show that breathes new life into dead trees! **✅Zhangqiu Bangzi Location: Sanwei Theater A provincial intangible cultural heritage opera, enjoy tea and music, and feel the traditional charm. **✅Spring Show + Drone Show Location: Spring Show Area A three-dimensional visual feast of water, land, and air, showcasing the spring scenery of the ancient city. **✅Lunar New Year limited events Wuzhen-style floating singers, Li Qingzhao lanterns, New Year temple fairs, Chaozhou Yingge dance, flying fire pots, fireworks festival... Exciting and unmissable! **✨Other travel tips: **✔️**Get a travel map at the Visitor Center for easier check-ins! **✔️**The performance times vary, you can check the performance times and location navigation through the "Mingshui Ancient City" mini program. Come to Mingshui Ancient City, Qingzhao Spring City, Zhangqiu, Jinan, Shandong, and experience the unique beauty of the snow-covered Jiangnan!

Before I came to Jinan, no one told me that the winter here is so breathtakingly beautiful. The Jinan described by Mr. Lao She as "an old city with mountains and rivers, basking in the sun under the sky, warm and comfortable, just waiting for the spring breeze to wake it up" is truly a paradise on earth. These beautiful photos were taken in Qingzhao Spring City Mingshui Ancient City in Zhangqiu, Jinan, Shandong Province. Here is a detailed travel guide: Check-in route Start from the visitor center and go to Fuqian Street (snack and breakfast wine market) to experience authentic Jinan flavors; pass by the Lantern Workshop to feel the charm of traditional handicrafts; walk into the Cloth Workshop (Ruifuxiang) to touch the long history of textile culture; step into the Meng Family Courtyard (including the theater) to explore the charm of Confucian merchants' mansions; stroll along Huxian Street to appreciate the unique folk customs; then go to the Former Residence of Li Qingzhao to follow the footsteps of a talented woman; then visit Longquan Temple (a thousand-year-old temple 📍Baimai Spring) to feel the historical sediment; then walk along Mingshui Street to experience the market culture of the Qing Dynasty; then go to the Yamen to imagine the appearance of the ancient government; visit the Tofu Workshop, Sauce Garden, Post Office, Oil Workshop, and Newspaper Office to immerse yourself in the fireworks of the ancient city. Must-see attractions New Year limited - Intangible Cultural Heritage Fish Lantern Parade: During the New Year, the wonderful intangible cultural heritage fish lantern parade begins, with fish and dragons dancing all night long, as if taking people into a dreamy traditional festival atmosphere. - Brilliant Star Iron Flower Show: Iron flowers bloom brilliantly in the night sky, accompanied by a drone countdown, everyone counts down together, welcoming the moment of the New Year with excitement and joy. - Bonfire Concert: The dazzling music and hot electronic music bonfire perfectly match, igniting the atmosphere and making the whole audience excited. - Flying Fire Pot and Fireworks Waterfall: A dazzling experience that is unforgettable when celebrating the New Year in the ancient city. Meng Family Courtyard This is the mansion of Confucian merchant Meng Luochuan, including the Meng Family Ancestral Hall, Meng Luochuan's courtyard, and theater. Here, you can drink tea by the stove while enjoying the intangible cultural heritage Zhangqiu Bangzi Opera, feeling the traditional elegance and culture. Mingshui Street The street replicates post offices, grain stores, newspaper offices, etc., vividly restoring the market culture of the Qing Dynasty. Walking through it is like traveling back to that era. Take a rowing boat Taking a boat through the ancient city is like being in a water town in Jiangnan, leisurely and carefree. Even if you don't want to take a boat, taking photos on the shore can also capture beautiful scenery. Former Residence of Li Qingzhao As the birthplace of Li Qingzhao, the plum blossom-shaped Meihua Spring and Shuyu Spring inside are clear and beautiful, full of poetry and vitality. Baimai Spring Group Famous springs such as Mo Spring (one of the 72 famous springs), Shuyu Spring, Baimai Spring, and Jinjing Spring gather here, with gurgling spring water, showing the beauty of nature. Spring Show The light and shadow show, drone formation, and spring show are perfectly combined, creating a shocking scene that leaves a lasting impression. Food and accommodation There are various restaurants and snacks in the scenic area to meet different tastes. The scenic area is large, and it is tight to finish visiting in one day. After watching the light show, you might as well stay in an inn or hotel in the scenic area. The next day, you can stroll leisurely and deeply experience the charm of the ancient city. Moreover, booking a hotel in the scenic area (the price of a double room is 300-400 yuan) will also give you two tickets, which is very cost-effective. You can also see the scenic area boats passing by the window from your room, with an excellent view. Travel tips At 8:30 in the morning, there are folk performances at the breakfast wine market, which are very culturally characteristic. Visitors can enjoy Jinan's special food while shopping, or have a tea party by the stove while enjoying the performance, enjoying a leisurely time.

Baima Spring is a famous attraction in Zhangqiu, Jinan. Here is a travel guide for Baima Spring: **Preparation**: 1. Check the weather forecast and choose a sunny and comfortable day to visit for the best experience. 2. Book tickets in advance through the official website or online travel platforms to save time queuing for tickets on-site. 3. Wear comfortable walking shoes as the scenic area is large and requires a lot of walking. **Transportation**: 1. If you are driving, enter "Baima Spring Scenic Area" into your navigation app and follow the directions. There is parking available near the scenic area. 2. If you are taking public transportation, first go to Zhangqiu City and then take a bus to Baima Spring. **Tour Route**: 1. Enter through the main entrance and first visit Mo Spring, known for its black water and abundant water flow. 2. Then go to Baima Spring to admire the clear water and unique landscape around the spring. 3. Visit Shuyu Spring, Meihua Spring, and other springs along the way to experience the unique features of each spring. 4. Follow the paths in the scenic area to Longquan Temple to appreciate the charm of ancient architecture. **Attraction Features**: 1. Baima Spring Group: Composed of many springs, the water is crystal clear and bubbles up, creating a unique natural landscape. 2. Qingzhao Garden: Built in memory of the Song Dynasty poet Li Qingzhao, the garden is full of cultural atmosphere and displays Li Qingzhao's poems and life stories. **Dining Recommendations**: 1. There are some local specialty restaurants around the scenic area where you can try Zhangqiu green onions, Longshan millet, Huangjia roast meat, and other delicacies. **Notes**: 1. Follow the scenic area rules, do not litter, and protect the environment. 2. Pay attention to personal safety, especially around the spring pools, to avoid slipping. 3. Avoid peak tourist times to prevent crowds from affecting your experience. We hope this guide helps you enjoy your visit to Baima Spring. Have a great trip!

It's worth the 3-hour round trip! I visited Moquan Spring three times. 👍 I suddenly wanted to visit Moquan Spring at 3 pm, so I took a taxi and arrived in 1 hour. Baima Spring Scenic Area is great. 👌 There weren't many people in the park at 4 pm, so it was very comfortable to walk around. I followed the signs and arrived at Moquan Spring in about 8 minutes. 🌹 I took a video and sent it to my friends. It was my first time seeing a natural spring, and it was amazing to see the water bubbling up. I walked around the park three times, and I wanted to see it again. 🥰 ✅Transportation: The scenic area is a 15-minute taxi ride from Zhangqiu Railway Station. You can take a high-speed train back to Jinan Railway Station, which takes 26 minutes. It's very convenient, and you can definitely find time to visit! It's worth it!

Mingshui Ancient City is located in Zhangqiu District, Jinan City, Shandong Province. ❤️ The ancient city is dominated by Ming and Qing architecture, designed by the team of Chen Xianghong from the Wuzhen scenic area in Zhejiang, with an investment of 1.1 billion yuan already completed. 🧡 It was established during the Tang Dynasty, and Xiquan Town was set up during the Zhenguan period. By the Song and Yuan dynasties, it became one of the four famous towns in Zhangqiu. The administrative center of the town was located where the ancient city stands today. 💛 This ancient city has a history of over a thousand years. On October 1, 2023, the new landmark of the world's spring city—Mingshui Ancient City will open to welcome visitors, featuring a hundred springs, green bricks and black tiles, mountain springs, rivers, lakes, and flat boats. 💚 Zhangqiu is known as the 'Little Spring City', and the ancient city scenic area includes the Baimei Springs system. The Plum Blossom Spring gushes like a river, the Ink Spring surges like a wheel, with small bridges over flowing water, a sight too beautiful to absorb all at once! 🩵 Zhangqiu is also the hometown of 'the world's number one talented woman' and 'the master of lyrics'—Li Qingzhao, where cultural and natural resources blend harmoniously. 💜 Scenic area performances: Fox Fairy Performance: 14:00-15:00, 16:30-17:30 at Fox Fairy Residence Square Spring Show & Drone Performance: 19:00-19:30 at the Spring Show Area👍👍👍 💙 Accommodation in the scenic area: There are two hotels and six or seven guesthouses in the scenic area. The environment is very nice, each with its own characteristics, all located within the ancient city. Waking up and opening the window feels like you're in an ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River.⚠️ I stayed at the Shuangquan Hotel in the ancient city scenic area, 600+ including tickets for two to the scenic area + hotel breakfast. The hotel is very characteristic, built by the moat, and the rooms are clean, tidy, and spacious! A very good experience⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🚘 Transportation: 1.5h drive from Jinan 🅿️ There are two parking lots in the scenic area. The first parking lot is large, but it takes about 10 minutes to walk to the scenic area. It is recommended to park at the Visitor Center parking lot, which is more convenient for entering and exiting. 🧆 Food: Fufront Street is a food street with various snacks such as lamb soup, hanging oven baked buns, tofu brain, fried tofu corners, pizza, burgers, noodle shops, wontons... There is also Mingshui Restaurant, medicinal meal restaurants, etc... 🎫 Ticket: 68 RMB per person 🌳 Zhangqiu locals free ⚠️ The prices of hotels and tickets are expected to rise, so hurry up!! I visited Wuzhen ten years ago, Wuzhen is very beautiful, I have been to Mingshui Ancient City, the ancient city is already very beautiful on a cloudy day, if it is a sunny day to visit, it will be even more beautiful!!

During the Spring Festival, take a new kind of spring water ancient city walk in Jinan. The ancient city of Ming Shui, as a city built on spring water, is full of green spring water everywhere, which is very beautiful! And it is precisely because of the spring water and these ancient buildings that make the ancient city more charming! Now with the decoration of the New Year's flavor and various New Year's customs activities, the ancient city has become bustling and prosperous, who doesn't love this traditional romance🏮 🔴The scenic area can be divided into two parts for sightseeing: the ancient city and the spring water～ ‼️Below is the play route⭐Suggest to collect it⬇️ ‼️For the New Year's customs activities guide, see the previous note on the homepage‼️ 1️⃣Ancient city route Xiaoximen Mingshui Tower (the spectacular city wall is very photogenic, both sides of the city wall are good for taking pictures!) ↓ Fox Fairy Street (various New Year's customs performances and markets, as well as immersive script killing) ↓ Meng Family Courtyard (the old appearance of Meng Luochuan's mansion, a generation of Confucian businessmen, covers a very large area, and there are Bangzi opera performances) ↓ Bu Fang (the process from silk thread to finished clothes, Rui Fuxiang) ↓ Luochuan Lantern Shop (various beautiful lanterns full of New Year's flavor, you can also experience Diy lantern～) ↓ Ye Fang (everyone knows Zhangqiu iron pot, which shows the whole process of smelting and forging, it's quite interesting) ↓ Ancient city yamen ↓ Soy Sauce Garden (you can smell a very fragrant smell as soon as you enter the door, the big and small sauce jars are very interesting) ↓ Tofu Shop (you can taste tofu) ↓ Post Office (you can stamp) ↓ Mingshui Street (it is the main street of the ancient city, there are many shops on the street, there are all kinds of food, drink and fun) ↓ Like a Dream Order Umbrella Fan (experience umbrella fan diy) ↓ Underwater Knot Grass (experience bamboo weaving diy) 2️⃣Spring water route Li Qingzhao's former residence (here you can feel the clear spring flowing on the stone, you can play with the water to truly feel the charm of the spring water! It includes Shuyu Spring and Plum Blossom Spring, Plum Blossom Spring is divided into five petals, it's very interesting) ↓ Longquan Temple (a thousand-year-old ancient temple, Bai Mai Spring is here) ↓ Mo Quan (the most vigorous spring water, you can also experience tea boiling around the stove by Mo Quan, it's very atmospheric) ↓ Jinjing Quan 3️⃣Boat route: It's the kind of quaint rowing boat🛶Rowing leisurely to quietly feel the ancient city on the water, it's very worthwhile～And in winter, there are warm cushions and warm water on the boat! So considerate! Not cold at all～ 💰One way 60/person, round trip 100/person 🔴About accommodation in the scenic area There are two hotels and more than a dozen guesthouses in the scenic area The environment is very good and each has its own characteristics, they are all distributed in the ancient city, when you wake up and open the window, you feel like you are in an ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River～ 🔴 Small tips： 🔸Ticket: 68/person, free for locals in Zhangqiu🆓 🔸Transportation: 🚘Depart from Jinan Self-driving 1.5h 🅿️There are two parking lots in the scenic area The first parking lot is very large, but it takes about 10 minutes to walk to the scenic area It is recommended to park in the tourist center parking lot, which is more convenient to enter and exit 🔸It's still necessary to keep warm when going in this season, the temperature is lower than that in the city 🔸Remember to get a play guide when you enter the door, there is a map on it, it's convenient to find the place you want to go～