Jinan is the capital of the eastern province of Shandong. The economic and political power of the region has been located here since the Han Dynasty. Jinan is known as "Spring City" thanks to an abundance of natural springs in the area. The most well known of the 700 springs are Baotu Springand Baimai Spring.
Jinan is close to several of China's finest sights. Tai Mountain is the most important of the 'Five Sacred Mountains'and is a listed UNESCO site of Natural and Cultural Heritage. It is there that many emperors came to pay homage to the earth and the sky. Close by is Lingyan Temple, one of the most important of China's ancient temples; on the same site is Pizhi Pagoda. Thousand-Buddha Mountain, just outside the city, is a legendary site for religious art.
In the town itself, Daming Lake Parkis a treat for visitors, with its spring-fed water, summer lotus blossoms and fine modern fountain. A little further out is Baotu Spring Park, which is much-loved for its sweet spring water and lovely teahouse.
As a modern provincial capital, visitors will find familiar shopping malls with western brands throughout the city. However, if you are looking for something more memorable to take home, the local Lu embroidery (which uses both silk and human hair) or the famed black stoneware of Shandong are just two excellent souvenirs.

Sitting in the warm temperate zone of China, Jinan has a continental monsoon climate, with four well defined seasons. In January, average minimum temperatures can drop to around -6C (21.2F), rising in summer to average maximums of 34C (93.2F) in July. Annual rainfall is around 600 mm, with over half of this falling in the months of July and August. The city sits at 36º40'N and 117º00'E, in the Midwestern section of Shandong Province, south of the Yellow River and north of Mount Tai. It sits in the gently sloping landscape of alluvial plains formed by the Yellow River.

The population of Jinan is just under 6 million, 98% of which are ethnically Han. There are small populations of Hui, Manchu, Mongol, Korean and Hani in the city too.

The City's urban area covers around 3,257 square kilometers: the total area of Jinan is 8,227 square kilometers.

History

The Jinan area was split between the Qi and Lu states during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring state period. It was during this time that the the Great Wall of Qi was built to defend the state of Qi from the kingdom of Chu. The wall began in Jinan and ended at Qingdao: sections are still open to tourists.
The name Jinan dates to the Han Dynasty, when Jinan Shire was formed. It was during this period that the body of the last King of Jibei was entombed in a chamber in Shuangru Mountain alongside over 2000 relics many of which were carved from jade including swords, masks and pillows, discovered when the site was excavated in the mid 1990s. Around 500 AD Buddhism was introduced to the area. Temples such as the Lingyan Temple recall this historic development. The first of the delicate statues on Thousand Buddha Mountain (Qianfo Shan) were also carved during this time, and the area has been an important Buddhist site ever since.
During the Song dynasty, a long series of wars saw Jinan lost to Jurchen invaders, though it retained much of its cultural importance. The evolution of Jinan culture survived into the Mongolian occupation too, and Jinan was officially made capital of Shandong province during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
In 1904, the Jinan-Qingdao railway was completed, which had an important influence on the city's development: a German concession was granted near the railway station. German, English and Japanese colonial traders set up consulates, foreign exchanges, schools and hospitals. At this point, the city became a real hub for communications in the area and in 1929 it was officially named Jinan city by the government of the Republic of China. One of Jinan's most famous residents was Li Qingzhao, one of the greatest Chinese poets, whose works on love and loss are commemorated in Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall at the site of her former home.