Qianfo Mountain, Jinan City

Jinan is famous for its 'springs' and 'water', and has many mountains, but it is Qianfo Mountain that blends the landscape with water and allows you to take in the beautiful scenery of 'a city of mountain hues and half a city of lakes' at a glance. Qianfo Mountain is one of the three famous attractions in Jinan, located in the southern part of the old Jinan city. It was known as Lishan before the Zhou Dynasty, and Jinan city was thus named Lixia and Licheng. It is said that Emperor Shun once cultivated the land at the foot of the mountain, also known as Shungeng Mountain, which shows the ancient status of this mountain. Qianfo Mountain is less than 300 meters above sea level, but don't underestimate this small mountain. Due to its advantageous location, Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, carved grottoes and statues on the mountain to pray for his mother's blessings and built the 'Thousand Buddha Temple', hence the name Qianfo Mountain. Moreover, with its steep and rugged terrain, one can view the Yellow River like a ribbon from afar and see Daming Lake as a mirror up close. The scenery is magnificent, making it a famous attraction in Jinan. On the third day of the third lunar month and the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the people of Jinan have the tradition of climbing Qianfo Mountain. Now, Qianfo Mountain is an urban park that combines scenic spots, tourist attractions, and a place for citizens' leisure and fitness. With ancient trees reaching the sky and green grass like a carpet, it has complete dining and entertainment facilities, winding fitness trails, and a cable car for mountain climbing, meeting the needs of all ages in the city. For a visit to Qianfo Mountain, it is recommended to drive or take a bus to the south gate, enter the gate and take the quaint limestone trail up the mountain. After taking in the view of the city from the top of the mountain, descend from the north slope and admire ancient sites such as Shun Temple, Lishan Courtyard, Thousand Buddha Cliff, Xingguo Zen Temple, and Tang Hui along the way. After descending the mountain, you can follow the fitness trail eastward, walk back to the starting point of the south gate, and complete both leisure and fitness activities in no more than 2 hours in total. The ticket price for Qianfo Mountain is 30 yuan, with half price for students. Special tip: From 5:00 to 6:30 in the morning and from 18:00 to 22:30 in the evening, the park is open for free for the public's morning and evening exercises, and you can also join in.