Jinan

Jinan is the capital of Shandong Province in eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub. The city is located in north-western Shandong about 400 kilometres south of the national capital of Beijing.

Economy

With the shift of the Yellow River to a new bed right to the north of Jinan (in 1852) and the establishment of a railroad hub, the city became a major market for agricultural products from the productive farming regions to the north. Following the trade in agricultural goods, the city developed a textile and clothing industry, flour mills, oil presses, as well as factories producing paper, cement, and matches. In the 1950s, large iron and steel works as well as chemical factories were established around Jinan. The large metal works produce pig iron, ingot steel, as well as finished steel. In the 1970s, factories for the production of trucks and construction vehicles were added.

Jinan has a pool of high-quality labor resources. There are a number of universities, including the prestigious Shandong University. Among the 200+ research institutes in the city, 10 are national laboratories.

The focus on technology intensive industries has transformed Jinan from a city supported by heavy industry and textiles to a city with more diverse industrial structure. Information Technology, transportation tools, home appliances and bio-engineered products have become important components of the area's industry. Jinan's IT-related economic output was ranked as the nation's fourth in 2004.

Attractions

Jinan is renown across China for its numerous springs, the lakes fed by the spring water, and the weeping willows that grow along the water edges. The late-Qing author Liu E describes Jinan's cityscape in his novel "The Travels of Lao Can" (written 1903-04, published in 1907) as "Every family has spring water, every household has a willow tree" . Jinan was also the historical center of Buddhist culture for the whole province which is still manifest in the many historic sites that are left behind in its southern counties.

Jinan is a historical city with a history of some 2000 years and is famed for its numerous relics. It is the cradle of the Longshan Relics Culture, the reputed prehistoric culture of China. In the area of Jinan, you will find far more than you would expect, including the ancient Great Wall of the Qi State (a state of the Zhou Dynasty (770B.C. – 221B.C.)) and the colored sculptures of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in the Lingyan Temple.

Jinan is the home of Lu Cai (Shandong cuisine), one of China's most influential regional cuisines.

Jinan is the right place to see some very typical festivals including The Lantern Festival in the Baotu Spring Park, the Lotus Festival in the Daming Lake Park and the Double-Nine Festival on the Thousand-Buddha Mountain.

Jinan is a hospitable city and receives tourists from all over the world. Marco Polo once visited Jinan and left words of praise to this city. The Baotu Spring, Daming Lake and the Thousand Buddha Mountain decorate Jinan as a Garden City.