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| Daming Lake (Lake of Great Light) |
 Located in the northern part of the Old City district, Lake Daming is a natural lake where many springs converge. Springs empty themselves into the lake from the south and, if water overflows, the lake depletes its surplus water through the north water gate. This gate was built in the North Song Dynasty, on the northern bank. As the lake bottom is composed of volcanic rock, the lake holds water so efficiently that the lake does not dry up during the dry season and it does not overflow after rainy onslaughts. The water level is continually kept at a steady level. It is one of Jinan's three major tourist spots.
The lake park occupies an area of 86 hectares with the lake being 46 hectares. At its entrance is Daming Lake Archway, on the western side of which is the ruin of the ancient Xiayuan Garden. Inside the garden is Haoran Pavilion. The present pavilion site was selected in the Jia Jing period of the Ming Dynasty when the pavilion was rebuilt. On the northern bank of Daming Lake is the North Pole Pavilion, to the east of which is Zeng Gong's Temple. Zeng Gong came from Nanfeng, Jiangxi. Zeng Gong was governor of Jinan in the fifth year of the Xi Yu period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1072 A.D.) and brought benefit to the local people, so he is still remembered now. To the west of the North Pole Pavilion is Tie Gong's Temple, which was built in memory of Tie Xuan of the Ming Dynasty. Here is the best spot for enjoying the beautiful scenery of Daming Lake, i.e. "There are lotuses on the four sides and willows on the three sides. The whole city is filled with a mountainous landscape and half the city is covered by lake water". To the south of Daming Lake is Jiaxuan Temple, built in memory of Xin Qiji, the great poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. Lake Daming is a paradise of lotus since ancient times. Willow trees circle the lakeshore, showing their best greens and flowers among them. The lake in summer is full of lotus flowers and half of the city is full of the colors and fragrance of lotus flowers, restoring the traditional scene of "lotus on four sides and willow in three". The lake park abounds with over 30 historical relics and sites that tell stories of the lake's past. A children's playground, a roller-skating rink and flower house have been constructed and facilities for boating have been installed. Furthermore, the waters of the Five-Dragon Pool have been diverted to this place to form an artificial spring, whose flow turns into a beautiful cascade on the west bank.
Admission Fee: RMB 15
Opening Hours: 09:10 to 17:00
Recommended Time for a Visit: Two hours
Bus Route: 6,11,31,33,37,36,41 |
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