The Hometown of Confucius and Mencius, the Capital of Canals | Discoveries in Jining, Shandong

【A Stroll through Qilu·The Hometown of Confucius and Mencius, the Capital of Canals】This is the birthplace of Confucius, Mencius, and Yan Hui; it is where the poetic immortal Li Bai spent the most time; it is a region through which the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal flows; this is the small city in southwest Shandong—Jining. The Chongjue Temple Iron Pagoda, over 900 years old, is one of the four great iron pagodas still existing in the country, with the exquisite Shengyuan Tower beside it. The 'Cixiao Jianwan Archway', built in a small alley during the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, features high-relief carving, a royal decree construction, finely and intricately carved. The Dongda Temple by the ancient canal is the most eye-catching ancient building in the downtown area of Jining, originally established during the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing dynasty, with a grand scale and spectacular sight. The warm afternoon sun shines on the colorful glazed tiles, making them dazzlingly brilliant. In front of the Taibai Tower, the poetic immortal holding a wine cup still embodies the bold and unconstrained spirit of 'composing a hundred poems over a jug of wine'! When leaving Jining, passing through several streets lined with lush, vibrant Chinese parasol trees was a sight to behold!

📝Tips:
1. The iron pagoda is inside the old museum, free to visit
2. The stone archway is in a small alley, free to visit
3. Taibai Tower is free to visit
4. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Dongda Temple for a visit

Post by NomadNocturne | Jun 2, 2024