Nanchi Scenic Area in Jining City

Nanchi Scenic Area in Jining City

The Nanchi Scenic Area in Jining City is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Nanchi Scenic Area is a classical garden park themed around historical culture, emphasizing "greenery as the theme, water as the soul, culture as the essence, and people as the focus." It integrates Canal Culture, Li Bai & Du Fu Culture, and Queen Mother of the West Culture, and includes attractions such as the Queen Mother Pavilion, Shaoling Shrine, Ancient Nanchi Archway, Evening Cool Pavilion, Nanchi Lotus Purity Archway, Stele Corridor, Nine Dragons Cascading Waterfall, Qiao Yu Art Museum, Ancient Nanchi Bridge, and Love Museum. The northern part of the scenic area is the historical and cultural zone, featuring main attractions like the Queen Mother Pavilion, Evening Cool Pavilion, Du Fu Tea House, Poetry Steles, Archways, and Shaoling Shrine, which evoke the former glory of Nanchi through architecture, landscaping, and plant arrangements. The southern part is an ecological tourism zone, with tree zones, flower zones, and other features that create the enchanting sight of "flowers exploring the serenity."

"Nanchi" refers to the "Queen Mother Pavilion," originally named "Ancient Nanchi," built during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras of the Tang Dynasty (713–756 AD). Covering an area of over 400 acres, it is located on the west side of Wangmugui Road, south of present-day Jining City. According to the "Jining Direct-Controlled Prefecture Records": "The Queen Mother Pavilion is outside the South Gate, surrounded by water, with a solitary hill standing prominently in the center... It was named after the intention of looking westward to the Jade Pool and eastward to the descent of the Queen Mother of the West." The "Jining County Annals" state: "Ancient Nanchi is about three li south of the city, just outside the Little South Gate, which is the site of the old city. The area spans approximately two to three li, and within it lies the Queen Mother Pavilion. To the southwest of the pavilion, in the water, stands the Evening Cool Pavilion. In summer, when lotus flowers are in full bloom, their fragrance is intoxicating, especially the white lotuses, attracting many visitors for feasting. There used to be the Temple of Du Wen Gong, dedicated to Li Bai, Du Fu, and He Zhizhang. Later, following the suggestion of local resident Li Yuheng, Clerk Xu was also enshrined here." This shows that during the flourishing Tang Dynasty, this was a popular leisure destination in Jining Prefecture, especially in summer when the white lotuses filled the pond, filling the air with fragrance, freshness, and purity, bringing peace to the heart and mind. The "Nanchi Lotus Purity" landscape originates from this scene. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Nanchi underwent large-scale renovations, not only offering pleasant scenery but also featuring rising pavilions, winding railings, lush flowers and trees, and intermingling pines and bamboos. There were four islands in the pond: Queen Mother Pavilion Island, North Altar Island, South Altar Island, and Central Pond Island. These islands housed structures such as the Queen Mother Pavilion, Jade Emperor Temple, as well as the Zhusui Pavilion, Junzi Pavilion, Lotus Viewing Pavilion, and Lan Viewing Pavilion. Poets and celebrities throughout history often gathered here to compose poetry. In the 25th year of the Kaiyuan era (737 AD) of the Tang Dynasty, the great poet Du Fu visited Nanchi with Clerk Xu of Rencheng and left behind famous poems.

Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited Jining during their southern tours and also toured Nanchi. Emperor Kangxi personally inscribed the name "Queen Mother Pavilion," while Emperor Qianlong inscribed the poem about Du Fu’s visit to Nanchi.

After the construction of the Queen Mother Pavilion, it attracted countless devout worshippers who came to pray. Every year on the third day of the third lunar month, the Peach Blossom Festival drew visitors from over a hundred li around, filling Nanchi with incense, bright lights, and huge crowds. In 1928, the Queen Mother Pavilion was unfortunately destroyed during the flames of the Northern Expedition. In August 1958, the Jining Municipal Government decided to build a fish hatchery in Nanchi, digging ponds for fish farming, planting lotuses, and cattails. Now, the Jining Municipal Government has decided to renovate and expand the Queen Mother Pavilion Park, and the restoration of the "Nanchi Lotus Purity" scenic wonder is nearing completion.

Address: Intersection of Longxing Road and Wangmugui Road, Jining City

Business Hours: All day

Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours

Price Description: Free admission

Highlight Attraction: Wild ducks playing on the lake

Suggested Tour Route: North Gate — Ziyun Bridge — Ancient Nanchi Bridge — Ancient Nanchi Archway — Evening Cool Pavilion — Evening Cool Bridge — Shaoling Shrine, Stele Corridor, Celebrity Memorial Hall — South Gate — Classical Style Street — Love Museum — Nine Dragons Cascading Waterfall Bridge — Tianque Bridge — North Gate

Visitor Service Center: Located at the North Gate, providing guided tour services and complaint handling

Public Transport:

Take bus routes 6, 8, 25, 28, 31, or 102 and get off at Wangmugui Station to reach the area.

Self-Drive Guide:

From the Jining Exit at the intersection of Rizhong Expressway and Gongjian Road — travel 1.3 km via the Jining North Interchange — turn right onto G105 and drive 10.4 km — turn left onto S338 and drive 3.1 km, then turn right — drive 4 km along Guhuai Road — arrive at Nanchi Scenic Area. Approximately 30 minutes’ drive after exiting the highway.

Parking Information:

There is a dedicated parking lot at the entrance of the scenic area

Information Source: Shandong Provincial Tourism Development Commission