Wangfu Pool Street

Wangfu Pool Street

Wangfu Pool, also known as Zhuoying Spring, belongs to the Pearl Spring group. Pearl Spring is now the office location of the Shandong Provincial People's Congress. It was originally the site of the Shandong Governor's Office, and even earlier, it was the site of the Ming Dynasty Dewang Mansion (Dewang was the title given to the second son of Emperor Yingzong of Ming, originally located in Dezhou and later moved to Jinan). Wangfu Pool was originally within the grounds of the Dewang Mansion, hence its name. Later, after the Qing army captured Jinan, the Dewang Mansion was abolished and repurposed as the Governor's Office, and Wangfu Pool was separated from it and fell into public hands. "Once a pool in the royal mansion, now a public treasure in the people’s home" — yet its name remains grand. Finding Wangfu Pool is easy: on Quancheng Road, after seeing Pearl Spring, walk about fifty to sixty meters north along Xigengdao Street on the west side of the courtyard wall, turn west a few times, hear the sound of people, walk over, and there you’ll see a pool of clear water suddenly before you. Every time I visit Wangfu Pool, it’s always in use, with people swimming in it, showing just how popular it is. The pool is about twenty square meters. On the south side is an area where people come to admire the spring, featuring a stone stele inscribed with “Zhuoying Spring” and a pavilion. The east and west sides are the backs of residential houses. The west side is higher, consisting of a two-story building, while the east side is lower, with two rooms built entirely of blue stones, the lower halves submerged in water — it must be quite damp inside. Someone has hung a Casio quartz clock on the east wall, which adds a unique touch. To the north of the pool is a residence, said to belong to the Zhang family. The yard has several willow trees, as well as stone tables and benches, often used by people for tea and chess. The spring water flows out from the northwest side, mostly through the homes, and makes its way to Qushuiting Street before joining Daming Lake. According to recent news reports, the government has planned a restoration project for the area north of Quancheng Road and south of Daming Lake Road, aiming to renovate it in a way that preserves its original appearance, making it a model area of Jinan where “every household has a spring and every home is framed by willows,” showcasing the characteristics of old Jinan residences. Wangfu Pool is right within this area. It is said that the government plans to requisition the courtyard north of Wangfu Pool to build a two-story antique-style teahouse, complete with a storytelling and tea-drinking space, integrating spring viewing, spring drinking, and traditional performances, thus bringing out the cultural value of the ancient spring.

Time Needed

1 hour

Transportation

Take bus 3, 101, k50, or k54 and get off at Furong Street Station; or take bus 3, 101, 151, or k50 and get off at Tianditan Street Station

Admission

Free

Opening Hours

Open all day

Location

Quchi Zi Street, Lixia District, Jinan City, Shandong Province (near Furong Street)