Sanwangyu Mountain-Water Scenic Park in Zhangqiu City

Sanwangyu Mountain-Water Scenic Park in Zhangqiu City

Sanwangyu Mountain-Water Scenic Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Sanwangyu Mountain-Water Scenic Park is located in Caofan Town, Zhangqiu City, at the junction between Jinan and Zhangqiu. It lies to the south of Mount Tai and Laiwu, borders Zibo to the east, and connects to the Ji-Wang and Ji-Qing highways to the north, near the Yellow River. It is 20 kilometers from the Ji-Wang Highway, offering convenient transportation and a prime location.

The scenic area spans approximately 12 square kilometers and is divided into five major areas: mountain-water landscapes, art and culture, rural villages, and leisure entertainment. It consists of 8 ridges, 8 mountains, 10 springs, 18 lakes and ponds, and over a hundred scenic spots. The park features continuous, majestic mountains resembling city walls, with beautiful peaks, dense vegetation, and deep valleys. Springs and streams are scattered throughout, with clear, sweet water rich in various minerals beneficial to health.

The scenery here varies with the seasons: spring brings blooming flowers, summer blankets the mountains in green, autumn paints the hills with red leaves, and winter cloaks the pines and cypresses in evergreen. From the mountaintop, whether you look near or far, up or down, the interplay of mountains and rivers, village smoke over open fields, floating clouds, and flowing waters offers diverse natural charms. Since ancient times, it has been praised as "[Secluded yet not remote from the bustling city, with true natural beauty of mountains, waters, and fresh breezes]."

Major attractions include: the ancient tomb site of the Three Kings from the Western Han Dynasty, Huixian Bridge, Qiankun Eye, Wuji Cave, Taiji Tower, Moon Lake, Old Spring, Xiang Spring, Feilong Spring, Lin Spring, Big Spring, and Terraced Waterfalls. The art gallery displays ancient daily utensils and handicrafts from the Han Dynasty onwards, along with hundreds of rare authentic artworks by renowned modern and contemporary calligraphers and painters. The amusement area offers activities such as fishing, catching fish and playing in the water, swimming, cockfighting, hunting, and rock climbing. The park also features a luxury hotel that mainly serves farm-style cuisine, various game meats, and wild vegetables. The guesthouse offers standard rooms with luxurious facilities and attentive service. It can host various medium and small-sized conferences. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature and fulfill their travel dreams here.

The name "Sanwangyu" has a long history. It originated in the late Western Han Dynasty when Fan Ke, Wei Fang, and Yu Ping, three generals sent by Fan Chong, leader of the Red Eyebrows Army, were stationed here.

In the year 23 AD, Liu Xiu, a descendant of the Western Han imperial family who had joined the Green Forest Army in the south (later known as Emperor Guangwu, the founder of the Eastern Han Dynasty), sought to restore the Han Dynasty. To expand his influence within the army, in the spring of 24 AD, he led troops to Hebei and Shandong to recruit and persuade the Tongma and Red Eyebrows rebel armies. He stayed at the foot of Paoguan Ridge at the entrance of Sanwangyu. Witnessing how the soldiers drew water from a well without lowering the water level, he personally carved a poem on the stone wall next to the well: "Beneath Paoguan Ridge lies a wellspring; Liu Xiu of Nanyang seeks the wise. All three armies drink this water in reverence, yet see the spring remain full as before."

In the late Sui Dynasty, in 611 AD, Wang Bo from Zouping led a peasant uprising against the corrupt rule of the Sui Dynasty in the Changbai Mountains of Zouping and Zhangqiu. In 613, he stationed in Sanwangyu for four years and in the winter of 616, he joined the rebel army of Dou Jiande before leaving Sanwangyu.

By the late Tang Dynasty, Huang Chao, leader of a peasant uprising, captured Chang’an in 881 AD, established a peasant regime called the Great Qi, but was forced to retreat from Chang’an due to counterattacks by Tang forces. After retreating through Henan and battling in Shandong, in 883 AD, Huang Chao led the remaining forces into Sanwangyu. The following year, besieged by Tang troops, he withdrew again via Tianma Ridge, Maoma Ridge, and Zhonggong, retreating to the northern valleys of Mount Tai. In 884 AD, after being defeated due to lack of support, he committed suicide in Langhu Valley on Mount Tai. Later generations, in honor of this "Heaven-Rebelling General," renamed the "Huangcao Ridge" where he camped to "Huangchao Ridge."

From the late Ming Dynasty to the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, with the rise of the textile industry, mulberry planting and silkworm breeding began in Sanwangyu. According to inscriptions from the 10th and 14th years of Qianlong’s reign, the number of silkworm farms increased from three to eight, indicating a considerable scale. Time is merciless, but history remembers. Tracing historical records and cultural heritage, one can easily see the origins of Sanwangyu’s history. Moreover, due to the area’s unique mountain formations, cliff springs, and secluded valleys, many historical events took place here, giving rise to numerous cultural and natural landscapes within the scenic area.

Address: Sanwangyu, Caofan Town, Zhangqiu City, Jinan

Business Hours: 7:00–19:00

Visiting Time: Approximately 4 hours

Price: 50 RMB per person

Featured Attractions: Ancient Sanwang Fortress Ruins, Spring Water Rafting, Alpine Slide

Tour Route: Park Entrance – Moon Valley – Moon Pavilion – Art Gallery – Children’s Playground – Uphill – Shooting Range – Ancient Sanwang Fortress Ruins – Eighteen Lakes and Seas – Cloud-Combing Spring – Longevity Spring – Huixian Bridge – Wuji Cave – Qiankun Rock

Guide Fee: 20 RMB

Supporting Facilities:

Special Cuisine: Local snacks such as pheasant, wild vegetables, mountain eggs, and local tofu.

Specialty Shopping: Purchase local specialties such as walnuts, mountain eggs, homemade leek flower sauce, and hawthorn.

Entertainment Facilities: The scenic area offers leisure and recreational facilities such as a hunting ground and an adventure training camp.

Public Transport:

Take a bus from Jinan Tourist Bus Station (No. 71 Yingxiongshan Road) to MingShui, then take bus No. 5 in MingShui to Puji Town, and then take a bus to Sanwangyu from the Huatan intersection (every 30 minutes, about 40 minutes’ drive). Alternatively, you can take a taxi directly from MingShui, which costs about 30 RMB.

Self-Drive Directions:

Take G20 Expressway – exit at Zhangqiu – drive south on Provincial Road 224 – drive west on Ji-Wang Road – turn left at the entrance to Weishan Scenic Area and drive south for about 10 kilometers to reach the destination. The drive takes about 50 minutes after exiting the expressway.

Parking Information:

In front of the scenic area gate and beside the access road.