Yaoxiang National Forest Park

Yaoxiang National Forest Park

Yaoxiang National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Shandong Yaoxiang National Forest Park is a national forest park approved by the Ministry of Forestry in 1992. The park covers a total area of 1,233 hectares and is nestled among well-vegetated mountains. Due to its elevation and vast surroundings, the highest summer temperature in the park is 8–10°C lower than that of downtown Jinan, and the concentration of negative oxygen ions is 380 times higher than in the city, making it a natural oxygen bar on the outskirts of Jinan. It is a tourist destination in inland Shandong that combines sightseeing, leisure, summer retreats, vacations, scientific research, and education.

“Yaoxiang,” meaning “Medicine Valley,” gets its name from being rich in medicinal plants. The legendary Medicine King Sun Simiao once planted and gathered herbs here. In addition to the four famous medicinal herbs of Mount Tai — fleeceflower root, lithospermum, tetrapanax, and polygonatum — there are also over 180 kinds of precious medicinal materials such as red lingzhi mushrooms, dioscorea nipponica, and caterpillar fungus. It is a naturally blessed sanctuary for health, healing, and recuperation.

The highest peak in the park stands at 656 meters above sea level. The mountain is lush and shaded by dense green trees. The summer temperature here is 8–10°C lower than in downtown Jinan, and the oxygen level is high, making it the best natural oxygen bar in the suburbs of Jinan. Strolling through the park, you are surrounded by rolling hills, vast forests, ancient towering trees, and a wide variety of tree species, with the rustling of pine waves harmonizing in the air. The high mountains and deep valleys, layered peaks, misty clouds, and hidden streams create a serene and mysterious atmosphere. Up close, the majestic tree canopies, thick shade, flowing springs, cascading waterfalls, birdsongs, floral fragrances, and exotic blossoms all complement each other beautifully.

From the mountaintop, you can look north to view the landscape of the ancient Qi State and south to overlook the remnants of the ancient Lu State. The majestic Qi Great Wall carries the weight of 5,000 years of Chinese history. The Waganzhai scenic area tells the heroic and moving tales of the grasslands of Qi and Lu. There’s the Horse-Pawing Spring of Dou Jiande, the Medicine King Temple of Sun Simiao, large-scale sacrificial structures from the Qin and Han dynasties, and the ancient swing platforms used for heaven worship… Countless historical relics and undulating green peaks form the spectacular scenery of Shandong Yaoxiang National Forest Park, attracting tourists from ancient times to the present, from China and abroad. Scholars are moved, patriots are inspired, and all are filled with awe and reluctance to leave.

Shandong Yaoxiang National Forest Park is an earthly paradise for modern urban dwellers.

Address: Southeast of Ga’er Office, Zhongkou Town, Licheng District, Jinan City, north of the main peak of Mount Tai