Dong'e Ancient Town

Dong'e Ancient Town

Dong'e Ancient Town is a cultural heritage site protected by Jinan Municipality.

Dong'e Town is located at the junction of Jinan, Tai'an, and Liaocheng, serving as the southwestern gateway to Jinan. Both the old and new National Highway 220 run through the town, and the Jining–Heze Expressway passes nearby, making transportation convenient. The town is known as the "Hometown of Donkey-Hide Gelatin in China" and, along with Maotai Town and Jingdezhen, is one of China's three traditional specialty towns protected for their geographical indications.

Donkey-Hide Gelatin Dong'e Town is famed as the "Hometown of Donkey-Hide Gelatin." According to Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* from the Ming Dynasty, donkey-hide gelatin got its name because it was produced in Dong'e. Xu Deheng, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, once visited Dong'e and spoke highly of the gelatin: “Before the Lion-Ear Mountain and by the Wolf Creek, a millennia-old treasure renowned both at home and abroad.” Qian Weichang, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and a renowned physicist, inscribed in 1988 for the Pingyin Dong'e Donkey-Hide Gelatin Factory: “A national treasure of traditional Chinese medicine.” In 2003, the State Administration for Market Regulation certified that the “Fu” brand and “Dong'e Town” brand donkey-hide gelatin produced by Shandong Fujiao Group both received national geographical indication certification and are protected as products of their origin, enjoying exclusive rights. At the same time, Dong'e Town, having been uniquely named China's Hometown of Donkey-Hide Gelatin, joined Maotai Town and Jingdezhen as one of China's three traditional specialty towns protected for their geographical indications. Today, the production of donkey-hide gelatin not only inherits and innovates traditional craftsmanship but also employs more scientific and rational methods, resulting in significantly improved quality and quantity. New product lines have also been developed, allowing it to benefit humanity and play an increasingly significant role.

Dong'e Town has a long history, with settlers living here as far back as the Shang and Zhou dynasties. During the Spring and Autumn Period, it was the Gu Yi of the State of Qi; in the Qin Dynasty, it was called Gu City; and in the Han Dynasty, the Gu County was established. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, in the first year of the Daming era of the Liu Song Dynasty (457 AD), Dong'e was incorporated into Gu City; later under the Northern Wei, Dong'e County was restored; and in the Northern Qi, Gu City was merged into Dong'e. In the eighth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1375 AD), the county seat of Dong'e was moved to what is now Dong'e Town. In early 1947, the Dong'e County government relocated to Tongcheng. The first district of Dong'e County (now the area around Dong'e Town and Hongfanchi Town) was transferred to Pingyin County. Dong'e Town boasts numerous historical sites. The original Eight Scenic Spots of Ancient Dong'e were: Hongfan Floating Gold, Hui Spring Gushing Green, ?? Mountain Emitting Clouds, Yu Mountain Hearing Chants, Wolf Creek Spring Waters, Tiger Cave Autumn Winds, Gui Platform Legacy Well, and Yellow Stone Immortal Traces. Among them, Tiger Cave Mountain, the ruins of Sangui Platform, Yellow Stone Mountain, and the lower reaches of Langxi River (formerly Wolf Creek River) are all within the current boundaries of Dong'e Town.

A long history, excellent environment, and superior geographical conditions have nurtured a splendid culture and left behind numerous scenic spots and historical sites. The Langxi River, formed by the convergence of nine springs flowing through the town, the enchanting “Eight Scenic Spots of Ancient Dong'e,” the Mengzhuang Han Tombs that bear witness to history, the uniquely shaped Yongji Bridge from the Ming Dynasty, the imaginative Huangshigong Temple, and the ancient Dongcheng Gate... all are scattered throughout the area, offering breathtaking views. Historical figures such as Guan Zhong and Yan Ying from the Spring and Autumn Period, Huangshigong from the Qin Dynasty, Cao Zhi from the Three Kingdoms, Monk Huijing from the Jin Dynasty, Monk Yingyan, a water conservancy expert from the Song Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty literary figure Yu Shenxing—renowned as the “foremost writer of his time”—either had fiefs here, served as officials, lived in seclusion, or were born here. They were all celebrated in their time and left behind many masterpieces and anecdotes. Existing poetry, essays, strategies, stone inscriptions, military texts, teachings, as well as folk legends, form the unique local culture of Dong'e Town, making it a rare cultural heritage.

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Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Jinan City