Sishui Quanlin

　　Just 50 kilometers east of Qufu along National Highway 327 lies the Quanlin Springs Cluster Provincial Scenic Area in Sishui County. The Shandong Province Tourism Development Plan ranks it as Zone 3 of the First-Class "Mountains-Waters-Sages Region," sharing the same tourism route as Jinan, Tai’an, and Qufu. Tourism planning experts have praised it as the "Spring Township of China," and Madam Yu Ruomu, renowned nutritionist and wife of Marshal Chen Yi, inscribed the words "A Wonder of the World — Quanlin."

　　Quanlin is the source of the Si River. It earned its name from the numerous springs clustered here like a forest, which also brought it widespread fame. According to the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu-era Annals of Sishui County: the springs comprise 72 named springs, dozens of large springs, and countless small ones as numerous as hairs on a cow. Nowadays, beside Peiwei Mountain, numerous springs such as Black Tiger, Baotu, Pearl, Red Stone, Twin Bright, and Rice-Washing glisten like stars, spraying snow-white water and spouting jade-like liquid. Some emerge from stone crevices, some hide within sandy soil, some form shallow pools, and others deepen into ponds. Some springs are as large as a tiger’s mouth, others as small as a bean. Waves swirl like drifting smoke forming formations; they surge and roar like surging clouds piling up. Every five steps forms a stream, every hundred steps a river. From ancient times to the present, ceaselessly flowing, they converge into a mighty current that becomes the Si River. The spring water spurts beads and sprays jade, clear as crystal. The aquatic plants in the springs are verdant like combs, swaying with the waves, as if painted or woven.

　　The picturesque Quanlin has captivated many sages, scholars, literati, emperors, and generals. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucius sighed here, “Thus flows all things — day and night without ceasing.” The Northern Wei geographer Li Daoyuan praised it as the “Famous River of Mount Tai and the Sea.” The Reading History Geographic Records and the General Annals of Shandong even hailed it as “The Finest of All Springs in Shandong.” In the winter of 1684, Emperor Kangxi toured the provinces, visited Mount Tai, paid homage to Confucius, and then came to Quanlin. Observing the springs and ascending Peiwei, he highly praised Quanlin as “a blessed land of springs where sacred traces remain.” Emperor Qianlong had a special fondness for Quanlin, staying there nine times and leaving behind over 190 poems and essays praising Quanlin, plus more than 200 literary works by literati through the ages extolling the site.

　　The Quanlin Springs Cluster was developed very early. As far back as the Northern Wei and Northern Qi dynasties, a “Source Temple” was built on the western side of Peiwei Mountain, which was rebuilt during the Tang Dynasty and renamed “Quanlin Temple.” In the Ming Dynasty, a Water Department Office was established at Quanlin, and three archways and six pavilions were constructed. In the Qing Dynasty, due to visits by Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, renovations were carried out year after year, gradually increasing the scale, digging lakes, building hills, and constructing a grand Quanlin Imperial Palace. This palace faces south and features classical garden-style architecture, with 114 structures including palaces, towers, pavilions, and terraces, the most famous being the “Eight Scenic Spots of the Imperial Palace.” By this time, Quanlin had become a unified destination integrating sacred sites, famous springs, an imperial palace, and an imperial garden, attracting visitors from all over. Entering the 1990s, the Sishui County Party Committee and County Government decided to protect and develop the Quanlin Springs Cluster. Investing several million yuan, they made plans, relocated residential houses, cleared the springs, dug lakes, built hills, constructed memorial archways, imperial bridges, gates, pathways, erected imperial stelae, built spring pavilions, planted trees and flowers. After years of conservation, development, and construction, the Quanlin Springs Cluster Scenic Area had taken shape, with an increasing number of attractions. In 1998, it was approved as a Provincial Scenic Area by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists annually and generating notable economic benefits. A new round of planning has now been revised, and the County Party Committee and County Government are actively raising funds to restore the imperial palace and other sights, striving to vigorously develop and build the area.

　　If you have the time to visit Quanlin, stroll beneath the “Origin of the Si River” Archway and admire Red Stone Spring; cross the Literary, Martial, and Imperial Bridges, stand at the Spring-Viewing Pavilion, watch the springs gush forth, gaze upon the towering imperial stele, look out at the forest of trees with wisps of mist curling up; take a boat ride on the Purple Brocade and Jade Springs Lakes, amid the fragrance of lotus blossoms and the flight of wild ducks — a truly ethereal experience. “The mountain hues grow distant with the heart, the spring sounds chill upon the ear.” Standing atop Peiwei, gazing down at the crystal-clear springs and far into the undulating mountains brings boundless joy to the heart and soul. Every spring and stone, every stele and archway in Quanlin records the ancient past and also shines with the extraordinary present. The beautiful legends, captivating stories, and noble philosophies inspire and fill one with hope. Moreover, the ancient Bian Bridge narrates the vicissitudes of history and the changes of the world, making you want to stay even as you must leave.

　　Quanlin is truly a wonder of the world. We sincerely welcome all esteemed individuals to visit Quanlin for sightseeing and leisure, to invest in developing and constructing this precious tourism resource, and to jointly plan for great development. Its splendor once peaked. Unfortunately, after the Republican era and through the Cultural Revolution, the buildings were almost entirely destroyed.