Daming Lake

大明湖

A city lake fed by springs, celebrated in the line “Lotus on four sides, willows on three; mountains across the city, lakes across half of it.” Chaoran Tower, Lixia Pavilion and boat rides make up the old city’s leisure heart.

Daming Lake sits in the north of the old city in Lixia District, fed by Pearl Spring, Wangfuchizi Spring and many other springs. Its water surface covers about 46 hectares, and it is one of Jinan’s three famous scenic spots. The line “Lotus on four sides, willows on three; mountains across the city, lakes across half of it” was written about this place. After the 2009 expansion, the old area (formerly a paid zone) and the new area were merged and opened for free, and the lakeside walking path runs about 6 km.

Highlights: Chaoran Tower is a seven-story pavilion rebuilt in 2008, about 51 m tall. Climbing it (about 40 yuan) gives views over the whole lake and Thousand Buddha Mountain. In recent years, the lit-up tower at night has become Jinan’s most popular night view, and each evening, when the lights come on, the lakeshore fills with visitors holding up their phones. Lixia Pavilion, on an island in the lake, is the site of a Tang-dynasty pavilion; Du Fu’s line “Ancient is this pavilion on the eastern sea, and Jinan has many famous scholars” refers to it. Also worth seeing are Tiegong Shrine, Beiji Pavilion (a Daoist temple on the north shore), Jiaxuan Shrine (a memorial to Xin Qiji) and Huibo Tower, where you can see the “Evening Glow over Huibo.” Lake boats (about 30 yuan per person for large boats; self-rowing boats cost extra) can take you to the island.

Suggested route: Enter from the South Gate at the north end of Qushuiting Street, walk along the east shore to Chaoran Tower, take a boat to Lixia Pavilion, then follow the north shore past Beiji Pavilion and Huibo Tower. This takes about 2 to 3 hours. In the evening, arrive at Chaoran Tower around 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. (times vary by season) to wait for the lights. The lake is free to enter; Chaoran Tower and some exhibition halls charge admission.

Getting there: Take Metro Line 3 (at some stations) or several bus lines to Daming Lake Station. From Qushuiting Street, the South Gate is a 5-minute walk.

Tips: In summer, during the lotus season and on public holidays, boat queues are long. Crowds gather by the lake at night, so keep an eye on your belongings and your safety. A full circuit of the lake is long, so consider exploring only part of it.

Daming Lake

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby