Xianqing Spring, also known as Xuanqing Spring, is located on the northwest side of Wulongtan Park. The spring takes on an irregular shape, with natural stone banks. The water is clear, with floating water plants and weeping willows providing shade. It was later owned by the Li family, hence also named ‘Li’s Pond’. Xianqing Spring boasts an excellent water flow, and in the Qing Dynasty, Inspector Shen Tingfang praised it in ‘A Brief Record of Xianqing Garden’: ‘Jinan’s famous springs are the best in the world, with seventy-two traditionally known, among which Baotu and Pearl Springs are the most famous, while Xianqing embodies the essence of both springs in a subtle manner.’ During the Qing Qianlong period (1736-1796), a water garden called ‘Lang Garden’ was built using Xuanqing Spring, which was picturesque. Today, Lang Garden has long vanished, but the spring remains. To the south of Xianqing Spring, there are several famous springs such as Cong’er Spring and Lian Spring, where water gushes from the stone crevices, overflows the bluestone paths, creating a scene of ‘spring water flowing over the stones’. It is open all year round, accessible 24/7.
