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 History
and Culture
Jinan was one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Cultural
relics representing the Xihe Culture (7,300-8,400 years ago), especially
pottery, have been discovered in the city. Chengzi Cliff in the eastern
suburbs has yielded traces of the Longshan Culture of the late New
Stone Age (4,000-4,600 years ago), marked by distinctive black pottery.
About 200,000 sq.m of the remains of a settlement indicate that Jinan
has a history of over 4,000 years.
Jinan has a large number of cultural relics and historical sites,
such as the cultural  relics
of the Shun Culture, including Mount Shungeng, the Shun Well, the
Eying River and the Shun Temple; the part of the great wall built
by the State of Qi (in the third century B.C), which was built before
the famous Great Wall constructed in the Qin Dynasty; the Stone Shrine
at the Guo Family Mausoleum (built during the Han Dynasty in the first
century B.C) on Xiaotang Hill--the oldest surviving surface edifice
in China; the Four-Door Pagoda at Liubu, dating from the Sui Dynasty
(581-618)--the oldest stone pagoda in China; and the colored art sculptures
of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in the Lingyan  Temple,
known as the "foremost sculptures in China."
Jinan has produced many celebrities in Chinese history, such as Bian
Que, the founder of traditional Chinese medicine, Master Zou Yan,
the founder of the yin and yang five-element school (metal, wood,
water, fire and earth, used in traditional Chinese medicine to explain
various physiological and pathological phenomena), Fang Xuanling and
Qin Qiong, founders of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Li Qingzhao, Xin
Qiji, Zhang Yanghao, Li Kaixian and other noted Chinese writers, Zhou
Yongnian, the founder of China's public libraries, and Wei Xiang,
a leading architect. In addition, many outstanding writers and poets,
such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi and Zeng Gong, once lived in or  visited
Jinan. Hence it is also called the "city of celebrities."
While carrying forward the old cultural traditions, Jinan's modern
culture is developing vigorously. In recent years, Jinan's cultural
exchanges with the outside world have made great progress. The city's
acrobatic troupes and other art ensembles have visited more than 30
countries and regions, and foreign art troupes come here to give performances
every year. The item "kicking the wooden bench" executed
by the Jinan City Acrobatic Troupe won gold medals at the London 11th
World Acrobatic Championships and the Pairs 10th World "Tomorrow"
Acrobatic and Circus Festival. |
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