A magical spring-Baotu Spring

 Baotu Spring is located in Lixia District, Jinan City, Shandong Province, with Qianfoshan in the south, Quancheng Square in the east, Daming Lake and Wulongtan in the north. 

Baotu Spring, with an area of 158mu, is a national AAAAA scenic spot featured garden and the first batch of national key parks. 

In 2002, according to the textual research of oracle bone inscriptions unearthed in Anyang, Henan Province, Baotu Spring has a written history, which can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty in China, as long as 3543 years. 

Baotu Spring is the source of the ancient water, which was called "Fu" in ancient times. It was recorded in the Chunqiu Chronicle as early as 2600 years ago that the Duke of Lu Huan would be Qi Hou. 

Baotu spring water three strands, day and night gushing, when the water is as high as several feet. 

The so-called "outburst", that is, the meaning of jumping and rushing, reflects the characteristics of the bursting and gushing of the three grottoes of Baotu Spring. 

"Tuo Tu" is not only literally quaint, but also has both sound and meaning. 

It not only describes the spring water as "jumping" and gushing continuously, but also imitates the sound of "bu du" and "bu du" when the spring water is gushing, which is excellent. 

"Licheng County Chronicles" is the most detailed description of Baotu Spring: "the flat spring is boiling, the three grottoes protrude, and the snow waves are several feet. 

The spring water is constant at about 18 °C all the year round. 

In the depths of winter, the water vapor curls up on the water surface, like a thin layer of smoke, with deep and sparkling springs on one side and pavilions painted on the other, forming a wonderful wonderland on earth. 

Baotu Spring ranks first among all springs in Jinan and is one of the three places of interest in Jinan. It is located in Baotu Spring Park, Lixia District, Jinan City. 

Baotu Spring Park, founded in 1956, has rich cultural connotations and is one of the most representative landscape gardens with the artistic characteristics of southern and northern gardens.It is said that a long time ago, there was a young woodcutter named Bao Quan in Jinan who kept his axe and wood in his hands every day, but still could not support his elderly parents. 

His parents suddenly became seriously ill and had no money to send for a doctor, so Bao Quan had no choice but to watch his parents die one after another. 

From then on, he studied medicine from a monk and saved many people in a few years. 

At that time, there was no spring water in Jinan, and in a dry year, there was not even water for frying medicine. Bao Quan got up early every day to carry water to fry medicine for the poor who could not afford to buy water. 

One day, Bao Quan saved an old man on his way to carry water and worshipped the old man as his godfather. 

The godfather saw that Bao Quan treated the poor all the time, and was so busy that he didn't even have time to eat, so he said, "there is a black dragon pool on Mount Tai. The water in the pool specializes in curing the plague. If you can carry a load of water back, each patient can eliminate all diseases by dropping one drop into his nose." 

Bao Quan took the crutches given by his godfather and went through a lot of hardships to come to Mount Tai Black Dragon Pool, only to find that this was the Dragon Palace, and the godfather was the brother of the Dragon King. 

Bao Quan picked out a white jade pot from the Dragon King, which will never finish drinking water. 

After Bao Quan returned to Quancheng, he cured many patients. When the state official heard of this, he sent someone to rob him. Bao Quan buried the pot in the yard. 

The tolerance dug up the white jade pot in the courtyard, but could not move it. They worked hard together, only listening to the sound of "Gu Dong". Suddenly a flood of water sprang out from the ground, splashing water scattered all over the city, and where the water droplets fell, there was a spring, and from then on Jinan became a famous spring city. 

In memory of Bao Quan, people call this spring Baoquan, for a long time, according to the appearance of the spring water gurgling out, people call it "Baotu Spring" again.