Black Tiger Spring
Encyclopedia
is a culturally
significant artesian
Artesian aquifer
An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. This causes the water level in a well to rise to a point where hydrostatic equilibrium has been reached. This type of well is called an artesian well...
karst spring
Karst spring
A karst spring is a spring that is part of a karst system. That includes the underground drainage of a much larger area, which means that karst springs often have a very large discharge...
located in
the city of Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
Province,
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The spring is ranked as the second most significant among
the 72 named springs in Jinan (after the Baotu Spring
Baotu Spring
The Baotu Spring as "Jet Spring" or "Spurting Spring") is a culturally significant artesian karst spring located in the city of Jinan, Shandong Province, China...
). The water
of spring stems from moderately-deep circulation
steep cliff. From the mouth of the cave, the water is funneled to flow
out of the mouths of three ornamental stone-carved tiger heads into a
square-shaped spring pool. From there it runs into the old city moat,
next to which the spring is located. According to the tradition, there
was a black rock lying in front of the cave in ancient time. The name of the spring is
said to be derived from the shape and color of the rock, which
resembled a black tiger, and the sound of the water gushing past the
rock being reminiscent of the roar of a tiger. The ancient layout of
the spring is described in a poem by the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
poet, Yan
Bizeng.
Location
The Black Tiger Spring is located on the south bank of the old citymoat, close to the southeastern corner of the moat. A bit to the east,
on the opposite site of the moat stands the Liberation Pavilion that
commemorates the arrival of the victorious People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
in Jinan.