SHANDONGSPECIAL 24 THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2009 CHINA DAILY Shandong reforms, renews cultural production Qingdao Renmin Printing Media and Confucius center move Ltd is now listed on the NAS- DAQ exchange, the first cul- toward market-oriented mechanisms tural enterprise in Shandong to be traded on a US capital By Ju Chuanjiang son Confucius and others to pro- market. and Zhao Ruixue duce movies, television shows Another to benefit from the and animated features. reform is Shandong Film and TV Ltd, which revived movie Film, television, publishing New vigor and television show produc- and other cultural industries Four former wholly State- tion in Shandong. in Shandong province have owned operations — Shandong It now has the popular TV developed rapidly since they Publishing Group, Shandong series Journey to the North- were reformed in 2003, regis- Xinhua Media, Shandong Film east (Chuang Guandong) and tered nearly 20 percent annual and TV Ltd and Shandong Yimeng Six Sisters (Yimeng Liu growth and producing 85.79 Dazhong Media Ltd — began Jiemei) on screens across the billion yuan in revenues by operation as companies on Dec nation. last year. 31 last year, setting examples Shandong cultural indus- Investment in the sector for other pursuing industrial try expositions held in 2006 reached 12.2 billion yuan in reform. and 2008 resulted in more the first quarter of this year, Thirty-nine of the province’s than 400 deals worth 100 bil- a 28 percent increase over the cultural institutions have now lion yuan, among them 66 in same period of 2008. been transformed into market- Jinan worth a combined 15.86 “Shandong is beefing up its oriented enterprises. billion yuan. cultural industry to enhance Dazhong News Group, which Shandong’s famed large its competitiveness and took the lead in the reform cultural festivals include the In- charm,” said Li Qun, head trend, had 3 billion yuan in ternational Confucius Cultural of the provincial publicity assets and sales revenue of Festival, Qingdao International department. 1.8 billion yuan last year. Beer Festival and Weifang In- Revenue generated by the Its Qilu Evening News has ternational Kite Festival. sector is expected to reach 100 been listed among the Top As well, books published in billion yuan in 2010 and com- 10 national evening papers Shandong are going overseas prise 5 percent of the province’s for comprehensive competi- in greater numbers. GDP by 2015. tiveness over the past four Shandong Publishing Group The sector’s reform plan calls years. has signed more than 20 con- for a series of cultural produc- The paper’s brand value is tracts with foreign publishing tion centers, including one cen- now evaluated at more than houses, including those in Rus- tered around Shandong’s native 1.4 billion yuan. sia, Italy and South Korea. Grand ceremony to honor Confucius during the International Confucius Cultural Festival last April. Jinan: Eternal ‘City of Springs’ By Li Anna city produce at least 300,000 cu thermal activity in mountains ervation work by investing more m of water daily. to the south and limestone for- than 2 billion yuan to build the Baotu Spring with 28 outlets mations that make it easy for Yuqing and Queshan reservoirs With several hundred fresh is among the most robust. It was water to fi nd the surface over a while bringing water from the water springs dotting the given the name by Zeng Gong, wide range. Yellow River to conserve the landscape of Jinan, capital of a poet of Song Dynasty(420- A Jinan city management springs in Jinan. Shandong province, a local 479), who combined bao, which offi ce announced a bid three Some 2,500 underground saying notes “each family in means spring, and tu for rising years ago to have the springs wells have now been sealed Jinan has spring water and high. named to the Natural and Cul- to reduce the amount of under- weeping willows”. Parts of the spring are actu- tural World Heritage list. ground water used each year by Traditional dragon boat races are held each year on Daming Lake. In the old city alone there ally geysers that reach more The city has also begun pres- more than 24 million cu m. are more than 140 springs, than 25 m high and have a including the colorfully named constant temperature of 18C Baotu, Black Tiger and Pearl year round. Historic Qi, Lu and Confucius springs, as well as the Five- Other noted springs include Dragon Pool. the Batu, the Black Tiger spring alive in development plan As early as the Song Dy- site known for its growling wa- nasty (420-479), famed writer terfall and Pearl Spring famed By Li Anna to Taishan Mountain, the the cities of Qingdao, Jin- Zeng Gong commented that for its pearl-like bubbles. Confucius family cemetery ing and Linyi. Parks will be the Kingdom of Qi — one name Jinan’s beauty has fi red the — the world’s oldest and established that highlight for the area in ancient times imagination of many historical Shandong plans to further largest family burial site the Qi and Lu cultures as well — “crowned the world with fi gures including poets Li Bai, develop cultural enterprises — Confucius Temple and the as Shandong’s history of Red springs”. Zeng Gong and Su Zhe, and into pillar industries to aid Confucius Mansion, all listed Culture and the Communist Yu Qin, geologist in the Yuan emperors Kangxi and Qianlong the province in becoming as of UNESCO World Cultural Party of China. Dynasty (1271-1368), said: “The in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Daming Lake truly prosperous, accord- Heritage sites. The provincial plan envi- mountains and rivers in Jinan They praised the springs while ing to its Cultural Industry Also famous for its ancient sions a series of works featur- top the Qi and Lu areas and touring Jinan. Development Plan for 2007 Qi and Lu cultures, the prov- ing the Qi and Lu cultures, springs in Jinan are the fi rst.” Due to the abundance of to 2015. ince has six national historic as well as Confucius, with The Kingdom of Lu fl ourished underground water, Jinan is The blueprint calls for cultural cities, 23 folk art vil- intellectual property rights in present-day Shandong about home to more than 30 streets, establishment of centers for lages, 27 national and 157 pro- and branding. 3,000 years ago. 13 temples and 88 villages with cultural industries including vincial intangible cultural her- Talented practitioners of Jinan Mayor Zhang Jianguo “spring” as part of their names. broadcasting, publishing, itage sites, 4,107 key cultural folk culture will be selected notes the city “with more than As well, several hundred un- fi lm and drama production, relics under State protection to invigorate development of 4,000 years of history is famed derground springs provide the performing arts, cartoons and more than 13,000 ancient regional culture. for its springs, which instill waters of scenic Daming Lake. and animation, tourism, buildings and sites. Professional industry man- spirit into the city.” Not surprisingly, the waters sports, advertising and even The province plans to agement and technological According to a government attract millions of tourists each antiques and handicrafts. develop cultural industry innovation are also part of survey, there are 733 springs year. The province is home regions centered around the strategy. in and around Jinan. Of them, Geologists say the reason 136 in only 2.6 sq km of the old for so many springs is due to Baotu Spring Park Ju Chuanjiang Earth, sea and sky merge at Laoshan Mountain By Zhao Ruixue inscribed to note it is “the fi rst famous The ancient trees, together with plen- est Taoist temple on Laoshan Mountain, characters known as fu — meaning maritime mountain”, paying homage to tiful birds and more than 1,000 kinds dating back 2,100 years. Built during the auspicious — are painted in different the fact Laoshan is the only peak on the of fl owers in spring and summer, help Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD24), calligraphy styles on the wall. QINGDAO: China has many famous sea in China over 1 km in altitude. make Laoshan popular with those who the complex reached its current size Tourists come to touch these letters mountains, including the “Five High Along with verdant trees and water- like nature. — 30,000 sq m with 140 structures to pray for happiness and good luck. Mountains”— its most famous peaks — but falls, the mountain has rocks that vary in One of the most attractive spots is Bei- — during the Song Dynasty. The famous writer Pu Songling in they are far from the sea, unlike 1,132-m shape so much that they can look human, jiushui — or North Nine Waters — which Laoshan Taoism has a very long the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) once vis- Laoshan Mountain in Qingdao that has or like animals, while others are known fl ow through many bends, each noted as history. It exerted a great influence ited Laoshan Mountain and then wrote both grand vistas and a storied history. as “Beauty Rock” or “Fingers Rock”. “a water”. as early as 2,300 years ago. two famous novels, Fragrant Jade and The Bordering Laoshan Bay in the east and Some of its trees have longer histories The mountain is also known for its The main hall in Taiqing Palace Taoist of Laoshan Mountain. close by the Yellow Sea in the south, ocean than most nations, including cypresses mineral water, which is said to invigor- Temple is Sanqing Hall honoring high- Fragrant Jade is about fl owers changing and mountains seem to link together at dating to the Han Dynasty (206BC- ate digestion and circulation — perhaps est deity of Taoism.