🌊 Inscription of the Soaring Kite and Leaping Fish

“The kite soars to the heavens, the fish leaps in the abyss” — from The Book of Songs: Great Odes, The Stream at Hanlu, symbolizing harmony between heaven and earth, and the free flourishing of all things. It also poetically encapsulates the Confucian ideal of unity between humanity and nature.

📍 Basic Information

• Name: Inscription of the Soaring Kite and Leaping Fish (not a standalone attraction; an important historical stele within Baotu Spring Park)
• Address: No. 7 Baotu Spring South Road, Lixia District, Jinan City, Shandong Province (north corridor wall of the East Courtyard, Wanzhuyuan within Baotu Spring Park)
• Managing Authority: Jinan’s First Spring Scenic Area Service Center (Baotu Spring Scenic Area)
• Protection Level: Municipal Cultural Heritage Site of Jinan City (included in the List of Second Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Sites of Jinan City, 2013)
• Opening Hours: 6:00–20:00 daily (coordinated with Baotu Spring Park’s general opening schedule)
• Admission Fee: Included in Baotu Spring Park ticket (40 RMB per person; free admission for visitors aged 60 and above, children, and others eligible under policy)

📜 Historical Evolution

• Erected in: 35th year of Qianlong’s reign, Qing Dynasty (AD 1770)
• Inscribed by: Zhou Yuanli (1711–1782), renowned Qing dynasty epigrapher and Governor of Shandong, personally wrote and supervised the carving
• Historical Background:
  • Originally erected near the site of the Ming Dynasty’s Guanlan Pavilion, the stele was relocated in 1964 during spring pool renovations and garden reorganization, embedded into the north wall of the East Courtyard of Wanzhuyuan.
  • The four characters “Yuan Fei Yu Yue” carry profound meaning: they echo Baotu Spring’s legendary vitality—“the Luo River springs forth from the earth unmatched, a jade vase rising from level ground”—while subtly resonating with Wanzhuyuan’s natural philosophy of “bamboo shadows swaying in the wind, spring sounds tinkling like jade.”
  • During the Qing Dynasty, literati from Jinan frequently gathered here for scholarly discussions. A small pavilion named “Yuan Fei Yu Yue” once stood before the stele, now vanished, leaving only the inscription as a silent witness to the reverence of Neo-Confucian ideals among scholars of the Qianjia era.

🏛️ Architectural and Cultural Features

• Dimensions and Design:

  • Crafted from dark green stone, standing 1.86 meters tall, 0.82 meters wide, and 0.18 meters thick
  • The top panel features a relief carving of two dragons playing with a pearl; the characters “Yuan Fei Yu Yue” are carved in seal script, with vigorous and fluid strokes that combine the robust structure of Yan Zhenqing’s style with the graceful elegance of Zhao Mengfu
  • Below the main inscription, a 126-character regular script colophon by Zhou Yuanli records the purpose of the monument: “…Baotu Spring is nourished by the hidden currents of the Ji River, its vapors rising like clouds, where kites can brush the sky and fish break through waves—only the benevolent heart of heaven could bring forth such wonders. Thus, I inscribe this enduring stone to commemorate its spiritual beauty.”

• Current Preservation Status:

  • The stele remains intact, with clear inscriptions; only slight weathering is visible at the lower right corner (natural aging, not affecting overall legibility)
  • Conservation treatments were carried out in 1985 and 2010 by the Jinan Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics, including cleaning, reinforcement, and micro-environmental adjustments. The stele is now set within a Ming-style brick-walled corridor, protected by a UV-resistant glass case

🌟 Cultural Significance

• Philosophical Depth:
  • A material manifestation of Confucian thought on “fulfilling one’s nature to know Heaven,” transforming the Doctrine of the Mean’s principle—“achieving balance and harmony, thus enabling heaven and earth to find their place, and all things to flourish”—into a tangible, walkable landscape experience.
• Artistic Value:
  • Zhou Yuanli’s calligraphy masterfully blends the formal discipline of the court style with the rugged authenticity of ancient inscriptions. This work stands as a rare masterpiece among official calligraphy from Shandong during the Qing Dynasty, documented in both Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Calligraphy and Shandong Epigraphy Records.
• Geographical and Cultural Symbolism:
  • Together with Baotu Spring’s explosive flow, Wanzhuyuan’s bamboo groves symbolizing humility and integrity, and Cangyuan’s literary heritage steeped in ink and antiquity, it forms a quintessential cultural model of Jinan’s scholar-gentleman tradition—uniting spring, bamboo, stele, and garden into a harmonious whole.

🧭 Tourist Guidance Tips

• Best Viewing Times:
  • 🌞 Early morning: 7:30–9:00 (fewer visitors, soft lighting, optimal clarity of inscriptions)
  • 🌙 Late afternoon: 17:00–18:30 (sunlight slants across the stone, casting warm glows, with long shadows stretching across the corridor—particularly evocative in atmosphere)
• Recommended Itinerary:
  • ✅ Must-Visit Route: Main Spring Pool of Baotu → Guanlan Pavilion → Shuyu Spring (Li Qingzhao Memorial Site) → East Courtyard of Wanzhuyuan – Inscription of the Soaring Kite and Leaping Fish → Former Residence Site of Qin Qiong (West Wing of Wanzhuyuan)
  • ✅ Immersive Experience: Sit quietly before the stele for five minutes, listening to the nearby stream murmuring and bamboo leaves rustling—allow yourself to feel the dynamic vitality embodied in the phrase “Soaring Kite and Leaping Fish.”
• Important Notes:
  • As an immovable cultural relic, please do not touch, lean against, or use flash photography near the stele;
  • Drones are prohibited in the Wanzhuyuan area (regulated under Article 22 of the Jinan Municipal Regulations on Protection of Famous Springs);
  • Free audio guide service is available via the park’s mini-program “First Spring of China.” Search “Inscription of the Soaring Kite and Leaping Fish” to access expert commentary, including biographical insights on Zhou Yuanli and a plain-language explanation of the stele’s text.

🌿 One Stele, a Thousand Years of Reflection: The soaring kite and leaping fish transcend mere visual wonder—they represent the soul of Jinan’s ancient city, rooted in its springs and shaped by its culture. Standing before this stele, you meet the past face to face—the breath of the Luo River still flows beneath your feet, and the enduring metaphor of Chinese civilization’s perpetual renewal comes alive in stone.