Dongping | The waves travel thousands of miles carrying the Wen River, and the boats sail mightily on their westward journey

| The waves travel thousands of miles carrying the Wen River, and the boats sail mightily on their westward journey. Heading west along the grand Wen River, which flows beneath the majestic Mount Tai like a jade belt, one reaches Dongping. 📸 The Wen River, gathering the waters of the central Shandong mountains, does not flow directly into the Yellow River but accumulates here to form the vast Dongping Lake. This great lake once had its moment of glory, endowed with the legend of the eight hundred li of Liangshanbo, and it was here that the central city of Dongping Prefecture in the Lu West region was built during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The ingenuity of Daicun Dam has also earned Dongping the reputation of 'the heart of the canal'. The prosperity of the past has faded, but the scenes of fishermen singing at dusk and the roaring of Daicun Dam still make this small city in the west of Shandong worth visiting. ✨ Daicun Dam The world heritage and national level six status have not brought too many tourists to this modest water conservancy facility, but every year during the flood season of the Wen River in midsummer, the roaring waves like a tiger's roar attract locals to come and watch. 💫 The dense locks on the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal are there to overcome the elevation from Hangzhou all the way north, and the Shandong hills are precisely the high point of the canal. The river often dries up, hindering the transport of grain, and is known as the 'water ridge'. The construction of Daicun Dam in the early Ming Dynasty, planned by the elder Bai Ying of Wenshang, was to solve the water source problem of the canal in this area and also to take into account the benefits of irrigation and flood prevention. The saying 'seven parts for the emperor, three parts for the south of the river' summarizes the water-dividing benefits of Daicun Dam, and Bai Ying is revered by locals as the god of eternal relief. 💡 The Daicun Dam scenic area is not large, more like a park for viewing the scenery of the Wen River, but the dam stretching across the river makes the water surface here exceptionally wide. Standing on the observation deck with the words 'Daicun Dam's Roar', one can see the full figure of the dam and the Wen River water rolling down from it. Next to it, the Daicun Dam Museum allows visitors to learn about the past and present of Daicun Dam and appreciate the vitality of this ancient dam that has been used to this day, which is the reason for its inclusion in the world heritage list. 🚗 It is about ten kilometers from Daicun Dam to the county town, with no public transport available, so one can only take a taxi. 🌊 Dongping Lake As the last remnant of Liangshanbo, Dongping Lake is vast, and the surrounding hills add a unique charm to the scenery. Near Dongping Lake, there are the Water Margin Film and Television City, Liugong Mountain, and other scenic areas centered on Water Margin culture, as well as the under-construction Zhou City Town, which is the site of ancient Dongping. However, compared to the picturesque northern lakes, man-made landscapes are somewhat inferior. 🗺 Lao Lake Town is the core of the Dongping Lake wetland, a small town with complete facilities and a leisurely pace. From afar, the mountains surrounding the lake on the opposite shore, the calm lake surface rippling in the wind, and the occasional sound of fishing boat engines deepen the tranquil atmosphere. Gazing from the lakeside pavilion, a small mountain reflected on the southwestern surface of the lake is the famous Liangshan, but it has been separated from the water and isolated on land through the changes of history. 🚌 Take bus number 7 from the county town to Lao Lake Town. The view of the lake under the clear sky from the bus is refreshing, even reminiscent of Erhai Lake. The town has many fish restaurants and convenient accommodations, making it a backyard for both Jining and Tai'an. The county town also has Baifo Mountain and Dongping Museum, which can be visited depending on the time available.