Jinan, capital of Shandong province, got its name frombeing located on the southern bankof the Jishui River. The ancient Jishui River originated in present-day Jiyuan, Henan province, and its watershed wasroughly equivalent to the Shandong section of the Yellow River today. Later, the Yellow River changed its courseand took over the riverbed of the Jishui River whichbecame the main channel of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. However, the names of places likeJinan, Jiyuan, Jiyang, and Jining have been preserved.

Jinan is an ancient city with a long history. It was included in the national famous historical and cultural citieslist by the State Council in December 1986. The historical city alsoenjoysthe most counties and districts through which the Yellow River flows in Shandong.

Jinanhas been nourished by the Yellow River since ancient times, and gave birth to Dawenkou culture and Longshan culture, which depicted the earliest macroscopic appearance of Chinese civilization. Italso fostered various cultural heritage items with distinct regional characteristics, such as the traditional processing skills of Dong'e Ejiao (a traditional medicinal tonic made out of donkey glue) from Pingyin county and Wuyin Opera from Licheng district, both of which are national intangible cultural heritage items.

Additionally, the lively Yellow River Fair events, which carry a strong festive atmosphere, are now playing an important role in promoting Yellow River culture and telling stories nurtured by the Yellow River in better ways.

The Zhonggong bazaar in the southern mountainous area, is the most famous one among the Yellow River Fair events in Jinan, and is the closest bazaar to the city's downtown area. Originating in the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220) and flourishing in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the bazaar has a history of more than 2,000 years.

The Zhonggong bazaar has many stalls and a wide variety of goods, including meat, poultry, seafood and aquatic products, vegetables and fruits, staple food and snacks, household items, potted plants, and pets. It takes at least two hours to stroll around the bazaar.

In recent years, Jinan has played a significant role in China's national strategy for the protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. The city has explored new ways to integrate the protection and utilization of cultural relics along the river.

The city has started the construction of the Yellow River National Cultural Park, and built a number of landmark tourism sites related to the Yellow River. Jinan has also teamedwith cities along the riverto build an international golden tourism belt, which showcasesthe Yellow River culture, Qilu culture, and culture of springs.

Jinan has also launched a series of policy measures to enhance the protection and development of the Yellow River. The city has attached great importance to the construction of "Cultural Jinan", aiming to promote the protection of the cultural heritage fostered along the Yellow River and to deeply explorethe historical value contained in Yellow River culture.