Nishan Sacred Land in Jining, Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: jnwhlyj]

Jining in East China's Shandong province is the birthplace of Confucian culture and hometown of Confucius, boasting a rich cultural legacy. In recent years, the city has been committed to the systematic protection and revitalization of its cultural heritage.

Jining is home to two UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites – Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal – 41 key national cultural relics protection units, 260 provincial-level ones and 387 municipal-level ones. Plus, it owns 121 national-level and provincial-level intangible cultural heritage.

During the fourth national census on cultural relics in China, the city surveyed 4,892 cultural relic sites, with 3,882 re-examined, and had identified 1,010 new heritage sites by May 2025.

The Nanyang ancient town in Jining is the only waterside ancient town along the Grand Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: jnwhlyj]