From famous springs to traditional crafts, Jinan's cultural heritage came into focus during a visit by 11 Caribbean social media influencers.

The group visited Jinan from Oct 17 to 20 as part of a training program. In Lixia district, they explored Baotu Spring, Daming Lake, and Baihuazhou Historical and Cultural Block.

At Baotu Spring, the visitors admired the spring waters and explored the former residence of Li Qingzhao (1084–1155), one of China's best-known poets of the Song Dynasty (960–1279). At Daming Lake, they visited Chaoran Tower and the Lao She Memorial Hall, taking in the lakeside scenery and the charm of old Jinan.

The group also discovered traditional craftsmanship in Baihuazhou, where they viewed pottery, embroidery, and other handicrafts. They tried on a mamianqun (horse face skirt) and learned to make Song brocade pearl paintings under the guidance of an intangible cultural heritage practitioner.

The 11 participants hailed from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Mainly involved in tourism and the arts, they create content for overseas social media audiences.

Through these visits and hands-on activities, the influencers experienced the cultural heritage that makes Lixia distinctive.

Caribbean influencers pose for a group photo at Daming Lake in Lixia district, Jinan. [Photo/WeChat account: jinanwaishi]

Caribbean influencers try their hand at traditional crafts in Lixia district. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]