Cashing in on its 'City of Springs' reputation

One of the most urgent matters for city leaders in Ji'nan, the capital of Shandong province, is the question of how to turn its cultural wealth into economic wealth.

And the city has been doing everything it can to do just that. Last year, for example, its culture industry - which includes publishing, the media, animation and tourism - saw 20 percent year-on-year growth. It also earned 18.5 billion yuan ($2.9 billion), which accounted for 4.73 percent of city GDP.

This past July, the city came up with a Culture Industry Outline that called for greater creativity sector development over a five-year period, and large culture industry parks and a closer look at time-honored practices.