Weishan Lake, a large shallow lake in the southern part of Jining prefecture, is one of the most important wetland areas in the North China Plain and a significant site for migratory waterbirds. The lake complex (which includes several connected water bodies) covers about 1,280 square kilometres; the reed beds, lotus marshes, and open water support populations of breeding and migratory birds including Oriental white storks, cranes, and large numbers of ducks and geese.
Boat trips are available from the villages on the lake's northern shore, and the lotus flower season — July and August — draws Chinese tourists who come specifically for the sight of the lake surface covered in pink and white flowers. Weishan is also associated with the martial arts fiction classic Water Margin (set partly in the Shandong lakes region), which gives it cultural resonance beyond the natural history. Access by bus from Jining takes about 1.5 hours.