Heihu Spring is not a silent pool but a roaring presence, its very name—Black Tiger Spring—an onomatopoeia of its power. The water is expelled with such force from the mouths of three stone-carved tiger heads, a powerful visual motif that gives the spring its identity.

Its name is derived from this very phenomenon—the deep, guttural sound of the water crashing into the rectangular stone basin—a sound historically likened to the roar of a black tiger. This main spring in the Black Tiger Spring Group is ranked as the second most significant among the 72 named springs in Jinan. The spring emerges from a natural limestone cave, a geological throat from which the city’s lifeblood flows. The spring water flows from the cave through an underground channel, its clarity almost a secondary feature compared to its auditory force.

The volume of water is immense, with a maximum daily outflow of up to 410,000 cubic meters, a force second in the city only to Baotu Spring.

The history of the site is marked by human intervention to frame its natural beauty. The unique acoustic properties of the site were a defining characteristic.

A viewing courtyard with a tea hall now occupies the space, a testament to the spring's enduring role as a public amenity. A viewing courtyard has been constructed for visitors to enjoy the scenery. Two tiger sculptures, designed by the artist Han Meilin, stand guard to the east. The original Black Tiger Temple that once stood above the cave has been replaced by this modern contemplative space.

The spring forms the heart of a larger hydrological family, the Black Tiger Spring Group, which includes other notable springs like the Agate Spring and Pipa Spring, creating a landscape that is both naturally wild and meticulously curated. The area has been developed into a scenic garden. This integration of water, rock, and architecture creates a quintessential Jinan landscape, where the boundary between the natural world and the built environment gracefully dissolves.