A Flower Sea Stroll on Jiaonan’s Dazhu Mountain

During the Qingming Festival, it's the time for spring outings and flower viewing. A few years ago, I took advantage of the Qingming short holiday to enjoy flowers in Jiaonan. Join me now to relive that flower sea stroll on Jiaonan’s Dazhu Mountain.

【Jiushanggou in Jiaonan】

On the morning of April 5th, after a nearly four-hour journey, I arrived smoothly in Huangdao District, Qingdao. My first stop was Jiushanggou. Nestled deep in the unbroken Tiejue Mountain range, Jiushanggou got its name from the winding mountain paths and nine bends of the valley.

Nature’s vitality bursts forth, with flowers blooming one after another. Cherry trees, apricot trees, and peach trees blanket the hills of Jiushanggou. The cherry blossoms had already passed their peak, while apricot blossoms were in full, brilliant pink display.

Village houses peep through the sea of blossoms and wheat fields.

In the afternoon of the 5th, I drove to a grand hotel in the Huangdao development zone to rest.

【Jiaozhou Bay Cross-Sea Bridge】

Huangdao development zone lies west of Qingdao’s urban area, separated by the 6-kilometer-wide Jiaozhou Bay. Nowadays, travel between Huangdao and Qingdao is extremely convenient, with a cross-sea bridge and an undersea tunnel linking the two, getting you across in minutes. Since it was the Qingming holiday and expressways were toll-free, how could I miss such a great chance? I set off to experience the world’s longest cross-sea bridge—the Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Bridge—and China’s longest undersea tunnel—the Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel. That’s part of the charm of a road trip.

On June 30, 2011, the Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Cross-Sea Bridge officially opened to traffic. With a total length of 36.48 kilometers, it became the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, solving the problem of “Qing and Huang being so near yet so far.”

I drove to get a “zero-distance” feel of the “tunnel in the south, bridge in the north.”

Qingdao and Huangdao face each other across the bay, a barrier that for long kept them apart even as they gazed at each other. Now a grey dragon lies across the bay.

The Jiaozhou Bay Undersea Tunnel stretches about 7,800 meters, of which the undersea section is around 3,950 meters. The deepest point lies 82.81 meters below sea level. It’s hard to imagine how it was built.

【Dazhu Mountain: Blossoms Fill the Branches, Spring Lives in the Heart】

Following the coastal avenue for about 20 kilometers, I reached the entrance to Zhushanxiu Valley. (Friendly tip: Dazhu Mountain Scenic Area has two entrances—the Zhushanxiu Valley entrance and the Shimen Temple entrance. Although Shimen Temple is the main gate, make sure you start from Zhushanxiu Valley and hike up; the path is the best route for flower viewing.)

Dazhu Mountain is renowned for its “graceful valleys, quirky peaks, bizarre rocks, and abundant flowers.” The Qing Dynasty Qianlong-era gazetteer “Jiaozhou Records” called it “the number one scenic spot in the region.”

The azaleas on Dazhu Mountain mainly consist of three varieties: Lanjingzi, Yingshanhong, and Kongtong flowers. Currently, Lanjingzi is in bloom—it’s the earliest, largest-scale, and most widespread azalea variety on the mountain, with a flowering period that lasts until mid-to-late April. After Lanjingzi, from late April to around Labor Day, Yingshanhong will burst into bloom. This azalea variety has even brighter colors, larger blossoms, and greater ornamental appeal. Then, Kongtong flowers will follow in succession.

Walking about 3 kilometers along the plank walkway and stone steps, I began to see occasional clusters of blooming Yingshanhong on the left hillside. Words are not enough; let the beautiful pictures speak.

Ridges ablaze with rosy clouds and Yingshanhong—whisper, is this a fairyland?

Where does this paradise come from? All marvel at the divine master’s craft.

Don’t say there’s no place to find a painting; this ink-wash scroll is naturally formed by heaven.

The spring breeze intoxicates visitors; I’d love to be a Dazhu Mountain dweller in April.

On the Yingshanhong ridge, visitors wander at ease.

Along the way, people often hummed, “We are longing for the Red Army to come, the ridges are covered in Yingshanhong…” If any film crew wants to remake the movie “Shining Red Star,” I strongly recommend Dazhu Mountain Scenic Area as a shooting location.

From the mountaintop, I headed downhill on the northern slope to Shimen Temple at the foot of the mountain.

Looking back at the mountain gate, an inscription read: “Empty Valley, Zen Realm.” May you also come and experience for yourself the springtime charm of Dazhu Mountain.

How can one visit the seaside without eating seafood? Here’s the seafood we enjoyed over those two days—the freshness has to be tasted to be believed.

Oysters, scallops, clams, conch, octopus, and all kinds of seafood… one after another, dishes fragrant with the aroma of the sea were brought to the table.

Wow, what a lavish spread! I couldn’t wait to grab a conch, twisted out the meat in a few moves, dipped it in soy sauce and vinegar, and popped it into my mouth. “Mmm, so fresh! The conch meat is chewy and delicious!”

The scallops and clams were so plump and succulent.

Authentic, simply prepared seafood delights—their colors, aromas, and flavors truly make your mouth water.

Visitor Transportation to Dazhu Mountain

By car: Drive along Binhai Avenue following the signs for Dazhu Mountain Scenic Area to reach Zhushanxiu Valley. Or take the Jiaozhou Bay Expressway, transfer to Shugang Expressway, exit at Dazhuang Interchange at the Huangshan exit, and follow the scenic area signs.

By bus: Temporary bus lines operate from Qiche Nan Station (Shimen Temple) to Zhushanxiu Valley. Special temporary bus lines also run from Lingshanwei Transit Hub to Zhushanxiu Valley.

Visitors can also take tunnel bus routes 5, 6, 7, or 8 to Lingshanwei Bus Transit Hub, and then transfer to the temporary bus line to Zhushanxiu Valley.

Bus route 301 has been adjusted to serve Lingshanwei Transit Hub – Zhushanxiu Valley – Shimen Temple, providing bus connections between Lingshanwei Transit Hub, Zhushanxiu Valley, and Shimen Temple scenic spots, making it convenient for visitors to explore Dazhu Mountain Scenic Area.