2020 Shandong Self-Drive Travelogue: Yancheng, Rizhao, Qingdao, Rongcheng, Weihai, Yantai, Changdao, Penglai, Longkou, Dongying, Liaocheng, Yanggu, Jining Chapter (June 2020)
In June 2020, a neighbor in the building was renovating, and the pounding was deafening, unbearable. So I thought about getting away for a few days.
Noticing that temperatures in Shandong were generally around 25°C, I decided to take a trip to the land of Qilu.
This self-drive journey started from Shanghai, passing through Yancheng in Jiangsu, Rizhao, Qingdao, Rongcheng, Weihai, Yantai, Changdao, Penglai, Longkou, Dongying, Liaocheng, Yanggu, Jining in Shandong, and Yangzhou in Jiangsu, before returning to Shanghai. The trip covered 3,268 kilometers over 14 days.
Day 1, Sunday, June 7
From Shanghai to Yancheng: 312 km, 3 hours 50 minutes. 33°C.
In 119 BC, a county was established here because of salt. Built along the water, it was also called Piaocheng. In ancient times, people “made a living from fish and salt, profiting from the vast sea.” “Ships came and went by the thousands, a scene of prosperity, finding joy in the water.” Old Yancheng was crisscrossed by a hundred rivers, with a bridge every three steps.
1. Yanzhen Water Street: Free
Water Street lies at the ancient city’s west gate. Salt merchants moored their boats along the street; wealthy merchants gathered, shops lined the way, a place of wine and lights, praised as Huainan.
Today it is a pseudo-classic architectural complex.
2. Lu Gong Shrine: Closed
Built in 1531 during the Ming Dynasty, it honors Lu Xiufu, the prime minister and patriotic national hero of the late Southern Song. A traditional North Jiangsu classical residence. This is the hometown of the hero who fought the Yuan.
He once led 100,000 soldiers and civilians to die for their country at Yashan. Surrounded by Yuan forces, he jumped into the sea with the young emperor, submerged in the waves of history. This is the origin of the saying “No China after Yashan.”
That place may be on Nan’ao Island in Shantou. There is a story about three wells on Nan’ao Island, and one well still exists on the beach.
The following two photos were taken earlier on Nan’ao Island, Shantou, Guangdong:
Because of a typhoon at that time, the well mouth was covered to prevent sand from filling it:
Day 2, June 8
From Yancheng, Jiangsu to Rizhao, Shandong: 307 km, 3 hours 17 minutes.
This was my first visit to Rizhao.
1. Lighthouse Park: Free
A relatively old landmark in Rizhao. The lighthouse is 36.2 meters tall, its light height 39.9 meters, characteristic white flash every 8 seconds, range 18 nautical miles.
Mainly for viewing reefs.
2. Seaside Olympic Park: Free
Day 3, June 9
From Rizhao city center to Heshan Scenic Area: 20 km, 32 minutes
Heshan Town, Donggang District. Ticket: 31.5 yuan/person (Ctrip), battery car: 15 yuan/person.
Hiked and explored for 1 hour 30 minutes. A thick fog rolled in, the sun never came out, and even the two giant characters “Ri Zhao” (Rizhao) were invisible up close.
The higher we went, the lower the visibility; we couldn’t even see a person right in front of us.
In weather like this, the scenic area should be closed! Not only can visitors not enjoy the sights, there are also safety hazards.
Some details of the site’s management could be improved. For example, along the way we often saw signs reading “Visitors go this way,” but when we arrived at a temple, the stone path disappeared and turned into a dirt road, yet no sign was posted. At a three-way fork, one branch led upward via a wooden plank walkway (with a fallen sign saying “Construction zone, no entry”), and the other was a stone-strip descending path, but it was overgrown with grass. At both spots, several visitors we met said they didn’t know which way to go and had hesitated there.
The main peak, at 628.9 meters above sea level, is the highest of the eastern Rizhao peaks.
The theme is sun culture, based on mountain and water resources.
The main peak of Heshan features an image of the Eastern Sun God, 188 meters high and 160 meters wide, facing south, towering over the Yellow Sea shore, looking down at the sea and embracing the Eastern Sun City, Rizhao. Viewed from a distance, Heshan looks like a sun god reclining between heaven and earth. The characters “Ri” and “Zhao” are carved on a massive cliff face; “Ri” is 20 meters long and 17.5 meters wide, “Zhao” is 25 meters long and 25.5 meters wide. This is a world record for Chinese-character cliff carvings and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Only the character “Zhao” could be seen; “Ri” was completely hidden:
On a clear day, the “Rizhao” characters would look like this:
From Heshan Scenic Area in Rizhao to Langyatai Scenic Area in Qingdao: 49 km, 1 hour
1. Langyatai Scenic Area:
Located on the seashore 26 km southwest of Huangdao District (formerly Jiaonan City), Qingdao. 4A-rated.
In the early Zhou Dynasty, when Jiang Taigong enfeoffed Qi, he established the Eight Sacrificial Sites, among which the Shrine of the Four Seasons was built on Langya Mountain. Many emperors over dynasties came here to worship the Lord of the Four Seasons.
King Goujian of Yue built an observation platform on Langya Mountain to convene the feudal lords.
The First Emperor of Qin ascended Langya three times, staying for months each time. He relocated 30,000 households from the interior, constructed the Langya Platform, and erected stone inscriptions to commemorate his achievements.
Langyatai is also the departure point of Xu Fu, the Qin alchemist who led thousands of boys and girls eastward to Japan, and a place where scholars and literati seek antiquity and dreams. Thus, Langyatai is like a weighty history book, a vital focal point of Langya culture.
I booked a ticket through Ctrip and received confirmation texts from Ctrip and the partner platform. But when I went to exchange the ticket at the ticket office, they could not find it.
It was raining, with mist everywhere. The ticket seller said touring here would take several hours, and in today’s weather some sights might be unclear.
All at once the desire to visit vanished. I decided to skip it and come again next time.
From Langyatai to Qingdao’s old city center: 70 km, 1 hour 30 minutes
This was my second visit to Qingdao; I had breezed through the famous spots before. This time I was just passing through, so I took another cursory look.
2. Qingdao Old City:
The railway station built by the Germans is still in use. It reminds me that the Jinan railway station, also built by the Germans, has long been demolished.
The photo above shows the Qingdao People’s Congress and CPPCC office building.
In front of Zhejiang Road Church, people take wedding photos every day. I think not everyone believes in Christ or God; they just use the scenery as a backdrop.
We had seafood at a nearby food stall: four dishes — oil-braised prawns, braised yellow croaker, razor clams, and clams — plus one bottle of Tsingtao beer and two bowls of rice. Clearly priced, 141 yuan. During the meal, we were the only table. Business seems hard.
The “sky-high price” Qingdao prawn incident didn’t happen; that was probably just an isolated past event.
3. Signal Hill Park:
3A-rated, ticket 10 yuan/person.
No. 17 Qidong Road / No. 16 Longkou Road, Shinan District.
Elevation 98 meters. Climb the red-capped mushroom tower for a panoramic view of the island city.
In 1897, when Germany invaded Qingdao, one of Qingdao’s earliest wireless stations was built here.
Qingdao’s red rooftops look really beautiful.
4. Former German Governor’s Residence Museum, Qingdao:
No. 26 Longshan Road. Ticket 20 yuan/person.
A German-style castle building. Construction began in July 1905.
Day 4, June 10
From Qingdao to Weihai: 302 km, 4 hours 15 minutes
On the way from Qingdao to Weihai, it drizzled constantly and fog thickened. I considered skipping Chengshan Head today, but Ctrip wouldn’t refund the tickets I’d bought, so we went anyway.
When we arrived at Chengshan Head, the rain had stopped, but we toured Chengshan Head in a misty, ethereal haze.
1. Chengshan Head:
Ticket 138 yuan/person, driving in costs 40 yuan.
Chengshan Head is a national key scenic area and a national AAAA-level scenic spot. It lies at the easternmost tip of the Chengshan Mountain range on the Jiaodong Peninsula, the easternmost point of mainland China jutting into the sea, hence the name “Chengshan Head,” anciently called “Heaven’s End.”
It is China’s earliest place to see the sun rise over the sea, praised as “Asia – the place where the sun rises,” also known as the “Cape of Good Hope of China.” In 2005, Chinese National Geography ranked it first among the “Eight Most Beautiful Coasts of China” on the mainland.
Chengshan Head’s main attractions include Hailu Island, Swan Lake, Huaban Colorful Rocks, Lidao Seashore, Chengshan Forest Farm, the First Emperor Shrine, Qin Dynasty standing stones, the Sun-Worship Platform, remnants of the Qin Bridge, Sea-View Pavilion, Wave-Watching Pavilion, and Dragon-Pinning Rock.
The headland rises 200 meters above sea level, 1.5 li east to west and 5 li north to south. Surrounded by sea on three sides, it features verdant rolling peaks, a vast deep-blue ocean, towering cliffs, and mighty waves throwing up spray like snow — a grand spectacle and an ideal summer resort.
According to the Records of the Grand Historian, Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di made several eastern tours to Chengshan Head to worship the sun god and seek elixirs of immortality. They left behind the country’s only First Emperor Shrine, as well as the “Qin Bridge Remains,” “Qin Dynasty Standing Stone,” “Shark-Shooting Platform,” and the calligraphy by Qin Prime Minister Li Si “Heaven’s End East Gate of Qin.”
Chengshan Head stands at the junction of the northern and southern Yellow Sea, only 5 nautical miles from the main north-south international shipping lanes, facing South Korea across the sea, merely 94 nautical miles away in a straight line. Like a mighty dragon drinking the sea, it thrusts fiercely eastward, surpassing the island of Taiwan by 68 minutes of longitude; it is truly the easternmost point of China’s coastline.
The scenic area is divided into the Fortune Culture Zone and the Historical Culture Zone.
Fortune Culture Zone:
Includes Yanfu Island, the Statue of the Sun God, Mazu Fountain, Tianyun Palace, Kaiyun Hall, Qiyun Hall, Xingyun Hall, Haoyun Palace, Baifo Hall, and more.
From Mazu Fountain onward, one passes through Tianyun Palace, Kaiyun Hall, Qiyun Hall, Xingyun Hall, Haoyun Palace, and Baifo Hall. These halls are resplendent; Qiyun Hall and Xingyun Hall are the largest in scale, comparable to the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing’s Forbidden City.
Kaiyun Hall enshrines 12 great rulers of past dynasties: Yan Emperor, Yellow Emperor, Yu the Great of Xia, King Wen of Zhou, Emperor Wen of Han, Emperor Jing of Han, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Wen of Sui, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Yongle Emperor of Ming, Kangxi Emperor, and Qianlong Emperor.
The small island below may have had facility problems; we could only view it from afar:
Historical Culture Zone:
This is the main scenic area of Chengshan Head. Besides the famous “Heaven’s End (Lucky Corner),” there are several bronze statues recreating scenes of Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di on eastern tours worshipping the “Sun God,” as well as the only shrine in China dedicated to Qin Shi Huang.
In ancient times, Chengshan Head was believed to be the dwelling place of the Sun God. When Jiang Taigong enfeoffed the Eight Spirits, the Sun God headed the east; he once worshipped the Sun God here and welcomed the sunrise, building the Sun God Shrine.
In 219 BC and 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang visited twice to worship the sun god, build long bridges, and seek elixirs of immortality, leaving relics such as the “Qin Bridge Remains,” “Qin Dynasty Standing Stone,” “Shark-Shooting Platform,” and the inscription “Heaven’s End East Gate of Qin” by Prime Minister Li Si. In 94 BC, Emperor Wu of Han led civil and military officials eastward to this place. Awed by the spectacular sunrise at Chengshan Head, he ordered the construction of a Sun-Worship Platform and expansion of the Sun God Shrine to show gratitude.
The Chengshan Head Lighthouse is a world-renowned international lighthouse, built by the British in 1874. It stands 16.3 meters tall, with a light visible for 21 nautical miles, and is still in use today. To prevent ships from losing sight of the light in heavy fog, the British also installed a foghorn next to the lighthouse. The horn sounds automatically every two minutes, carrying up to 30 nautical miles, greatly aiding passing ships.
Qin Shi Huang’s eastern tours covered thousands of kilometers — a massive state-funded journey.
This is “Heaven’s End.” Legend has it that officials who come here risk losing their positions. So leaders generally dare not visit.
On the photo above, the smiling Maitreya Buddha’s body bears the words: “Fortune turns on you.”
I thought: In that case, those at a low point should come here. When you reach the extreme, fortune turns!
China’s earliest, perhaps the only, First Emperor Shrine:
Through the door in the photo above, we exited the scenic area.
If you’re not self-driving, you can take a cable car to the Fortune Culture Zone, then a sightseeing bus to the Historical Culture Zone.
From Chengshan Head to downtown Weihai: 65 km, 1 hour 20 minutes
First time in Weihai, I planned to stay two days. Weihai’s seafood was also decent — fresh and reasonably priced.
Day 5, June 11
1. Weihai, Liugong Island:
5A-rated. 122 yuan/person (ticket + boat).
2.1 nautical miles from the mainland; 15 minutes by ferry from the city pier. The base of the Beiyang Fleet and a site of humiliation from the Sino-Japanese War.
Liugong Island sits at the mouth of Weihai Bay. The island covers 3.15 square kilometers, with a coastline of 14.95 kilometers. A natural maritime screen for Weihai, it holds an extremely important defensive position, long known as the “eastern bulwark” and “unsinkable battleship.” Many naval battles occurred here from the Ming and Qing Dynasties until the pre-liberation era, especially those of the First Sino-Japanese War, which left deep historical marks.
The island has rolling ridges; its northern sea-eroded cliffs are steep and sheer, while the southern part slopes gently. With 87% forest coverage, it earns the reputation of “Fairy Mountain on the Sea” and a “Land of Peach Blossoms.” Cultural attractions are rich and unique, ranging from Warring States ruins dating back over a thousand years to the Qing Dynasty sites of the Beiyang Navy headquarters, naval academy, ancient batteries, and other Sino-Japanese War relics, plus many European-style buildings from the British lease period. Opened to the public in 1985 after being a closed military zone, it has become a well-known scenic area.
Sites include the Beiyang Fleet Command, Ding Ruchang’s residence, the Dragon King Temple, the Beiyang Naval Academy, ancient batteries, an armory museum, Liugong Temple, an aquarium, the Sino-Japanese War Museum, and the Beiyang Navy Loyal Soul Monument.
The Japanese devils entered the village, and a family jumped into a well:
At the end of the Han Dynasty, Crown Prince Liu Min fled to this island and did good deeds. Thus the island is called Liugong Island.
