New Tales of Laoshan | A Century-Old Highway, Tailiu Road: A Memory Spanning a Century

A Century-Old Highway: Tailiu Road – China’s First Motor Road.

“When the Germans came to Qingdao, urban roads and village roads were built simultaneously… The first village road constructed was the Qingdao–Cangkou Road, followed by the Qingdao–Licun Road. Later they were gradually extended, from Qingdao via Dongwujiacun, Bao’er, and Hexi in Taidong Town to Licun, and from Licun via Donglicun, Xiahe, Nanlongkou, and Jiushui all the way to Liushutai…” The Transportation Annals of Jiao Ao Zhi provides this remarkably detailed record of Tailiu Road, Qingdao’s earliest motor road.

However, the whole story of Tailiu Road must begin with Liushutai.

Liushutai lies in the Nanjiusui area of Mount Laoshan. Its high altitude and broad views make it feel like a secluded paradise hidden among the peaks of Laoshan.

Jiao Ao Zhi records: “Liushutai is the main gateway into the [Laoshan] mountains. Southward one reaches Jufeng, eastward one goes to North Jiushui; here the paths diverge. On the plateau there was once a sanatorium; its abandoned buildings still stand, and nearby there are one or two small inns run by foreigners.” The sanatorium mentioned in Jiao Ao Zhi is the Mecklenburg Sanatorium.

▲ Mecklenburg Sanatorium at Liushutai

In fact, the choice of Liushutai for the Mecklenburg Sanatorium was closely linked to Nanjiusui’s beautiful scenery and pleasant climate.

▲ Old view of the Mecklenburg Sanatorium

While living with his father in Qingdao “in a seaside building, comforting each other dawn and dusk,” Huang Xiaoshu once toured Laoshan. His lyric poem “Pure Serene Music · Nanjiusui” sketches the subtle beauty of Nanjiusui’s shifting moods in just a few strokes—“Rows of palace willows, the path enters Nanlongkou; By the Moon-Plucking Bridge, people carry wine; Reflections in the stream, the willow face crinkles. Insect sounds like rain tapping the window, Waking in the mountain lodge, sleep won’t return. The forest moon peeps in, showing half a face; More light, yet so heartless.” It was precisely this boundless mountain scenery that captivated Germany’s Prince Heinrich.

After the lease of Jiaozhou Bay, Prince Heinrich visited Liushutai and Nanjiusui in 1901. Later, senior medical officer Leerche of the garrisoned German Imperial Navy proposed establishing a sanatorium in Laoshan. After comprehensive surveys of geology, climate, and wind, Liushutai was finally chosen.

On June 11, 1910, Johann Albrecht attended a welcome evening. Erich Michelsen, an interpreter at the Governor’s Office, gave a report titled “A Review of Qingdao’s Development” that lavished praise on the Mecklenburg Sanatorium donated by Johann Albrecht—“(The Mecklenburg Sanatorium) provides a place of recovery for the sick and those in need of convalescence, where one may take easy walks or even venture farther to enjoy all the beautiful scenery of Laoshan.”

Not only to better appreciate the marvelous landscapes of Laoshan, but also because the sanatorium required large quantities of meat, bread, vegetables, fruit, and other supplies, the German authorities built 16 stone-step footpaths for mountain sightseeing and, in 1905, constructed the more than 30-kilometer Tailiu Highway from downtown Taidong Town to Liushutai in Laoshan.

“Tailiu Road is the vital route from Taidong Town via Licun to Liushutai and on into Laoshan. The Germans built a total of 217 bridges and culverts of various types, including five concrete arch bridges… Spanning mountain streams, with grotesque rocks towering, gurgling springs, lush trees, the scenery is absolutely superb.” This passage appears in the Jiao Ao Zhi · Construction Annals.

▲ Surroundings at the Tailiu Road terminus, Mecklenburg Sanatorium. Photo / Wang Xuegang

On the Tailiu Road, the F. Richard Company opened a motor transport service. Every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, cars departed from the downtown waterfront for Laoshan, returning on Thursday and Sunday afternoons. The trip from the city to Laoshan took about four and a half hours. This route was also China’s earliest urban passenger transport line.

Tailiu Road starts at Dongzhen (also called Taidong Town) in the Shibei District of Qingdao, passes through Wujiacun, Shuangshan, Hexi, Licun, and Jiushui, and reaches Liushutai in Laoshan. Total length 30.3 km, roadbed width 6–8 meters, paved with crushed stone to a width of 4 meters. Along the entire route 217 bridges and culverts of various sizes were built, and both sides were tree-planted. Construction began in 1904 and was completed in 1905.

▲ Approximate length of Tailiu Road, truly worthy of being called the first motor road.

In 1907, Qingdao opened the nation’s first urban bus passenger line. In June 1907 (the 33rd year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty), the German firm F. Richard started operations in Qingdao, running commercial motor transport and launching a bus route from downtown Qingdao to Liushutai in Laoshan—the city’s earliest motor passenger line. Every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, buses departed from the Central Hotel (located at the southern end of present-day Zhongshan Road); on Thursday and Sunday afternoons, they returned from Liushutai.

▲ In 1910, China’s earliest bus station, Guantao Road Bus Station, was born in Qingdao and is still in operation today.

With Tailiu Road, this main artery into and out of Qingdao, mountain folk’s travel, city dwellers’ visits to the Licun Fair, and excursions to Laoshan were no longer the near-impossible ordeals they once had been.

▲ After Tailiu Road was built, a woman from a wealthy family returns to her parents’ home.

“The stretch from Taidong Town to Licun is a city road, winding and twisting with countless bends, and the traffic is very heavy; many bus drivers are reluctant to drive it.” Jialinggou, Huaqiao Village, the brewery… this road holds the memories of so many Qingdao people. Lu Hai once recalled.

Photo by @Guo Xin

▲ Present view of a mountain section of Tailiu Road

This road is filled with the memories of Qingdao: the hops in front of the Second Brewery, the bustle of Licun Fair, the stone houses in Laoshan villages, and much more… Every stop and every stretch of Tailiu Road has witnessed and recorded Qingdao’s momentous times.

▲ Old appearance of Dongjiusui Village in the Nanjiusui valley

Although the original old Tailiu Road no longer exists, at the road’s end at Liushutai we can still see traces of the past: the weathered old stone bridge, the stone floor of Mecklenburg… plus the lush mountain woods, the freshest air, and the warm, honest Laoshan people… Everything seems almost unchanged.

A century-old highway extended prosperity along Tailiu Road into Laoshan, making it the axis of Qingdao’s pioneering tourism era.

Today, Laoshan is a renowned tourist destination both at home and abroad. Every mountain village has its own character, turning them into genuine beautiful countryside. We can comfortably ride the metro over hills and ridges, take scenic shuttles right to the sights, and even shift perspective to enjoy magnificent Laoshan from the sea or from the air. The road itself is one of Laoshan’s most beautiful views.

Photo by @Lu Zhen

Photo by @Xiu Xiangke

Photo by @Laoshan Special Photographer Wang Shouzeng

Image by @Feiyue Laoshan

These traces of history are like pearls scattered in time, polished over the years to shine ever brighter, worthy of being cherished by heart.

Some images and materials are sourced from the internet; copyright belongs to the authors.