72 Hours in Qingdao: Chasing Light and Shadows, Ringing Bells for Blessings, A Feast of Culture and Palate Slowly Unfolds
Every encounter is right on time, just like this winter, my reunion with Qingdao.
I think, in life, there are always some moments that belong to dreams and distant places.
My first trip of 2022 began in Qingdao.
What you keep in mind will echo back. Since visiting Qingdao in autumn, I've had countless fond memories of this youthful, artsy, and off-the-beaten-path city. For the New Year's Eve trip, I specially arranged to meet friends in Qingdao to ring in the new year. This was my first trip of 2022. At Shi Laoren National Tourist Resort, I welcomed the first rays of sunlight of the new year.
D1: From Shijiazhuang to Qingdao, check in at Mulan Seaview Resort Hotel.
D2: At 6 a.m., greet the first sunlight of the new year at Shi Laoren; in the morning, visit Eryue'er Study Tour Base; in the afternoon, head to Gangdong Fishing Port.
D3: In the morning, visit Haier World Home Appliance Museum and Haichang Polar Ocean World; in the afternoon, Ruoqi Aesthetic Space; at dusk, watch the sunset at Xiaomai Island; in the evening, stay at Yuming Shanfang.
D4: In the morning, go to Taiping Palace to ring the bell for blessings; after lunch, return journey.
1. This was a trip taken on a whim. The temperature in Qingdao was about the same as in my hometown Shijiazhuang. In winter, you still need to pay attention to keeping warm. During my days there, the weather was clear. Thick down jackets, windbreakers, and gloves are essential. Since I planned to watch the first sunlight of the new year, mornings were quite cold. If you're afraid of the cold, it's recommended to bring hand warmers.
2. This was my first trip of 2022, focusing mainly on leisure and vacation. Watching sunrises, tasting local food, and experiencing the local life of the Laoshan people in Qingdao. It's advisable to plan ahead before departure; the trip will be relatively more relaxing.
4. A special note: shoes during the journey are very important; comfort should be the top priority.
5. Essential photography gear: camera, phone, tripod – they all add color to your travel diary. I brought a DJI drone, a Sony A7R2, and an iPhone XR. Also, a power bank is a must.
The sense of ritual in life comes from our love for the hustle and bustle of the world, and it gives us the strength to keep running. My first trip of 2022, welcoming the first rays of sunlight at Shi Laoren National Tourist Resort, was a very meaningful thing for me.
At 6 a.m., I arrived at the seaside. The people of Qingdao have a strong sense of ritual. On the first day of the new year, they come to Shi Laoren to watch the sunrise and greet the first rays of sunlight. As we stood quietly on the beach, watching a red sun slowly rise from the East Sea, the moment was beautiful and romantic.
Shi Laoren is an excellent spot in Qingdao to watch the sunrise. It's a typical sea stack landscape on China's bedrock coast. On New Year's Day, I woke up at 6 a.m. and headed to the beach early. The winter beach had a crisp beauty. I could already see scattered groups of people: some fishing by the sea, and others, like me, who had come specifically to wait for the first sunlight of the new year.
Setting up a small octopus tripod to shoot a time-lapse video of the New Year's sunrise was a precious memory. The name Shi Laoren (Old Stone Man) is very vivid. In the prime area of the sea west of Shi Laoren Village, about a hundred meters offshore, stands a 17-meter-high stone pillar shaped like an old man sitting among the blue waves, hence the name "Shi Laoren."
Watching the sunrise on New Year's Day is a very ritualistic experience for us. I wonder if you're like me, loving to travel not just for the changing scenery along the way, but also for the chilly wind, the tranquil lake, the sparkling dewdrops, the gently swaying flowers, or even that endless long road. If I can encounter the sea, the mountains, and a sunrise, I feel my entire journey is perfect.
Watching the red sun slowly rise from the sea level was a moment of joy and emotion. We don't just take photos with our cameras; we also bring into our photography the books we've read, the movies we've watched, the music we've listened to, the roads we've traveled, and the people we've loved.
The process of waiting for the sunrise was a moment of inner peace. At first, as I walked on the beach, the sky and earth were tinged with beautiful crimson by the morning glow. At that point, there was still some uncertainty—I didn't know if I would actually see the New Year's sunrise over the sea. Waiting for the sunrise requires not only the immense courage to get out of bed, but also the walk you take while waiting and the cold you endure, until that red sun slowly peeks out and everyone starts cheering.
For us travelers, recording the sunrise during a journey is a beautiful thing. For many Qingdao locals, watching the sunrise at Shi Laoren on the first day of every year is a ritual and a love for life. On this first day of the new year, I joined thousands of Qingdao residents on the beach at Shi Laoren to welcome the first rays of sunlight.
Qingdao is a city that makes you slow down. It has both a literary and hipster side and a down-to-earth, lively side. When you come to this city, you'll find there's so much worth experiencing with your heart: natural scenery, cultural charm, and Qingdao's culinary culture.
A gentle sea breeze blew, and on the sparkling sea, the red sun rose. People whispering softly strolled leisurely past my camera lens, enjoying the tranquility of nature. They had no idea that, in that moment, they became the most beautiful scenery in my eyes.
Every city has its own story. In my heart, every story about Qingdao is tied to art and romance. At the end of the year, I returned to Qingdao and checked into Mulan Seaview Hotel to feel the charm of this youthful city.
Qingdao Mulan Seaview Resort Hotel is very close to Shi Laoren Scenic Area, just a five-minute walk away. The hip, fresh style is something I've always loved. Lying in bed, you can watch the sunrise over the sea—how romantic! I especially loved the restaurant's ambiance. The warm winter sun shone on me as I watched the giant-screen projection, making for a leisurely morning.
Sheng Xian Cuisine is part of Qingdao Mulan Seaview Resort Hotel, located on the first floor. Japanese food lovers are in for a treat. Must-order dishes include sukiyaki and sushi platters. I highly recommend the eel rice as a main dish—it tastes very authentic.
All kinds of food, but just a bowl of everyday fare. Eating is an attitude toward life. Every city has its own culinary labels. When it comes to Shandong big steamed buns, many people are familiar with them. As a traditional staple in our daily lives, steamed buns are one of the main foods for us Chinese. Why are Shandong big steamed buns so famous?
The first stop of my 2020 trip was Wanggezhuang in Laoshan, Qingdao. The big steamed buns here are representatives of Shandong big steamed buns, with annual sales of 2 billion yuan. Wanggezhuang Village is located at the Wanggezhuang Subdistrict Office in Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province. It borders Wangshankou Village to the north, Jiangjia Village to the south, Sangyuan Village to the west, and Laoshan Bay to the east, facing Daguan Island and Shizi Island across the sea. Walking into Wanggezhuang Village, most of the shops along the street sell big steamed buns.
On a local friend's recommendation, I visited the Eryue'er Study Tour Base to uncover the secrets of Shandong big steamed buns. Wanggezhuang big steamed buns have a history of over 500 years. The unique climate conditions here make these steamed buns special. With specially supplied flour + Laoshan water + hand kneading + iron pot steaming + wood burning + traditional craftsmanship, the resulting steamed buns are chewy and full of flavor, with a satisfying texture. Eryue'er's big steamed buns are very famous locally.
Big steamed buns have become a golden calling card for Wanggezhuang. Eryue'er controls the quality of their steamed buns right from the source. They have their own flour mill, monitoring quality starting from the wheat, which also determines the quality of Eryue'er's big steamed buns.
Year-end is the peak sales season for big steamed buns. In Qingdao, Shandong, every household prepares big steamed buns for the Chinese New Year. Big steamed buns have become a must-have New Year's purchase for Qingdao residents. When I visited, the person in charge at Eryue'er told me they had just received an order for 12,000 boxes of big steamed buns, and the workers were extremely busy these days.
The big steamed buns produced at Eryue'er are highly praised, primarily because of their excellent quality. They are made entirely from wheat flour ground from winter wheat, mixed with Laoshan spring water, hand-kneaded into shape, and steamed in iron pots. Absolutely no additives or whitening agents are used in the flour production process, and high-gluten flour is not extracted from the wheat, ensuring comprehensive nutrition. Watching each big steamed bun take shape, plump and white, was a delight.
What also piqued my curiosity was the bottom of Shandong big steamed buns, which is unique. The slightly scorched part is the most delicious. I haven't seen steamed buns like this elsewhere. This is another distinctive feature of Shandong big steamed buns, related to the local steaming technique. The human mouth is a gateway to experiencing the outside world. Through chewing, savoring, and swallowing, we experience the world, form connections, and derive pleasure. The steamed buns from Wanggezhuang are chewy and fragrant, with a great texture.
In addition to the round steamed buns we commonly eat, Wanggezhuang big steamed buns come in a variety of shapes. Local artisans, building on traditional patterns, incorporate local elements and continuously innovate the shapes. They've developed a series of "Fu, Lu, Shou, Xi" (Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity, Happiness) products that are tender, soft, sweet, and novel in design. The prices are reasonable: 14 different-shaped decorative steamed buns in a gift box cost a bit over 50 yuan, while a gift box of 10 large round steamed buns costs over 30 yuan. They can be purchased online.
Besides the classic big steamed buns, the Eryue'er Study Tour Base also offers rich study activities. You can personally experience making steamed buns, grinding soy milk, making tofu, and interacting with various small animals. The farmhouse cuisine here uses green, organic ingredients from the farm's own chickens, sheep, and homegrown Chinese cabbage.
Many people yearn for a rustic, idyllic life. At Eryue'er Study Tour Base, you can bathe in the sunshine, stroll through the fields, watch lambs play, and enjoy the pleasures of slow living.
The process of making big steamed buns with your own hands is full of fun. At Eryue'er Study Tour Base, besides observing the birth of a big steamed bun, you can also participate in making them yourself under a teacher's guidance. With the Year of the Tiger arriving, I learned to make a little tiger-shaped steamed bun with the teacher, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment afterward.
Ordinary food becomes more precious when it carries human warmth. A dish can bear the imprint of a person. Often, we miss a certain food because of the connections and stories we have with it. Through my personal involvement, from flour to finished product, I truly understood why Wanggezhuang big steamed buns are so delicious. With the development of online sales, people all over China can now enjoy authentic Wanggezhuang big steamed buns.
Intangible cultural heritage paper-cutting: meet face-to-face with Ms. Su Xia, inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Laoshan District, to experience the charm of art and even try your hand at simple paper-cutting techniques.
China's spirit of craftsmanship is vividly displayed under Ms. Su Xia's scissors. To innovate in paper-cutting art, she meticulously studies paper-cutting patterns. Some new works take three days to create. Her paper-cutting series "Twelve Scenic Spots of Laoshan" is lifelike and exquisitely beautiful.
Gangdong Fishing Port is a favorite spot for Qingdao locals to buy seafood. The scenery is beautiful, and you can take photos capturing local culture and life. The sight of drying fish is especially spectacular. Various seafood shops on the dock sell dried fish, shrimp, and other marine products.
Haier World Home Appliance Museum is located at No. 52 Donghai East Road, Laoshan District, in the "Iceberg Corner." It's a great place for family trips. Through scene recreations, it restores home appliance-related life scenarios from different eras, giving us a more intuitive understanding and feel for lifestyles across different periods. We can also use AR interactive experiences, combined with a light and shadow animation theater, to take a time-travel journey through the history of home appliances and learn a lot about them.
Smart homes open a new world for us. With the development of high technology, intelligent home living is getting closer and closer.
About the Polar Ocean Kingdom, we always have so much curiosity. In the dreamy ocean from a distant kingdom, beautiful and free marine creatures live. Little penguins are adorably cute yet nimble when swimming. Sea lions are clever and playful, dolphins are empathetic, and the various jellyfish made my visit to Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean World full of novelty.
The experience at Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park is very rich, consisting of the Polar Ocean Hall, Joy Theater, 5D Dynamic Experience Hall, and Deep Sea Fantasy Hall. It also features an indoor marine animal performance venue that can accommodate 3,600 people and a six-meter-wide underwater tunnel. Walking through the dreamlike underwater tunnel, you can instantly capture beautiful photos with a sense of time travel. This is a polar marine culture experience where couples and families alike can find a travel style they enjoy.
The world of jellyfish made everyone pause. Watching a child standing side by side with their mother, deeply absorbed, as the lighting changed, walking among them felt like stepping into a fairy tale world. Amidst the changing lights, you could feel the wonder of the jellyfish kingdom. Jellyfish are a type of lower marine invertebrate zooplankton. They appeared even earlier than dinosaurs, dating back 650 million years. Children can also learn about marine life during the visit.
In Laoshan, witness a city's romance and hipster vibe. Have a cup of coffee, watch a sunset, visit a museum—this is how I kicked off my first trip of 2022. We search for China's original beauty, making aesthetics a daily faith. Ruoqi Aesthetic Space is located at No. 8 Keyuan Jing Si Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao.
Ruoqi Aesthetic Space includes two parts: Ruoqi Jewelry Culture and Art Museum and Ruoqi Coffee. The founder, Zhong Feng, a native of Laoshan, Qingdao, is a person of refined taste and sentiment. With the goal of exploring the integration of Chinese traditional culture, regional culture, and jewelry design, she uses natural gemstones as raw materials to design and create personalized jewelry with cultural connotations and artistic value.
After visiting the Jewelry Culture and Art Museum, sitting at Ruoqi Coffee on the first floor with a cup of coffee and a snack was a leisurely and comfortable moment. Qingdao's literary and hipster charm is everywhere.
Xiaomai Island is a newly emerging internet-famous spot in Qingdao, located at the intersection of Donghai East Road and Maidao Road in Laoshan District. It's also the best place in Qingdao to watch the sunset. Many locals enjoy taking a slow walk around the island at dusk, watching the setting sun dye the entire city a beautiful golden hue, where sea and sky meet in majestic romance.
Taiping Palace: Ringing the Bell for Blessings
Our life is like light, constantly searching and encountering, embracing the beauty of this world. As 2022 begins, ring the bell at Taiping Palace and greet the new year with a sunrise at Lion Peak in Laoshan.
Shandong's Laoshan is situated by the sea, with deep ravines and secluded valleys, offering beautiful scenery. Taiping Palace is located on Laoshan. For Qingdao people, coming to Taiping Palace to ring the bell and pray for blessings at the start of the new year is a very meaningful activity. A new year begins, everything is renewed. Ringing the bell that symbolizes a peaceful and prosperous era, praying for the nation's prosperity and the people's well-being—this is a sense of ritual in life and a beautiful wish of Qingdao people for the new year.
The start of 2020 had very clear weather. Taiping Palace, with its serene environment, is nestled in a deep mountain valley, surrounded by overlapping peaks. A winding path leads to its entrance. Taiping Palace has a long history. It was a Taoist temple established by Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin (960-976), for the Huagai Immortal Liu Ruozhuo. Completed during the Taiping Xingguo reign period, it was initially named Taiping Xingguo Temple and later renamed Taiping Palace.
To ring the bell at Taiping Palace and watch the sunrise at Lion Peak, I got up at 6 a.m. When the lingering sound of the bell rang out, I made my first wish for the new year: for national peace and my family's health!
When participating in the New Year's bell-ringing ceremony at Taiping Palace, you can also receive a big apple from Qixia, Yantai, enjoy free lucky dumplings, and appreciate various cultural and creative products for the Year of the Tiger. The scene was bustling and joyful. The lucky dumplings were freshly boiled by volunteers on site. This kind of people-benefiting activity gave the scene a strong New Year's atmosphere.
Laoshan has a deep-rooted martial arts tradition. At the blessing event, you could also enjoy a wonderful tai chi performance. Every movement and posture carried a Taoist sense of elegance and ethereality. I chatted with a Taoist at the performance venue, who said he was a local and had loved tai chi since childhood. He had practiced for over ten years and formally became a disciple last year. He practices regularly in daily life. Tai chi strengthens the body, cultivates the mind, and when performed, it flows like water or clouds.
At around 9 a.m., many Qingdao citizens were still queuing up at the bell-ringing ceremony to ring the bell and pray. Each person rings the bell once, symbolizing a peaceful life. The sense of ritual in life is also a positive attitude toward living.
At the start of the new year, climbing Lion Peak to watch the sunrise is also a long-standing habit for many Qingdao people. Lion Peak is located not far from Taiping Palace. Although the peak looks steep, it's actually easy to climb. It takes about ten minutes to reach the top. Standing on the summit and gazing into the distance, the vast scenery where sea and sky merge into one is broad and uplifting. It's also the best vantage point for watching the sunrise.
New year, new atmosphere. Ms. Su Xia, inheritor of intangible cultural heritage from Laoshan, used scissors to cut out various patterned little tigers at the blessing event, symbolizing good luck and vigor in the Year of the Tiger.
Praying for blessings in Laoshan is very meaningful. Ringing the bell at Taiping Palace and watching the sunrise at Lion Peak—a ritual full of symbolism to welcome a brand-new 2022.
72 Hours in Qingdao: a sunrise, a cup of coffee, a dream about travel. 2022 holds great promise.
