A Refreshing Escape to Laoshan, the Sea's Immortal Mountain
Spending a weekend in Laoshan, Qingdao from Beijing, the 20-degree weather couldn't be more pleasant! In this profoundly historic Taoist sanctuary, it feels like an inexhaustible treasure trove of energy.
As the highest peak along China's mainland coastline and hailed as the 'Number One Mountain on the Sea,' its breathtaking beauty is utterly refreshing. Here, you can fully absorb the spiritual energy between the mountains and sea, expand your heart and mind, heal your soul, and leave brimming with vitality!
As the ancient saying goes: 'Though Mount Tai is lofty, it pales beside the East Sea's Laoshan.' Laoshan is not only a renowned coastal mountain but also a celebrated Taoist site. Taiqing Palace is a must-visit treasure landmark here.
Taiqing Palace, also called Lower Qing Palace, nestles under Peach Peak, embraced by mountains and facing the sea, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. It holds the esteemed status as the 'ancestral Taoist court of China's Laoshan' and the 'second Quanzhen Taoist monastery under heaven,' and was also a famed imperial Taoist temple.
Taiqing Palace consists of three courtyards, each with its own mountain gate: to the east the Sanguan Hall, in the middle the Sanqing Hall, and to the west the Jade Emperor Hall; there are also the Loyalty Shrine, Hanlin Academy, and east and west side halls. It is a key cultural relic protection unit of Qingdao, a national protected Taoist temple, and one of the 21 major Taoist temples in China.
Ancient trees soar within Taiqing Palace, with over 100 rare and venerable specimens such as Han-dynasty cypresses, Tang-dynasty elms, and Song-dynasty ginkgoes; some even exceed 2,000 years in age. The most distinctive is the 'Dragon Head Elm,' planted by the famous Taoist priest Li Zhexuan during the Tang dynasty's Tianyou era. Another is the millennia-old 'Han Cypress with Trumpet Vine'—as old as the palace itself—with a trumpet vine parasitic on it, coiling like a dragon around the trunk, plus a Chinese gall tree growing from its waist, forming the extraordinary 'three-in-one tree' phenomenon. Visitors approach and touch it, silently feeling, with palms and soul, the force of nature that travels through the ages.
Seagoing cruise, accompanied by seagulls
The best way to take in Laoshan's ethereal aura from the sea is by boarding the Taiqing cruise, with seagulls escorting you all the way—a romance unique to Qingdao.
It was here that Pu Songling wrote the famous 'Liaozhai' tales 'The Taoist of Laoshan' and 'Xiangyu' in 1672, the 11th year of the Kangxi reign.
Today, the wall through which the Taoist priest in the story walked still stands in Taiqing Palace, beside Pu Songling's reading pavilion. Visitors delight in trying the 'wall-passing' fun, making it a true social media hotspot. Don't miss the world's largest bronze statue of Laozi, either!
Tickets: 90 yuan/person (Laoshan Scenic Area entry), 27 yuan/person (Taiqing Palace).
Opening hours: 7:00–16:30.
Navigate to Laoshan Visitor Center and transfer to a sightseeing bus to enter. Alternatively, take Metro Line 4 to Dahedong Station; the visitor center is right outside the exit, then transfer to a sightseeing bus.
Hiking Yangkou: Blessings of Longevity Abound
Yangkou Scenic Area, in the northeast of Laoshan Scenic Spots, leans against a cluster of immortal peaks and faces the rippling Yellow Sea. It's another unmissable part of a Laoshan trip. The scenery features the Taiping Taoist Temple and stunning sea-and-mountain vistas. With extraordinary natural landscapes, rich cultural relics, and a long history, it has been praised since ancient times as an immortal realm and blessed land.
The area is famous for eight sights: Huagai Greeting Guests, Sea Palace, Taiping Dawn Bell, Lion Peak Sunrise, Youlong Taoist Scriptures, Immortal Mountain Longevity Peak, Mystic Cave Exploration, and Tianyuan Overlook. Take the cable car up to the auspicious Longevity Peak, then hike past the challenging Mystic Cave, via Lion Peak, and finally reach Tianyuan, where you can overlook the entire coastline. Along the way, feast your eyes on the lush green valleys and the deep blue coastline—time seems to slip by, and soon you've reached the top.
Yangkou's cable car is relatively new and well-equipped, accommodating up to eight people at once. After leaving the station, you ascend steeply, passing through clouds and mist. One side offers natural views of the coastline and villages; the other, a full sweep of mountain greenery. With beauty on both sides, it's a perfect photo opportunity.
Right beside the mountain cable car station is the Longevity Peak viewing platform and a wooden walkway, where we chanced upon a couple enjoying the view—utterly romantic. Longevity Peak is a mountain face covered with the character 'shou' (longevity) in various sizes and calligraphic styles, majestic and full of auspicious meaning. The wooden walkway below the platform, with the distant Longevity Peak and coastline as a natural backdrop, is a must for effortless, stunning photos.
Continuing upward on foot, you quickly reach the challenging Mystic Cave. Just the name evokes a sense of mystery and adventure. The cave interior is low and winding, leading you into a completely natural 'secret chamber.' The path is a narrow, slit-like passage that climbs upward, dim and damp with scarce light, and in some spots you must scramble on all fours. It's hard to imagine how Taoist monks a millennium ago ascended here for spiritual practice. For younger visitors, it's an exhilarating challenge; everyone delves in excitedly, a mix of tension and laughter, creating a wonderfully enchanting atmosphere.
Emerging from the Mystic Cave, the sky opens wide, almost blindingly bright. The hike to Tianyuan is flat overall, though there are still some narrow paths between boulders. But after the trials of the cave, everyone feels agile and ready for any terrain.
This stretch features many stout pine trees, forming a series of captivating Chinese landscape paintings. Reaching Tianyuan, you instantly feel it was all worthwhile, your heart expanding to infinity with the view. Everyone poses for photos against the natural canvas of the coastline and colorful villages.
In the afternoon, we visited the Xiaoyangchun Tea Garden at the foot of the mountain. Before coming to Laoshan, I had no idea its tea was internationally renowned. This place is hailed as Qingdao's 'little Jiangnan.' Entering the courtyard is like stepping into another world, rich with Chinese charm: calligraphy and paintings on the walls, rockeries, bonsai, lanterns, and ponds. A clear spring pool sits in the center, with koi swimming gracefully, soothing the spirit.
There's a tea plantation, tea rooms, a museum, guesthouse, and restaurant—you can stay and slowly experience the entire process from picking to roasting and processing tea, immersing yourself in every facet of Laoshan tea culture.
In Laoshan, everything seems like a beautiful painting. While marveling at nature's artistry, you also feel the weight of local history and cultural charm, finding inner peace and openness.
Exploring and Tasting Charming Jiu Shui
In Laoshan, apart from expanding your heart and mind among the majestic sea and mountains, you can also heal your soul in the serene waters and hills.
During our stay, we happened upon the local cherry season—a gift of nature not to be missed. Around Jiu Shui, there's not only abundant water features but also mature tourism resources: guesthouses, restaurants, cafés, and cherry orchards abound. In short, Jiu Shui can fulfill all your spring outings, hikes, dining, and lodging in one go.
Walking along the suspension bridge and wooden boardwalk, you can fully savor the beauty of every angle in the 'Jiu Shui Scenic Area.' Jiu Shui originates from Tianyi Spring on the north side of Giant Peak at 1,100 meters above sea level, the highest spring in Laoshan. It's also the headwaters of the Baisha River, Laoshan's mother river. With negative oxygen ion levels reaching 42,000 per cubic centimeter—20 times the national standard—it's truly a 'natural oxygen bar.'
Jiu Shui is renowned as a natural gallery painted by beautiful mountains and waters: 'Every five steps, a new view; every ten steps, another heaven.' Lifelike rock formations abound, crystal streams twist and turn, splashing like snow, and emerald pools shimmer with endless variety. Stepping into this natural gallery, visitors become part of the painting.
Chaoyin (Tide Sound) Waterfall marks the end of Inner Jiu Shui. It's surrounded by steep cliffs, with a cleft in the southeastern rock like a door, through which the waterfall cascades in three tiers. When it pours, the swift current races over rocks, spraying pearls and jade, like layers of fish scales or shattered gems—hence its ancient names Fish Scale or Jade Scale Waterfall. But its sound resembles surging tides, giving it the name Chaoyin. It's not the rainy season now, so the flow isn't heavy, but the lake-and-mountain scenery has its own charm.
It's cherry season now, and local Laoshan cherries may be small but are incredibly sweet and delicious. The joy of plucking handfuls straight from the tree and popping them into your mouth lets you experience true cherry freedom!
There are also restaurants and cafés brimming with local character. The restaurant we chose for lunch was very distinctive. Contrary to expectations of salty Shandong cuisine, Qingdao's flavors aren't overly salty, and they use fresh local ingredients. We tried dishes made with Laoshan ginseng, bee pupae, and wild goose for the first time—truly memorable.
After lunch, on a local friend's recommendation, we spent the afternoon at 'Hebu Coffee'—a café-cum-guesthouse. Nestled halfway up the hill, its outdoor area is as picturesque as a landscape painting. A cup of coffee, a gentle breeze, a glimpse of greenery—just what you need to forget urban worries and refresh mind and body.
Encountering a Beautiful Stay: Sleeping in Romantic Laoshan
At the foot of Laoshan, guesthouses abound, all incredibly competitive and stunningly beautiful, with great value. Even if you pick one with your eyes closed, you won't be disappointed. We chose the Encounter Dream Guesthouse on a local friend's recommendation. Its courtyard features a romantic pink windmill, perfect for photos, and two proud peacocks, adding an ethereal touch.
The guesthouse is backed by mountains and faces the sea. Its courtyard is a riot of flowers, with koi swimming in the pond. The two beautiful peacocks were the center of attention, with everyone snapping photos around them. The romantic pink windmill stands amid a sea of blossoms, greeting guests. We stayed in a second-floor balcony room with panoramic views, overlooking the courtyard's beauty and the distant mountains and coast. It felt like drifting off to sleep nestled between mountain and sea, completely relaxed.
Dinner was the guesthouse's highlight. When in Qingdao, a lavish seafood feast is a must. All kinds of fresh, delicious seafood were available, and we ate to our hearts' content. The most eye-catching dish was the local specialty 'Dragon-Style Hairtail'—uniquely presented, with tender meat, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
Sipping Tsingtao beer, savoring local seafood, and listening to the peacocks' occasional delicate, cooing calls in the courtyard—I realized for the first time that a peacock's cry indeed matches its beauty.
As the early summer sea breeze brushed our faces, I recalled the perfect two-day holiday amid Laoshan's enchanting landscapes, overwhelmed by reluctance. Sadly, one trip to Laoshan only reveals a ten-thousandth of this sea-bound immortal mountain's beauty. Before we had even left, we were already planning our next visit.
