Qingdao: Red tiles, green trees, blue sea, and blue sky

Author: Dongdong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: When people mention Qingdao, they immediately think of it as a bustling modern city and a world-famous summer resort. The villas are built along the mountains and roads, with lush green trees lining the sides, and red-tiled, pink-walled buildings that contrast beautifully with the greenery, creating a unique landscape. The sea surrounds Qingdao on three sides, especially the area known locally as "Qianhai'an," which is even more picturesque. Laoshan, the third-highest mountain in Shandong, stands in the suburbs of Qingdao. Laoshan is located on the edge of the Yellow Sea, with its southeastern sides facing the sea. The interplay of mountain and sea creates an endless variety of scenes, naturally adding a sense of mystery to the place, making it a destination for famous scholars, Buddhists, and Taoists throughout history. Even the emperors Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi considered Laoshan a "grotto of immortals." Today, Laoshan is still dotted with ancient temples and trees, and its stone steps and waterfalls are everywhere, captivating visitors.
Qingdao has Neolithic era sites like Sanlihe, as well as famous historical relics such as the Qi Great Wall, Tianheng Island, Langya Terrace, and Zhushan Grottoes. The footsteps of ancient celebrities like Zheng Xuan, Qiu Changchun, Zhang Sanfeng, Li Bai, Gu Yanwu, Pu Songling, Gao Fenghan, and Kang Youwei can be found throughout the region, leaving behind magnificent poems and prose. Comrade Chen Yi once wrote in his poems: "Look at the sea and sky, their blue shines upon the city. Look at the pines and cypresses, their green tints the peaks." As the saying goes, "To see mountains, go to Tai Shan; to see history, go to Qufu; to see scenery, go to Hangzhou; to see all three, go to Qingdao." This perfectly captures the exquisite beauty and divine touch of Qingdao.
Shandong Province is located in the eastern part of China and the lower reaches of the Yellow River, facing the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea to the east, with the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago across the seas. Along the eastern coast of Shandong, there are picturesque coastal cities: Qingdao is hailed as the "Pearl of the Yellow Sea," with its unique charm in Qianhai, Laoshan as a Taoist sacred site, and numerous historical relics. Yantai, known as the "Hometown of Fish and Fruits," Penglai Pavilion, a "Fairyland on Earth," and Weihai, a "Garden by the Sea," all boast beautiful scenery and pleasant climates.
The history of Shandong dates back over 5,000 years and is one of the birthplaces of Chinese culture. In Shandong, the earliest Chinese script, the "Dawenkou Pottery Script," and the "Longshan Pottery Inscriptions" from Dinggong Village in Zou County were discovered. The earliest city-state in China, the "Chengziya Longshan Ancient City," was unearthed, and the Qi Great Wall, the oldest existing Great Wall in China, is located here. Shandong is also one of the birthplaces of ceramics and silk.
Tourism in Shandong can be divided into six themed routes:
1. The "Mountains, Waters, and Saints" tourism area extending from Jinan, Tai'an, and Qufu to Zoucheng (a pilgrimage to the sacred land of Qufu).
2. The coastal tourism area featuring Qingdao, Yantai, and Weihai.
3. The folk tourism area centered around Weifang City, focusing on kites, Yangjiabu woodblock New Year paintings, and local customs.
4. The Qi culture tourism area centered around Zibo, featuring the ancient Qi capital, the Mausoleum of Horses, and Pu Songling's former residence.
5. The Dongying Yellow River Estuary tourism area, characterized by the spectacular sight of the Yellow River flowing into the sea and its primitive landscape.
6. The "Water Margin" tourism route, with Shandong as the main theme, focusing on Liangshan and Yanggu.