Shandong

Author: Chen Yue
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2003
Features: Shandong has the sea, a sea that embraces a hundred rivers; Shandong has the river, a river that surges to the sea; Shandong has the mountain, a mountain that stands thousands of feet tall. Since ancient times, the land of Qi and Lu has been home to men of sorrow and heroism, and to this day, it still carries the spirit of poetry, etiquette, and traditions—kites, paper-cuttings, and endless seafood by the romantic sea.
Shandong has the sea, a sea that embraces a hundred rivers; Shandong has the river, a river that surges to the sea; Shandong has the mountain, a mountain that stands thousands of feet tall. There are two places where people love to boast about their hometowns—one is Shanxi, where people sing about "The Splendor of Shanxi," and the other is Shandong, where people sing "Who Doesn’t Say My Hometown Is Good." If someone dares to say Shandong is not good, the locals will get angry. In the past, two scholars took the imperial examination in Beijing and argued about which hometown was better. The Jiangnan scholar called his hometown "a thousand mountains, a thousand waters, and a thousand celebrities," while the Shandong scholar called his "one mountain, one water, and one sage." The Jiangnan scholar was speechless after hearing this. Due to its long history, Mount Tai and the Yellow River are no longer purely natural landscapes; every blade of grass and tree has become part of "culture."
Shandong does not produce emperors, but in every dynasty, whenever someone became an emperor, they would rush to Shandong for two major events—not to worship Mount Tai or to pay homage to the sages, which has made this land beloved. There was a poet who visited Mount Tai. Although he didn’t see the sunrise, he "saw" Mount Tai. "Standing here, can the world really seem small? Suddenly, a whole range of mountains appears beneath my feet: How dare this stage be so high, and this perspective so grand?" Such an awakening, such reverence, can only arise when one reaches Mount Tai. When he visited the Yellow River, he ignored his age and the slippery shore, insisted on touching the water with his own hands, and even prayed by the river. He collected the mud he stepped on by the river in a (name card box) and brought it to his study in Kaohsiung. This poet was Yu Guangzhong. The article he wrote for 《》 (Harvest) was titled "Sweet Journey in Shandong." The term "" (sweet journey) is rarely seen in idioms. It was inspired entirely by his travel experiences, and using "" to summarize his observations in Shandong was indeed extremely accurate.
Once you enter Shandong, whether by the banks of Si River or other rivers, you will hear the sound of "the past flows like this." The mountains of Qi and Lu are full of rugged stones, and climbing any of them will give you the feeling of "a small world under heaven"—this is the unique atmosphere of Qi and Lu culture. Moreover, you will gain a profound realization: Confucius is the eternal Mount Tai, and Mount Tai is the eternal Confucius!
Shandong blends beautiful natural landscapes, rich historical culture, and distinct local characteristics, creating its own unique style. You can imagine the arrogance of Duke Huan of Qi unifying the nine states at the ruins of the ancient capital, and contemplate the wisdom of Confucianism near the Xingtan platform. Once you enter Shandong, you will immediately feel the strong folk customs—immersed in the hearty, generous, big-bowl-drinking, and hearty-eating crowd. Drinking with a Shandongese will remind you of their boldness, stubbornness, and the art of "drinking persuasion"—a skill you won’t forget. Shandong people have the character of mountains, the heart of the sea, and the elegance of rivers; they are (sincere) and have a strong folk culture.
Once you enter Shandong, wandering between its natural beauty and scenic spots, you will always encounter wonderful landscapes—ancient ruins, mountains, rivers, and villages nestled between them, the earthy fragrance of farmland in the air. When you encounter local snacks, you can savor them in the unique atmosphere of markets, temple fairs, production sites, and entertainment venues, even becoming a temporary "actor" in the scene. Shandong is truly a wonderful place: the households by the Yellow River, the households by the Grand Canal, the households in the mountains, the households on the islands, the households in ancient cities, and the households in small towns—all of them have their own beauty.
Once you enter Shandong, you will see fragrant peonies blooming everywhere, kites soaring in the sky in Weifang, and the beautiful and moving "Fox Demon and Flower Fairy" at the former residence of Master Pu in Zibo. The gentle waves by the coast of Qingdao are warm and comforting, the sandy beaches by Yantai are delicate and romantic, and the endless roaring waves at Weihai’s "End of the Sky" make your heart soar.
Go to Shandong! There, you can explore the life of Confucius, the ancestor of Confucianism, trace the origins of ancient Eastern culture, admire the grandeur of Mount Tai, the majesty of the Yellow River, the vastness of the sea, the fairyland of Pengla, and experience the simple folk customs, taste one of China’s four major culinary systems, "Lu Cuisine," and meet the warm and hospitable Shandong people.
"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?"