Penglai City (Chinese: 蓬莱市; pinyin: Pénglái Shì), is a port, a town and an administrative subdivision of the prefecture-level city Yantai in Shandong Province, northeastern China. The port was formerly called Dengzhou (Chinese: 登州; pinyin: dēngzhōu; Wade–Giles: Teng-chou). Penglai Water City or Water Fortress (Chinese: 水城; pinyin: shuíchéng), a fortified harbor hidden from the sea, is one of China's oldest military ports, built in 1376 under the Ming Dynasty[1] and is a protected historical monument. It was "the harbor for the fleet of imperial war junks and town for the semi-imperial garrison." [2] The Water City is currently being rebuilt at a cost of 500 million yuan (more than 60 million dollars). There is a plank walk along the cliffs nearby.
Penglai is the northernmost part of mainland Yantai and in central Yantai. Except for the Bohai Sea to the north, Penglai is entirely surrounded by Yantai: west of Fushan District, east of Longkou City, north of Qixia City. Its limits in geographic coordinates are 120°35'-121°09' E, 37°25'-37°50' N.
Penglai was the first port on the Shandong peninsula that was opened to foreigners in the 19th century,[3] so it was the first place Christian missions were established. Subsequently, it was overshadowed by the port of Yantai (Chefoo), 55 miles to the west.[3] Its scenery has earned the city fame as the fabled spot where the Eight Immortals set out floating over the ocean from the Red Cliffs (Dan Cliffs 丹崖) there. Because of this connection with the immortals, the Emperors Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di both came to Penglai looking for an elixir of immortality.
The city is also famous for its mirages out at sea, which are frequent during May and June.
374,400 Penglai citizens work in agriculture, with the remaining 75,600 in various other sectors.
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Penglai is said to be the place where Qin Shi Huang, the first Chinese emperor, sent off five hundred boys and five hundred girls on ships to the east, to look for the islands of immortality. "There are tales of a mystic dolphin seen from the cliffs above, at which the mighty Emperor cast an impotent spear and knew that his days were numbered.
"The gray walls of the city itself are crowned by gate towers of three stories instead of the usual two, because the uncle of the first Emperor of the Sui dynasty (A.D. 589-618) was once...prince of that territory."[4]
Penglai has been ranked as one of China's top domestic tourist destinations.[5] Recently, more than US$ 25 million has been invested into restoring and developing its characteristic tourist areas, including the Penglai Pavilion and the Penglai Water Fortress.
The Penglai Pavilion is a large park of ancient buildings, palaces and temples, that have been restored and rebuilt. It has been a tourist goal for more than a thousand years, and the site features inscriptions from famous poets and calligraphers like Su Shi and Dong Qichang.
Among other cultural attractions of Penglai are the Naval Museum with exhibits of ancient ships, and the restored residence of the famous patriotic general Qi Jiguang. Penglai also has the largest ocean aquarium in Asia. It includes a polar area, a shark hall, a tropical rainforest, and a theater with mermaids, dolphins and sea lions.[6]
A picturesque festival takes place in January for the birthday of Tianhou, a local sea goddess.
Tourism is a traditional industry of Penglai. It has matured in the last few years, becoming the mainstay of Penglai’s economy. Each year, more than 2 million tourists are expected.
The production of wine is the second largest industry in Shandong Province. Agriculture is first. However, in Penglai, tourism is the primary industry, and wine-making is second.
The hills south of Penglai have an average elevation of 200 meters, while the coastal areas are relatively flat. Most of the soil is loose, well-aerated, and rich in minerals and organic matters that enable full development of the root systems.
The wineries are located mainly in the Nanwang Grape Valley and along the Yan-Peng Sightseeing Highway. The main varieties grown there, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Gernischt, Merlot, Riesling and Chardonnay, are all reaching 20 years of age, considered to be the golden stage for these grapes. Most of them maintain an average saccharinity of above 20%. The Cabernet is especially typical, with good color and a dense fragrance.
The city contains seven townships (镇), three districts (区), and five street offices (街道办事处):
Together, the three qu (zone, district, and area) co-exist with the coastal Xingang Street Office.
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