Shandong
This magnificent Taoist temple complex is where all Tai'an roads lead, being the traditional first stop on the pilgrimage route up Tai Shan. The grounds,…
Must-see attractions in Shandong
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Qingdao
For a self-serving introduction to China’s iconic beer, head to the original and still-operating brewery. On view are old photos, preserved brewery…
Shandong
The most climbed mountain on earth, and the most revered of China's five sacred Taoist peaks, Tai Shan is one third of Shandong's claim to having 'yī shān…
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Shandong
Like shrines to Confucius throughout China and Asia, this is more museum than altar. The heart of the complex is the huge yellow-eaved Dacheng Hall (大成殿,…
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Shandong
Next to Confucius Temple is this maze of living quarters, halls, studies and further studies. The mansion buildings were moved from the temple grounds to…
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Shandong
About 75km northwest of Yantai, perched on a bluff overlooking the waves, the 1000-year-old Penglai Pavilion is closely entwined with Chinese mythology…
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Shandong
About 1km north of the walled town on Lindao Lu is the peaceful Confucius Forest, a cemetery of pine and cypress covering 200 hectares and bounded by a…
Qingdao
Up a hill off Zhongshan Lu looms this grand Gothic- and Roman-style edifice. Completed in 1934, the church spires were supposed to be clock towers, but…
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Shandong
This quaint park of stone paths, leafy gardens and ocean vistas is also a museum of Western treaty port architecture. Wolf-dung fires burned continuously…
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Qingdao
Within central Qingdao, Zhongshan Park is a vast 69 hectares of lakes, gardens and walking paths; it's an amusement park for kids and also the venue of…
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Shandong
It's really the architecture that's the big draw at this museum, housed in an amazing guild hall built between 1884 and 1906 by arrivals from Fujian (福建,…
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Qingdao
This museum is one of Qingdao’s best examples of concession-era architecture – the former German governor’s residence constructed in the style of a German…
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Shandong
A portrait of ancient China and tranquillity, the Mencius Temple originally dates to the Song dynasty; it bears the marks of past anti-Confucian mood…
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Shandong
Accessible from either the Dahedong entrance or the Yangkou entrance, Lao Shan’s oldest and grandest temple was established by the first Song emperor…
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Shandong
This canyon area at the north end of Lao Shan is mostly flat and takes a couple of hours to traverse. The path winds alongside and across clear, blue…
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Shandong
This park on the Hucheng River is built around Black Tiger Spring (黑虎泉, Hēihǔ Quán), which empties into the old city moat through three stone tiger heads…
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Shandong
Most easily reached from the Dahedong (大河东, Dàhédòng) entrance to the park, this peak – the name literally means 'Huge Peak' – is Lao Shan's highest point…
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Shandong
You can ascend this scenic area by foot or cable car past wind- and water-carved granite. There’s a 30m scramble in total darkness up a crevice to the top…
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Qingdao
This small restored temple dedicated to Tiānhòu (天后), the patron of seafarers, has stood by the shore since 1467. The main hall contains a colourful…
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Shandong
Beginning in the Sui dynasty (581–618), pious folk carved Buddhas into this mountain southeast of the city centre. The oldest are at Xinguochan Temple,…
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Qingdao
In the shape of a qín (a stringed instrument) jutting into Qingdao Bay, this former island – which lends its name to the city – was connected to the…
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Shandong
All the water from Ji'nan’s springs eventually flows into Daming Lake, set within the largest park in the city, with boat rides, paddle boats, temples,…
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Qingdao
On the far eastern side of town in Lao Shan district, and now with its own metro station, this 2.5km-long strip of clean sand is Qingdao’s largest and has…
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Shandong
The name of this hall means 'Hall of the Goddess of the Northern Star' and it was first constructed in 1542 under the magical name ‘Dragon Spring Nunnery’…
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Qingdao
Rising up on the northeast side of Zhongshan Park, Taiping Hill hosts Qingdao TV Tower at its summit, connected to the base by a scenic cable car (one-way…
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Shandong
The main hall of Dai Temple is the colossal, twin-eaved, nine-bay-wide Hall of Heavenly Blessing, which dates to AD 1009. The dark interior houses an…
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Qingdao
On a street of German buildings, this copper-capped beauty was designed by Curt Rothkegel and built in 1908. The interior is simple and Lutheran in its…
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Shandong
This park's namesake 'spurting spring' once shot metres into the air, inspiring ancient poets and painters alike. Today, as more water has been channelled…
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Shandong
It's fun to explore the myriad courtyards and gardens at Mencius Family Mansion, which among other things exhibits the family’s living quarters, including…
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Shandong
One of the few Buddhist shrines in the area, this simple temple dates to the Southern and Northern dynasties (AD 420–589), its arrangement of ancient pine…
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Shandong
The sublimely perched Azure Clouds Temple is dedicated to Bixia. The iron tiling of the temple buildings is intended to prevent damage by strong winds,…
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Shandong
These waters swirl up from the deepest depths of all the springs in the city to fill blue-green pools teeming with lucky carp. The park is a serene study…
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Shandong
Prosaically labelled '18 Twistings' on signposts, the gruelling Path of 18 Bends is an extremely steep 400m ascent to the mountain’s false summit;…
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Shandong
Located within the Beijiushui Scenic Area, this waterfall roars like an ocean tide in the wet season (in drier months the water falls in pieces, hence its…
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Shandong
The cloud-swathed Jade Emperor Temple stands at the summit, the highest point of the Tai Shan plateau. Inside is an effigy of the Jade Emperor, who…
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Qingdao
Lit up at night, this graceful pavilion decorates the end of Zhan Bridge poking into Qingdao Bay. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s on every…
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Shandong
Near the top of village, this intriguing double bridge is one of the earliest examples in the world of such a traffic structure and dates from 1671.
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Shandong
At the rear of Tai Shan is this quiet spot, popular for viewing pine trees and where some ruins can be found tangled in the foliage.
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Shandong
The main sunrise vantage point is the North Pointing Rock; if you’re lucky, visibility extends over 200km to the coast.
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Shandong
This terrace and viewpoint is the spot from where Confucius looked out over the Kingdom of Lǔ.
