Beidaihe, Qinhuangdao

Overview

Beidaihe

Beidaihe, on the Bohai coast of eastern Hebei, is a district of Qinhuangdao and one of China’s four great summer resorts. Its sights are Pigeon Nest, the Middle Beach, Lianfeng Hill and Tiger Rock.

In 1898 the Qing government opened the Beidaihe coast as a summer resort where Chinese and foreigners could live side by side, after which many foreign villas were built here.

Shanhaiguan was built in 1381 under Xu Da; the “First Pass Under Heaven” plaque hangs on Zhendong Tower over the east gate.

Laolongtou is where the Great Wall meets the sea. In 1579 Wu Weizhong, an officer under Qi Jiguang, built a stone rampart into the sea, likened to a dragon’s head; the present rampart, restored in 1987, runs about 22 m out into the water.

Qinhuangdao is said to be named after the First Emperor of Qin, who came here on his eastern tour seeking immortals; remains of a Qin palace survive near Jinshanzui in Beidaihe.

It is in the first batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1982.

Travel tips

Getting there: high-speed trains from Beijing reach Beidaihe and Qinhuangdao stations, the fastest in under two hours. Beidaihe station is some way from the seafront; take a bus or taxi.

Beidaihe seafront: from east to west are Pigeon Nest, Tiger Rocks and Middle Beach, linked by a seaside path. Pigeon Nest is the place for sunrise; Lianfeng Hill is at the west end.

Shanhaiguan: northeast of Qinhuangdao city. The main sights are the First Pass Under Heaven gate tower, Old Dragon Head where the wall meets the sea, the Jiaoshan section of the Great Wall and the Temple of Meng Jiangnü. They are spread out, so you need transport.

Time: one or two days for Beidaihe, one day for Shanhaiguan.

Season: July and August are peak season, with crowded beaches and scarce rooms. Swimming is mainly in summer; beach opening dates vary from year to year. Spring and autumn bring migrating birds, and Beidaihe is a known birdwatching spot.

Note: parts of the coast belong to sanatoriums or institutions and are not open to the public; swim only at designated beaches.

Nearby: Nandaihe and the Golden Coast at Changli, to the southwest, have wider beaches.

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan, also called Yuguan, lies north-east of the city where the Yan Mountains meet the Bohai Gulf. It is the eastern end of the Great Wall, the “First Pass under Heaven”. Nearby are the Old Dragon’s Head, where the wall enters the sea, the wall on Jiaoshan, Yansai Lake and the Temple of Meng Jiangnü, famous for a couplet on the rising and falling tide and the gathering and scattering clouds, made of repeated characters that can be read several ways.

Shanhaiguan was a military stronghold for centuries. At the end of the Ming, when the rebel Li Zicheng seized his concubine Chen Yuanyuan, the general Wu Sangui opened the pass to the Manchu army to crush Li: “a rage for a beauty that shook the crown”.

Stamps

In 2001 China Post issued “Beidaihe”, four stamps: Pigeon Nest, the Middle Beach, Lianfeng Hill and Tiger Rock.

The 1979 souvenir sheet T.38M “The Great Wall” (2 yuan) shows the wall at Shanhaiguan.

In literature

Cao Cao’s poem “Viewing the Sea”, written after climbing Jieshi, describes the heaving sea and its island hills, with sun, moon and stars seeming to rise from the waters.

Nalan Xingde’s ci “Everlasting Longing” tells of a night camp on the march beyond Yuguan, where wind and snow keep the homesick traveller from sleep.

Map

Photo credits: Beidaihe, Qinhuangdao: liyuhanrenll (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)

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