Park of China
Overview
| Name | Penglai Pavilion 蓬莱阁 |
| Web address | https://parkofchina.com/en/penglaige.html |
| Designation | National 5A tourist attraction (2007, first batch); Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (second batch, 1982, as “Penglai Water City and Penglai Pavilion”) |
| Province | Shandong |
| Location | Northern tip of Penglai District, Yantai, Shandong; on Danya Hill by the Bohai Sea |
| Latitude, longitude | 37.83, 120.75 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Famous seaside tower, legend of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, mirages, ancient naval harbour |
| Top sights | Penglai Pavilion, Temple of the Sea Goddess, Lü Dongbin Hall, Penglai Water City, Qi Jiguang’s hometown |
| Nearby cities | Yantai |
| Nearby sites | Jiaodong Peninsula Coast, Lüshunkou, Dalian Coast, Jinshitan, Mount Lao, Qingdao |
| Themes | Tower, Ancient Building, Ocean, Passes & fortifications, Culture |
About
Penglai Pavilion stands on Danya Hill by the Bohai Sea at the northern tip of Penglai District, Yantai, Shandong. First built in the Northern Song, it is often counted with the Yellow Crane Tower, Yueyang Tower and Tengwang Pavilion as one of the “Four Great Towers of China”. The Penglai Pavilion area was among the first National 5A tourist attractions, “Penglai Water City and Penglai Pavilion” is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (second batch), and the area lies within the national scenic area of the Jiaodong Peninsula Coast.
Danya Hill rises sheer from the sea with reddish cliffs. The pavilion stands on the summit, and around it, built against the hill, are the Temple of the Sea Goddess, the Dragon King Temple, the Lü Dongbin Hall, the Hall of the Three Pure Ones and Mituo Temple, forming a group of old buildings with many inscriptions and couplets inside and out.
Penglai was one of the three sacred mountains in the sea of ancient legend; the First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han both came to this coast in search of the immortals’ mountains and the elixir of life. The tale of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, “each showing his own powers”, is said to have taken place in the sea off Penglai Pavilion.
Penglai is famous for the “mirage of Dengzhou”: between spring and summer a mirage sometimes appears over the sea. The Northern Song poet Su Shi was prefect of Dengzhou for only five days and left a poem called “Mirage”.
East of the pavilion, Penglai Water City is a naval harbour begun in the Song and walled in the Ming; its water gate, breakwater and gun platforms survive, making it one of the most complete ancient naval harbours in China. The Ming general Qi Jiguang, famous for fighting the Japanese pirates, was a native of Dengzhou and trained his fleet here; his family home and the Qi family memorial arches are in the town.
Travel tips
Getting there: Yantai Penglai International Airport is in Penglai; downtown Yantai is about an hour by car.
Sightseeing: Penglai Pavilion and the Water City adjoin each other and take half a day to a day. It is windy by the sea; a jacket is advisable in spring and autumn.
Photo credits: Penglai Pavilion: Chrishcn (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons); Danya Hill and Penglai Pavilion: Benlisquare (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Stamps
The fourth stamp of T121 “Famous Towers of Ancient China”, a set of four issued in 1987, shows Penglai Pavilion.
Nearby
| World Heritage | Beidaihe, Qinhuangdao 247km |
| National parks | Jiaodong Peninsula Coast 75km, Dalian Seashore–Lüshunkou Scenic Area 141km, Jinshitan 178km, Mount Lao, Qingdao 182km |
| Detailed guides | Lüshunkou 117km |
| AAAAA attractions | Longkou Nanshan Scenic Area 38km, Huaxia City Tourist Area 128km, Liugong Island Scenic Area 131km, Dalian Coast 141km |
| AAAA attractions | Europa-Park Ocean Polar World <1km, Europa-Park Dreamland 3km, Junding Winery 12km, Changshandao Scenic Area 17km |
| Historic cities | Penglai 2km, Yantai 65km |
| Cities | Yantai 74km, Dalian 140km |
| Historical sites | Qi Jiguang Shrine and Tomb 2km, Nanwangxu Site 14km, Beizhuang Site 19km, Houji Island Lighthouse 27km |
| National geoparks | Changshan Islands National Geopark 28km, Dongying Yellow River Delta National Geopark 142km |
| Nature reserves | Changdao National Nature Reserve 28km, Kunyushan National Nature Reserve 107km, Snake Island and Laotieshan National Nature Reserve 126km, Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve 135km |