Penglai Pavilion

Background

Penglai Pavilion stands on Danya Hill in Penglai District, Yantai, Shandong, where the Yellow Sea meets the Bohai Sea, and the dividing line between the two seas is clearly visible from here. It is often listed as one of China's Four Great Towers, though it is sometimes left out because no famous literary masterpiece is associated with it. The pavilion was first built in 1061, the sixth year of the Jiayou reign of the Northern Song dynasty, and was repeatedly extended and restored in later dynasties; the buildings you see today are the result of these successive works, not the Northern Song original. The main pavilion is a two-storey wooden structure about 15 metres high, and inside are modern statues of the Eight Immortals. The scenic area consists of six groups of buildings with their annexes: Penglai Pavilion, the Temple of the Heavenly Empress, the Dragon King Temple, the Hall of Lü Dongbin, the Hall of the Three Pure Ones and Mituo Temple, next to the old buildings around Penglai Water City. In 1982 Penglai Pavilion was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. Su Shi, Qi Jiguang and others wrote poems praising the views from Penglai Pavilion. Mirages appear over the sea only once every few years, with a slightly better chance after heavy rain.

Local customs

• Climb the pavilion to look out over the dividing line between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea
• see the Eight Immortals statues inside
• after heavy rain, watch for a mirage over the sea, though it appears only once every few years and cannot be counted on
• combine your visit with Penglai Water City and the sites associated with Qi Jiguang.

Travel tips

• The Penglai Pavilion Scenic Area is a national 5A-rated tourist attraction
• check ticket prices with the official source. Opening hours are longer in summer and shorter in winter
• check the official source for details. The coast is windy, so bring a windproof jacket.
• The scenic area is on Yingbin Road in Penglai District. You can first travel to downtown Yantai and then take a bus to Penglai
• check the official source for services. The turn of spring and summer is considered the most likely time for a mirage, though it appears only once every few years and is not guaranteed
• summer and autumn bring wide sea views
• winter is windy and cold.