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Laoshan, China's No.1 Seaside Mountain

Shandong Province is famous around the world for spectacular inland mountains such as Taishan (Mount Tai) and Yishan, but another of its mountains, Laoshan, is likely to get more attention than ever in the coming year.

Laoshan, with its massive boulders, towering peaks and abundant evergreen trees, overlooks 87.3 kilometres of the Yellow Sea coastline in Qingdao, a co-host city for the 2008 Olympic Games and the venue for the 29th Olympic Sailing Regatta.  

Know as "China’s No. 1 seaside mountain,” Laoshan has a pleasant climate throughout the year, with an annual average temperature of 9 degrees Celsius. The Laoshan Scenic Area in Qingdao’s Laoshan District can be visited at any time of the year without visitors feeling too hot or too cold.

Located 890 kilometres southeast of Beijing, Qingdao, the Sailing City, has a beautiful, modern international airport and an excellent transportation system. But regardless how you get there, you can expect to enjoy a warm reception, pristine beaches, rocky coastal areas and beautiful bays lined by a modern city that has skilfully incorporated the ancient and modern, Chinese and European into a one-of-a-kind place of its own.

A bus or a taxi can quickly whisk you to the Laoshan Scenic Area, which is actually composed of a several mountains, with the highest peaking at 1,133 metres. Here you can view misty peaks, the splashing of waves into the mountain’s rocks, clear ponds, trees and scenic views that rival the best mountainous coastal views in the world.

July and August is the best time to view the foggy seas and mountain mists, especially on a sunny morning after rain.

There are more than 1,000 kinds of plants on the mountain, many of which can be used to make traditional Chinese medicine. Records citing the mountain’s plants can be found in Chinese ancient books such as Shennong’s Herbal Classic. A great variety of flowers delight visitors through the four seasons.

Clear ponds are another attraction of the mountain. Spring water cascades down waterfalls, glittering like diamonds before flowing into clear ponds, creating soothing sounds and picturesque scenes.

Evening is said to be the best time to view the sea from the mountain. The colour of the sea changes from green to light blue to dark blue and finally black as time passes. A calm sea shimmers at sunrise.

Laoshan has a long and colourful history and it has served as a background for cultural activities for at least 6,000 years. Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC–AD 220), Laoshan has been a sacred place for adherents of Chinese Taoism. Numerous Taoist masters once lived here, with their practice reaching a peak during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), when there were more than 70 Taoist temples and nunneries on the mountain. Unfortunately, only a few have survived the trials of history.