An Museum on Liugong Island
City View, Weihai
The Happy Gate, Weihai
Weihai Liugong Island
Weihai City
Lying on the northeastern seashore of Shandong Peninsular, Weihai is one of the coastal open cities of China and also a well-known port and tourist city. Weihai borders Yantai to the west and looks out to the Yellow Sea to the east, and covers an area of 5,436 square kilometers (about 2,099 square miles). It is the easternmost prefecture-level city in the province and a major seaport. Having a population of 2,476,300 (the end of 2003), the city is a multi-nationality residential area where 47 ethnic groups have settled.
History
About 7,000 years ago, there were inhabitants living in Weihai. In 1398, the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) stationed troops in Weihai which was called Weihaiwei, meaning Weihai Garrison. The port was once the base for the Beiyang Fleet of China during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In 1895, the Japanese captured it from the landward side. In 1898, it became the concession of Britain. In October, 1930, it was regained and Weihaiwei Administrative Division was set up. In 1945, Weihaiwei City was set up and was renamed Weihai City after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In June, 1987, it was approved to be the prefectural city by the State Council.
Topography
Weihai is surrounded by sea on three sides and the harbor is protected by Liugong Island. Roughly 52 percent area of the city is covered with hills, while the plain occupies only 28 percent. Hence the major topography of this city belongs to the rolling ground with gentle slopes. The highest point in the city is the main peak of Mount Kunyu, at a height of 923 meters (3,028 feet).
Climate
Weihai has a mild, seasonal climate moderated by the surrounding sea. August is the warmest month with a 24-hour average temperature of 24.3 degrees Centigrade (75.7degrees Fahrenheit) and January the coldest with a 24-hour average temperature of -1.5 degrees Centigrade (29.3degrees Fahrenheit).
Tourist Resources
Tourist resources of Weihai are abundant, represented by the appealing seashore and island, the unique city gardens, the historical cultural relics as well as the distinct local customs. Currently, there are two state-level scenic spots, three places of interests and four vocational resorts of the provincial-level. Along the thousand-mile of coast line, there lies the first birth place of China's first navy-the Liugong Island, the Chengshantou Scenic Area where the Emperor Qinshihuang has been to, the Holy Bible Mountain which was the cradle of the Quanzhen Sect of the Taoism, Asia's biggest habitat of swans-the Swan Lake, as well as the so-called the 'first beach under heaven', the Silver Beach.
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