Shandong is a coastal province in eastern China, home to Mount Tai, the birthplace of Confucius at Qufu, the beer-making port of Qingdao, and Jinan, the City of Springs. Its capital is Jinan and its largest city is Qingdao. The province combines UNESCO heritage, a long Yellow Sea and Bohai coast, and Lu cuisine, one of China's Eight Great Cuisines.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Shandong.
-
1
Beixin Culture farmers settle in Shandong
Neolithic farmers of the Beixin Culture settle the Tai and Yi mountains region.
-
2
Longshan black pottery culture at Chengziya
The Longshan culture, first identified at Chengziya in 1928, produces thin black pottery.
-
3
Qi state founded with capital Linzi
Duke Xian of Qi moves the capital to Linzi, which becomes a centre of trade and scholars.
-
4
Confucius born in Lu
Confucius is born near Qufu in the state of Lu.
-
5
Confucius temple founded in Qufu
The house of Confucius is converted into a memorial temple the year after he died.
-
6
Qin Shi Huang holds rites on Mount Tai
The First Emperor performs the Feng Shan sacrifice on Mount Tai.
-
7
Tiankuang Hall completed at Dai Temple
The hall is completed under Song Emperor Zhenzong.
-
8
Li Qingzhao born in Jinan
The Song poet is born in Zhangqiu near Jinan.
-
9
Penglai Water City built
Ming fortress is built to defend the coast from pirates.
-
10
Yantai opened as a treaty port
Yantai opens to foreign trade after the Second Opium War.
-
11
Germany leases Jiaozhou Bay
Germany takes Qingdao on a 99-year lease and builds a planned port city.
-
12
Tsingtao Brewery founded
German and British settlers found the brewery.
-
13
Beiyang Fleet destroyed at Weihaiwei
Japan wins the siege at Liugong Island in the First Sino-Japanese War.
-
14
Battle of Taierzhuang
Chinese forces defeat a Japanese division in Zaozhuang.
-
15
Mount Tai inscribed by UNESCO
Mount Tai is inscribed as a mixed World Heritage site.
-
16
Qufu Confucius sites inscribed by UNESCO
The Temple, Cemetery and Kong Family Mansion are added to the list.
Historical sites
Places where Shandong's past comes alive.
Temple of Confucius, Qufu (孔庙)
Temple built in 478 BC, one year after Confucius died, and expanded into a palace-style complex
Where: Qufu
Admission: CNY 150 (~$22) combined ticket
Kong Family Mansion (孔府)
Home of the Duke Yansheng, hereditary title of Confucius's descendants, with archives of over 300,000 documents
Where: Qufu
Admission: Included in CNY 150 (~$22) combined ticket
Cemetery of Confucius (孔林)
Family burial ground used for over 2,000 years, holding the tomb of Confucius and about 100,000 descendants
Where: Qufu
Admission: Included in CNY 150 (~$22) combined ticket
Dai Temple (岱庙)
Emperors' ritual hall for the Feng Shan sacrifices to heaven and earth at Mount Tai
Where: Tai'an
Admission: CNY 30 (~$4.50)
Mount Tai Stone Steps and Summit Temples (泰山)
Site of imperial Feng Shan rites since Qin Shi Huang in 219 BC
Where: Tai'an
Admission: CNY 115 (~$17)
Temple of Mencius, Zoucheng (孟庙)
Temple to the philosopher Mencius (372-289 BC), part of the Three Kong-Meng-Yan sites of Zoucheng and Qufu
Where: Zoucheng, Jining
Admission: About CNY 40 (~$6); verify
Qi Capital Linzi and Qi Culture Museum (临淄齐国故城)
Capital of the Qi state for about 630 years (859-221 BC), where the Jixia Academy assembled scholars
Where: Zibo
Admission: Free to about CNY 30 (~$4.50); verify
Penglai Pavilion and Water City (蓬莱阁)
Pavilion built in 1061 and the Water City fort built in 1376 to defend against Japanese pirates, joined to the Eight Immortals legend
Where: Penglai, Yantai
Admission: CNY 100-120 (~$15-18)
Liugong Island and the Beiyang Fleet Headquarters (刘公岛)
Base of the Qing Beiyang Fleet, destroyed in the siege of Weihaiwei in February 1895 during the First Sino-Japanese War
Where: Weihai
Admission: CNY 120 (~$18) with ferry
Qingdao German Governor's Residence (青岛德国总督楼旧址)
Built in 1906 for the governor of the German-leased Jiaozhou Bay colony (1898-1914)
Where: Qingdao
Admission: CNY 20 (~$3); verify
Tsingtao Brewery Old Site (青岛啤酒老厂址)
Brewery founded by German and British settlers in 1903, now a museum in the original buildings
Where: Qingdao
Admission: CNY 60 (~$9)
Taierzhuang Battlefield and Museum (台儿庄大战遗址)
Site of the March-April 1938 battle in which Chinese forces defeated a Japanese division, the first major Chinese victory of the war
Where: Zaozhuang
Admission: Included in the CNY 100 (~$15) city ticket
Jinan Baotu Spring and Li Qingzhao Memorial (趵突泉)
Spring recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals of 694 BC, and later home to the memorial of Song poet Li Qingzhao (1084-c.1155)
Where: Jinan
Admission: CNY 40 (~$6)
Longshan Culture Site at Chengziya (城子崖遗址)
Excavated in 1928, the first site to reveal the Longshan black-pottery culture of about 2500-2000 BC
Where: Zhangqiu, Jinan
Admission: Free to about CNY 20 (~$3); verify