Liugong Island and the Beiyang Fleet Headquarters (刘公岛)

Liugong Island lies in Weihai Bay off Huancui District, Weihai, Shandong, China, and is best known as the headquarters of the Qing dynasty's Beiyang Fleet. The fleet's admiral Ding Ruchang established the naval base here in the 1880s, and the Beiyang Fleet Admiralty was formally set up in 1888. During the First Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces besieged Weihaiwei from January 1895, and the fleet was destroyed or surrendered by mid-February 1895, after which Ding Ruchang took his own life. Weihai was then held by Japan until 1898 and later leased to Britain until 1930, and the island remained under British naval use. Today the island is preserved as a museum area, centred on the Sino-Japanese War Museum, which presents the naval reforms of the late Qing, the ships, the battle events, and the aftermath through models, weapons, photographs and documents. Preserved sites on the island include the former Beiyang Fleet Admiralty complex, with its offices and residence, the Ding Ruchang Memorial, the former naval school, the Liugong Island Wharf, and the coastal gun batteries that once defended the harbour. A visitor can also see a full-size reconstruction of the flagship Dingyuan, a steel-hulled ironclad, moored at the island's western side, which is used as a floating exhibit and provides insight into the design of ships that were considered the pride of the fleet. The island is also known for its forest, with pine and other trees covering much of its area, and for beaches and paths that link the historical sites. The presentation is chiefly chronological and is oriented toward a patriotic narrative of national humiliation and resistance. Restoration has repaired the admiralty and batteries, and the island is protected as a national key heritage site and a national patriotic education base. Ferries from Weihai harbour take about 15 minutes to cross, so the island suits a half-day or full-day excursion.