Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, China, about 9.4 million people strong across its urban districts and county-level cities, and is widely known as the Kite Capital of the World. It hosts the annual Weifang International Kite Festival each April, is the home of the Yangjiabu woodblock New Year prints, and includes the ancient city of Qingzhou with its Buddhist statuary, Yunmenshan mountain and museum. Shouguang, within its borders, is one of China's best-known vegetable-growing centres.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Weifang.
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1
Weifang World Kite Museum
The world's largest specialist kite museum, opened in 1989, with 12 galleries and more than 2,000 kites from China and abroad.
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2
Yangjiabu Folk Art Grand View Garden
A folk-culture village and workshop complex in Hanting District centred on Yangjiabu woodblock New Year prints, kite making and traditional crafts.
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3
Shihu Garden
A compact Qing-dynasty courtyard garden and museum in the old Weicheng district; the Zheng Banqiao Memorial stands inside the grounds.
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4
Zheng Banqiao Memorial
A memorial hall to the painter-poet-calligrapher Zheng Banqiao, who served as magistrate of Weixian in the 1740s and 1750s, inside the Shihu Garden district.
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5
Weifang Binhai International Kite Flying Ground
The seaside flying ground used for the Weifang International Kite Festival competitions, next to the Happy Sea beach area in the Binhai Economic Zone.
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6
Qingzhou Ancient City
The walkable historic quarter of Qingzhou, one of China's oldest cities and one of the Nine Provinces of the ancient Yu Gong text, with Ming and Qing streets, Ouyuan garden and old mosque and temple sites.
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7
Ouyuan Garden
A Ming-dynasty private garden inside Qingzhou Ancient City, with pavilions, rockeries and a pond.
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8
Qingzhou Museum
A national first-class museum in a county-level city, best known for the Buddhist statues found at Longxing Temple in 1996, with more than 400 pieces spanning the Northern Wei to Northern Song periods.
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9
Fan Gongting Park
A quiet park in Qingzhou named for the Song statesman Fan Zhongyan, with a pavilion beside a well-known spring; free with ID.
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10
Yunmenshan
A cliff-topped mountain about 2.5 km south of Qingzhou city with Buddhist grottoes, more than 300 carved inscriptions and statues, a giant carved longevity (shou) character and a glass-floored walkway with views over the city.
Attractions by category
Explore by your interests.
Museums
Weifang World Kite Museum
12 galleries and more than 2,000 kites, free with reservation
Qingzhou Museum
National first-class museum with the Longxing Temple Buddhist statues
Weifang Museum
Free municipal museum of regional history and crafts
Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum
Giant Zhucheng dinosaur skeleton and Cretaceous fossils
Zheng Banqiao Memorial
Free memorial to the Weixian magistrate-artist inside Shihu Garden
Folk_culture
Yangjiabu Folk Art Grand View Garden
Woodblock New Year prints, kite workshops and folk crafts
Shihu Garden
Qing-dynasty courtyard garden in the old town
Ouyuan Garden
Ming-dynasty private garden in Qingzhou
Historic_sites
Qingzhou Ancient City
Walkable Ming-Qing quarter of one of China's oldest cities
Fan Gongting Park
Quiet Song-era commemorative park with a spring pavilion
Weixian Leyuan Internment Camp Site
WWII camp compound where Eric Liddell died in 1945
Nature
Yunmenshan
Cliff mountain with grottoes and city views
Huanghuaxi Scenic Area
Stream and gorge scenery south-west of Qingzhou
Mihe National Wetland Park
1,100-hectare river wetland and boardwalks
Outdoor_and_agritourism
Weifang Binhai International Kite Flying Ground
Seaside kite-festival grounds beside Happy Sea beach
Shouguang Vegetable Hi-tech Demonstration Garden
Greenhouse and vegetable exhibition park
Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
- Hours
- Most museums open 9:00 AM and close 4:30-5:00 PM, Tuesday to Sunday, and are closed on Mondays. Parks and old-town streets are usually open all day.
- Fees
- Free: Kite Museum, Qingzhou Museum, Weifang Museum, Zheng Banqiao Memorial, Fan Gongting Park. Paid: Shihu Garden ¥30 ($4.50), Yangjiabu ¥60 ($9), Yunmenshan ¥24 ($3.60), Huanghuaxi ¥90 ($13.50), Mihe wetland ¥80 ($12), Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum ¥60 ($9).
- Best Times
- April-May and September-October. The Kite Festival in mid-April is the peak; summer is hot and wet.
- Booking
- Free museums require a timed reservation on WeChat mini-programs or a same-day voucher; bring a passport. Paid sites can be bought at the gate with Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Reserve the free museums (Kite Museum, Qingzhou Museum) the day before on the venue's WeChat mini-program, and carry a passport for entry
Pair Shihu Garden with the Zheng Banqiao Memorial and the old-town food streets in one morning
Take the high-speed train to Qingzhou for a day trip: ancient city, museum, Fan Gongting Park and Yunmenshan can all be done from the Qingzhou railway station by Didi
Check Kite Festival dates each March; hotels near Binhai fill up in mid-April
Use Amap (Gaode) or Baidu Maps with the Chinese names given here for reliable directions
Frequently asked questions
Which Weifang attractions are free?
The World Kite Museum, Weifang Museum, Qingzhou Museum, Zheng Banqiao Memorial and Fan Gongting Park are free; the first three require a reservation or same-day voucher with a passport.
Can I see Weifang and Qingzhou in one day?
It is possible with an early start: high-speed rail takes about 20 minutes each way, but two days lets you do both without rushing.
When is the best season to visit Weifang attractions?
April-May and September-October give mild weather; mid-April adds the International Kite Festival.