CHINA / Background
Qingdao, Geography and History
Updated: 2006-08-10 16:39
* An important coastal city in the east of China
Qingdao is a key economic center and open coastal city in China famous
for its cultural heritage and eye-catching scenery.
Qingdao is one of the country's fourteen open coastal cities and one of
the eight cities authorized to hold international conferences.
Qingdao is one of China's main ports for foreign trade. Qingdao is an
important base for ocean research in China.
* Geographic location and natural environment
Qingdao is located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula. A
unique blend of sea and mountains and a pleasant climate make Qingdao
extraordinary. Qingdao has a total coastline (including its islands) of
870 kilometers, 730 kilometers of which are continental coastline,
accounting for one fourth of the total length in Shandong. There are
numerous capes and coves along the tortuous coastline.
Qingdao has 7 urban districts and 5 county-level cities under its
jurisdiction with a total area of 10,654 square kilometers and a
population of 7,156,500. The urban area measures 1,102 square kilometers
and urban residents total 2,41,740.
Qingdao lies in the north temperate zone and has a temperate monsoon
climate. Under the direct influence of the southeastern monsoon and the
sea currents and tides, the urban area of the city has marked marine
climatic features - humid air, mild temperature and clear-cut seasons. In
spring, the weather becomes warmer slowly, usually one month later than
the inland areas. It is humid and rainy in summer, and cool and dry in
autumn. Winter here is long and usually windy and frigid.
* Historical evolution
As the birthplace of Taoism, Qingdao has a long history. Human settlement
on this soil dates back 6,000 years. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256
BC), the town of Jimo was established, which was then the second largest
in the Shandong region. After unifying China in 221 BC, Ying Zheng, the
First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, thrice climbed to the top of Mt.
Langyatai in the present city of Jiaonan. Dispatched by Ying Zheng, Xu
Fu, an official of the Qing Dynasty, began his voyage with his fleet at
the foot of Mt. Langyatai and sailed eastbound to Korea and Japan. Liu
Che, an emperor of the Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD220) held sacrificial rites
at the Jiaomen Palace in Mt. Buqi, which is in today��s Chengyang
District of Qingdao. He also ordered 9 temples to be constructed in Mt.
Nugu along the Jiaozhou Bay, to worship God and his ancestors. By the end
of the Qing Dynasty, Qingdao had grown into a prosperous town known then
as Jiao��ao.
The establishment of Qingdao began on June 14, 1891, when the Qing
government sent in troops. In November 1897, Germany occupied Qingdao by
force on the pretext of the Juye Litigation over religious disputes. When
the First World War broke out in 1914, Japanese invaders took over
Qingdao and continued the colonial rule. In protest against the then
Chinese government yielding to Japanese pressure, the famous May 4th
Movement was launched in 1919 and protestors demanded the resumption of
sovereignty over Qingdao. On December 10, 1922, the Northern Lords
government regained control of Qingdao and established a government
office for port commercial affairs. In July 1929, Qingdao was granted the
status of special city and in 1930 was listed in the rank of cities. In
January 1938, the Japanese invaded Qingdao again, but their occupation
came to an end in September 1945 when the KMT government regained control
of the city. On June 2, 1949, Qingdao was liberated, and in 1986 was
designated to exercise special state plans and enjoyed
vice-provincial-level economic management rights. In 1994, Qingdao was
included in the country's 15-vice-provincial-level-city list.
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