Liugong Island Scenic Area is located in Huancui District, Weihai City, Shandong Province. It is a highly significant island scenic area in China's modern history, a national 5A-level tourist attraction, and also a key national cultural relics protection unit and a national marine park. The total area of the scenic area is 11.5 square kilometers, including 3.15 square kilometers of land area, 8.35 square kilometers of sea area, and a 14.95-kilometer-long coastline. Liugong Island has a terrain that is high in the north and low in the south, with the highest point at Qiding Mountain, 153.5 meters above sea level. The scenic area integrates natural scenery with human history, featuring beautiful island landscapes of blue sea, clear sky, beaches and reefs, as well as numerous historical relics related to the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. Known as the "Fairy Mountain on the Sea" and the "Unsinkable Warship", it is an important window to understand the history of China's modern navy development and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.
History and Culture
Liugong Island has a profound historical and cultural heritage, especially closely linked to the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 in China's modern history. In 1888, the Qing government established the Beiyang Navy Command on Liugong Island, which became the command center of the Beiyang Navy and the largest and most advanced naval base in China at that time. In 1894, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. As the last line of defense of the Beiyang Navy, Liugong Island experienced the fierce Battle of Weihaiwei. Eventually, the Beiyang Navy was completely annihilated, and Liugong Island was occupied by the Japanese army. This period of history became an important turning point in China's modern history, making Liugong Island a patriotic education base to remember history and warn future generations.
In addition, there is a legend about the origin of the name Liugong Island. It is said that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a branch of the Liu imperial clan moved to this island to avoid wars. They were called "Liu Gong" (Lord Liu) and "Liu Mu" (Lady Liu) by later generations for their kindness and generosity, hence the name of the island. Relics related to this legend, such as the Liu Gong Temple, are still preserved on the island, adding a touch of mystery to the scenic area.
Main Attractions
China Sino-Japanese War Museum
The China Sino-Japanese War Museum is one of the core attractions of Liugong Island. It consists of the Beiyang Navy Command, Ding Ruchang Memorial Hall, Sino-Japanese War Exhibition Hall, etc., covering an area of over 100,000 square meters. The Beiyang Navy Command is the largest and best-preserved former site of a Qing Dynasty naval command institution in China, with a construction area of over 4,000 square meters. It is a brick-wood structure quadrangle building, containing a council hall, study, garden, etc., vividly reproducing the office scene of the Beiyang Navy in those days. The Sino-Japanese War Exhibition Hall displays the entire process of the Sino-Japanese War in detail through a large number of historical relics, pictures, video materials, and scene restorations, including precious cultural relics such as parts of the wreckage of the "Zhiyuan" warship, artillery shells, and relics of soldiers, allowing visitors to deeply feel that humiliating yet tragic history.
Liugong Island National Forest Park
Liugong Island National Forest Park covers an area of 267 hectares, accounting for more than 80% of the island's land area, and is China's first marine national forest park. The vegetation coverage rate in the park is as high as 87%, with dozens of tree species such as black pine, locust, and silk tree growing here, and wild animals such as sika deer and peacocks inhabiting here. The park has attractions such as the Qiding Mountain Battery Site and the Loyal Soul Monument. Visitors can climb Qiding Mountain along the mountain road to overlook the panoramic view of Liugong Island and the scenery of Weihai Bay, and visit the well-preserved Qing Dynasty battery site to understand the military defense system of that time.
Liugong Island Expo Park
Liugong Island Expo Park is a comprehensive scenic area integrating history, culture, and folk customs, covering an area of 50,000 square meters. It is composed of "Liu Gong Cultural Zone", "Sino-Japanese War Cultural Zone", "Marine Cultural Zone", etc. The park showcases the historical legends of Liugong Island, the history of the Sino-Japanese War, and island folk culture through various forms such as sculptures, murals, wax figures, and multimedia. Among them, the "Sino-Japanese Naval Battle" scene restoration area uses modern technologies such as sound, light, and electricity to realistically reproduce the fierce scenes of the naval battle, bringing visitors a strong visual impact and spiritual shock.
Weihai Bay Scenic Area
Weihai Bay Scenic Area is located along the southern coast of Liugong Island, with a stretch of beaches and clear seawater, making it a good place to enjoy the natural beauty of the island. The scenic area is equipped with coastal trails, viewing platforms, etc. Visitors can walk on the beach, overlook the sea view, or take a cruise to tour Weihai Bay, enjoying the scenery of Liugong Island and Weihai urban area from the sea. In addition, there are memorial buildings such as the Beiyang Navy Soldiers' Monument in the scenic area, commemorating the naval soldiers who sacrificed in the Sino-Japanese War.
Food
Featured Food in the Scenic Area
Restaurants in Liugong Island Scenic Area mainly serve seafood. Among them, steamed abalone is a must-try dish. Fresh abalones from the local sea area are steamed to retain their tender taste to the greatest extent, and with simple seasonings, they are full of freshness, priced at about 88 yuan per serving. In addition, fried sea crabs are also very popular. Plump sea crabs are coated with starch and fried, with a crispy outside and tender inside, priced at about 68 yuan per serving, suitable for visitors who like crispy taste.
Surrounding Food
There are many characteristic seafood restaurants in Weihai urban area around Liugong Island. "Weihai Old Restaurant", about 3 kilometers away from the scenic area pier, is a well-reputed local restaurant. Its braised sea cucumber with scallions uses sea cucumbers, a specialty of Weihai, braised with green onions. The sea cucumbers are soft and flavorful, with a strong onion aroma, priced at about 168 yuan per serving. In addition, stir-fried squid with sauce is also a signature dish of the restaurant. The squid is tender and full of sauce flavor, priced at about 58 yuan per serving, which is a classic seafood dish in Weihai.
Tickets
Ticket price: 122 yuan per person (including round-trip ferry tickets).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "刘公岛景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are adjusted according to the season. In the peak season (April 1 - October 31), it is open from 7:30 to 18:00, with the last ferry to the island at 16:30 and the last ferry off the island at 18:00; in the off-season (November 1 - March 31 of the next year), it is open from 8:00 to 17:00, with the last ferry to the island at 15:30 and the last ferry off the island at 17:00. Indoor attractions such as the China Sino-Japanese War Museum have the same opening hours as the scenic area. Some areas of Liugong Island National Forest Park may be closed in winter, and the specific information is subject to the scenic area announcement.
Tour Route
Recommended one-day tour route: Take a ferry from Weihai Bay Tourist Wharf to Liugong Island at 8:00 a.m., arriving in about 20 minutes; start visiting the China Sino-Japanese War Museum at 8:30 a.m., including the Beiyang Navy Command and the Sino-Japanese War Exhibition Hall, to learn about the history of the Sino-Japanese War, taking about 2 hours; go to Liugong Island National Forest Park at 10:30 a.m., climb to the top of Qiding Mountain along the mountain road, visit the battery site, and overlook the panoramic view of the island, taking about 1.5 hours; have lunch at a restaurant in the scenic area at 12:00 p.m.; visit Liugong Island Expo Park at 13:30 p.m. to experience history, culture, and folk customs, taking about 1.5 hours; go to Weihai Bay Scenic Area at 15:00 p.m., walk on the beach or take a cruise to tour Weihai Bay, taking about 1 hour; take the last ferry back to Weihai urban area at 16:00 p.m. to end the day's trip.
Transportation
- Public transportation: From Weihai urban area, you can take Weihai Bus No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 20, etc., get off at "Liugong Island Tourist Wharf" station, walk about 500 meters to reach Liugong Island Ferry Terminal, then take a ferry to Liugong Island. Ferries depart every 30 minutes, and the voyage takes about 20 minutes.
- Self-driving: Starting from Weihai urban area, drive east along Shichang Avenue, turn into Haibin North Road, and go to Liugong Island Tourist Wharf according to the navigation instructions. There is a parking lot at the wharf, with a parking fee of 5 yuan per hour.
- Taxi/online car-hailing: Taking a taxi from Weihai Station to Liugong Island Tourist Wharf, the whole journey is about 10 kilometers, the driving time is about 20 minutes, and the cost is about 20-30 yuan.
Must-visit Attractions
- China Sino-Japanese War Museum: It includes the Beiyang Navy Command, Sino-Japanese War Exhibition Hall, etc., with a large number of cultural relics and historical materials related to the Sino-Japanese War. It is the core attraction to understand the history of the Sino-Japanese War, covering an area of over 100,000 square meters, with the Beiyang Navy Command having a construction area of over 4,000 square meters.
- Liugong Island National Forest Park: China's first marine national forest park, covering an area of 267 hectares with a vegetation coverage rate of 87%. You can climb to the top of Qiding Mountain (153.5 meters above sea level) to overlook the panoramic view of the island and visit the Qing Dynasty battery site.
- Weihai Bay Scenic Area: It has beautiful coastal scenery of the island. You can walk on the beach, take a cruise, enjoy the panoramic view of Liugong Island and Weihai Bay, and feel the natural beauty of the island.
Tour Suggestions
- The recommended visiting time is 1 day. Since there are many historical attractions in the scenic area, it is recommended to learn about the historical background of the Sino-Japanese War in advance to better understand the connotation of the attractions.
- When visiting in summer, take sun protection measures, bring sunscreen, sun hats, etc., and prepare comfortable walking shoes because a lot of walking is needed in the scenic area.
- The ferry schedules in the scenic area are fixed. It is recommended to plan the time to enter and leave the island in advance to avoid missing the last ferry.
- When visiting historical attractions such as the China Sino-Japanese War Museum, keep solemn, abide by the scenic area regulations, and do not touch cultural relics at will.
- When tasting seafood, choose regular restaurants to ensure fresh ingredients, and pay attention to the taboos of seafood consumption.
Matters Needing Attention
- When taking a ferry, abide by the ferry regulations, wear life jackets, do not chase or play on the deck, and take good care of personal belongings.
- Some mountain roads in Liugong Island National Forest Park are steep. Be careful when visiting and do not deviate from the designated route without authorization.
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Please protect the environment and cultural relics and historic sites.
- There are many visitors during peak seasons (especially holidays). It is recommended to buy tickets in advance and travel during off-peak hours to avoid crowds.
- Mobile phone signals are weak in some areas of the island. It is recommended to keep in touch with companions to avoid getting separated.