Pénglái

Penglai looks across the sea from the northern shore of the Shandong peninsula. The harbour of Dengzhou was a point of departure for the crossing to Liaodong and a landing place for envoys travelling between China and its eastern neighbours. Above the water, pavilions and the red cliffs of Danya Mountain gave the coast its celebrated setting. The name Penglai also evokes the legendary island of the immortals, imagined somewhere beyond the sea.

In 1376 the Ming raised Dengzhou to a prefecture and established a military garrison, using ships to carry supplies to Liaodong. Its fortified harbour, the Water City, enclosed an anchorage where warships could shelter and train. A naval command was established there in 1408; in 1553–1554 the commander Qi Jiguang oversaw coastal defence from the city. Brick and stone strengthened the harbour walls during the Wanli reign, as the port continued to guard the sea route north.