Wēihǎi

Weihai lies on the eastern side of the Shandong Peninsula, where bays, islands, and coastal hills face the Yellow Sea. Fishing, agriculture, salt related activities, and local exchange support communities around the shore. Sea routes connect the peninsula with other Chinese coasts and neighboring regions, while inland roads lead toward market towns and cultivated districts. Harbors and prominent coastal sites acquire importance both for commerce and for watching movement across the water.

In 1398 the Ming government established Weihai Guard to defend the coast against raiders; the name Weihai derives from this garrison. A walled town followed in 1403. Military households and coastal patrols formed part of a wider Shandong defence system. Under the Qing, coastal security remained a concern while fishing, trade and rural production continued.