General Survey - Qingdao

Geographic Location and Natural Environment
Qingdao is located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula (35'35' ~ 37'09'N, 119'30'~ 121'00'E). It is characterized by a unique blend of sea and mountains and a pleasant climate. 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 Province. There are numerous capes and coves along the zigzag coastline.

Qingdao has seven urban districts and five county-level cities under its jurisdiction with a total area of 10,654 square kilometers and a population of 7,311,200. The urban area measures 1,102 square kilometers and urban residents total 2,584,000.

Qingdao lies in the North Temperate Zone and has the typical temperate monsoon climate. Under the direct influence of the southeastern monsoon and the sea currents and tides, the city proper features marked marine climate ? 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, but is free from fiercely hot days, while cool and dry in autumn. Winter here is long and usually windy but not unbearably cold.

History
As the birthplace of Taoism, Qingdao has a long history. Human settlement on this soil dates from 6,000 years ago. 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 the Langyatai Hill in the present satellite city of Jiaonan. Xu Fu, an official of the Qin Dynasty, set sail with his fleet at the foot of the Langyatai Hill eastbound to Korea and Japan. Liu Che, one of the emperors during the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD) held sacrificial rites at the Jiaomen Palace in Mt. Buqi, which is now in Chengyang District of Qingdao. He also ordered nine temples to be constructed in Mt. Nugu along the Jiaozhou Bay, to worship God and his ancestors. By the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD), Qingdao had grown into a prosperous town known then as Jiao'ao.   
    
Qingdao city was first established on June 14, 1891, when the Qing government sent troops here. 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, demanding the resumption of China's sovereignty over Qingdao ignited the famous May 4th Movement in 1919. On December 10, 1922, the Northern Warlord government regained control of Qingdao and established a government office for port commercial affairs. It was in July, 1929 that Qingdao was granted the status of the Special City and in 1930 was officially renamed "Qingdao". In January 1938, the Japanese troops 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 by the Chinese People's Liberation Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China , who put a decisive end to the five decades of turbulence and colonial rule. In 1986 Qingdao was authorized to exercise special State plans and was given the status equivalent to provincial economic administration. In 1994, Qingdao was included in the country's 15 vice-provincial-level- city list.

Urban Construction and Planning 
Targeting at a " world-renowned city with distinctive features" and a " national key center city", Qingdao's focus is on develop the three economic fields of port, tourism and marine science as well as on the construction of the four industrial bases for  home appliances and electronics, petrochemicals, automobile, locomotive manufacturing and shipbuilding and new materials.  Qingdao is currently developing six industrial clusters for home appliances, electronic information, petrochemicals, automobile, shipbuilding and port as well as building a regional shipping center, logistics center, service center, financial center and high-tech industrial center.

Qingdao's development is based on the concept of "three-point layout", "one-line planning" and "group development strategy". The "three-point layout" refers to the development of the Jiaozhou Bay region relying on the three basic points of the old urban district of Qingdao, Huangdao and Hongdao, and the construction of the new urban district by connecting the three points with a trans-oceanic bridge or undersea tunnel and the Jiaozhou Bay Expressway. The "one-line planning" refers to building a coastal highway from Langyatai in Jiaonan to Tianhengdao Island in Jimo, which will connect all parts of the city to form a main urban development belt. The "group development strategy" refers to the expansion of business groups on both sides of the coastal highway. There will be seven development groups respectively in Tianhengdao Island, Aoshan, Zhucheng, Hongdao, Huangdao, Jiaonan and Langyatai, which will push forward the urbanization of the adjacent regions.

To carry out the west coast development strategy: this involves the westward relocation of the port, and the construction of an "international port" and an international transshipment port. It will promote investment in large projects and the emergence of a new economic center on the west coast.
To construct "five areas": by adjusting the productivity layout, a development mode will be established in five areas:  the city's west coast and east coast, the North bank of the Jiaozhou Bay, the suburban areas and the old urban area. The plan will be carried out in strict accordance with administration layout adjustment .

Culture and Healthcare
The cultural undertaking in Qingdao has been flourishing. There are altogether 495 cultural institutions in the city, including 29 cinemas and theaters, 214 film projecting teams, 153 cultural organizations, seven museums, 13 public libraries, 11 performance troupes, one radio station with 11 channels and one television station with 15 channels. Qingdao had 1,551,000 cable television users, 150,000 of which were digital television users. The city issued a total of 17.5 million copies of magazines and 645.936 million copies of newspapers. A total of 332 literary works were published, of which, 29 won provincial or national awards. There are 14 archives in the city.

The medical service sector experienced a steady development. The city has a total of 3,212 medical institutions, 33,000 medical workers and could accommodate 24,000 hospitalized patients.
Tourism and Sightseeing
 
Tousrism and Sightseeing

Qingdao is an excellent tourist city. It is also an important transportation hub and a seaport in east China entitled to the visa processing for overseas tourists and visa exempting for short-term (within 15 days) Japanese tourists.

Qingdao has beautiful scenery and an agreeable climate. As early as in the 1920s, Qingdao became a famous tourist resort. Zigzag seashore , undulating hills, European-style red-roofed houses and green trees make the city unique. Historical sites and constantly improved modern facilities add to the attractiveness of the city. Qingdao is an excellent place for sightseers, holidaymakers and for holding business talks and exhibitions.

In the west of the city is the old urban area which is known for its red-roofed houses, green trees, blue sea and azure sky; in the east is the new urban area dotted with modern high buildings. Both the old and new areas constitute a seaside city with both European and Asian landscapes.

Walking along the coastal sidewalk, tourists can enjoy the beautiful coastal sights of the city. From west to east, the entire scenic area is divided into four scenic spots with their own special features.

Historical Culture and Euro-Asian Culture Area
This area contains numerous cultural relics against the beautiful natural scenery. This valuable heritage of the century-old city is a result of the combination of eastern and western cultures. Historical sites, foreign-style villas and excellent beaches form a unique Euro-Asian culture area.

The western-style buildings here feature the architecture of over 20 countries. Typical ones include the former German Governor's Residence and Office Building, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church and the villa area in Badaguan, where numerous newly-weds, photographers and tourists visit all year round.

Tourist attractions in the East of Qingdao
Donghai Road, Hong Kong Road, Macao Road, the Sculpture Garden of Cultural Celebrities, the May 4th Square and the Music Square, etc. form magnificent scenery for this modern international metropolis.

Shilaoren National Holiday Resort
Unique tourist villas, hotels, excellent beaches and numerous cultural and sports facilities like the Seaside Sculpture Park, the Dolphinarium, the International Beer City, the Golf Course, the International Convention Center, the Cultural Exhibition Center, the Century Square and the Sports Center are all places visitors should not miss. Such projects as the Qingdao Polar Sea World, the Modern Arts Center, and the Yacht Club are now under construction. All these will make Qingdao a comprehensive tourist area with facilities for holidaymaking, amusement, exhibition and sports competitions.

Laoshan National Scenic Spot
Located by the seaside of the Yellow Sea, the 1,133-meter-high Mt. Laoshan is known as the No.1 religious mountain along China's coastline and the birthplace of Taoism. Entitled a national tourist attraction by the State Council, this area is composed of nine sections, five scenic spots under restoration and some surrounding scenic spots. It is a national model scenic area, which ranks a national 4A ranking.
Laoshan Mountain has a humid temperate climate. It is an important shrine for spreading Taoism, known as the "Second Largest Taoist Monastery in the World". Grotesque rocks in the mountain resemble all kinds of live creatures, so Laoshan Mountain is known as a natural sculpture park. The ancient trees, rare vegetation and rich natural resources, especially mineral water and undersea jades, have made Laoshan Mountain widely known.

Qingdao enjoys an abundance of natural scenic spots and places of interest in its outskirt regions. In the famous Langyatai Tourist Resort where the Yue Emperor Goujian met his dukes and princes, the relics can be found. It is here that Yingzheng, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, paid visits for three times; and from here Xufu sailed eastward for Japan. Tianhengdao Island is a historic site recording the heroic feats of five hundred soldiers who died as martyrs in the West Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago. The Cliff Inscriptions in Mt. Tianzhu in Pingdu are regarded as national treasures. The State-level nature reserve Mashan Hoodoos, and the Great Wall Relics of the Qi Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) can also be found in this area.

In 2004, Qingdao received as many as 522,000 overseas tourists (person-time ) who contributed US$ 288 million to the local revenue, and a total of 21.57 million domestic tourists who left 18.378 billion yuan to the local treasury. The total revenue from tourism in 2004 reached 20.77 billion yuan.

People’s Life and Environment
 

The new urban area of Qingdao developed in the 1990s has become the political, economic, financial and cultural center of the city.New high-rise buildings have been erected ininstead of  shanty houses.
For years, the Qingdao Municipal Government has stressed the overall development of the city in urban planning, ecological construction and residential buildings. As a result, a beautiful, clean and comfortable living environment with complete functions has been constructed. Accordingly the city was named a "national model" for city sanitation, environmental protection and greening. The city ranks the first for the "China Human Settlements and Environment Award", and became one of the cities with the best environment in China.

The income and expenditure of the residents grew steadily, and people's living conditions further improved. In 2004, the per capita disposable income of urban residents was 11,089 yuan, an increase of 10.1 percent over the previous year; the per capita consumption was 9,002 yuan, an increase of 11.7 percent. The Engel's coefficient was 38 percent. The per capita net income of farmers was 5,080 yuan, an increase of 12.1 percent year-on-year; and the per capita consumption was 3,353 yuan, an increase of 12.2 percent. The annual average income of employees was 13,445 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent. The per capita living space for urban residents was 24.19 square meters and that for rural residents was 27.99 square meters