Qingdao is the largest city in Shandong province, China.
The city of Qingdao is on a peninsula surrounded by Jiaozhou Bay and the Yellow Sea at latitude 36.06488 and longitude 120.38042, in the Northern Hemisphere.
A city of many names
The name of Qingdao also appears in writing as Tsingtao and Tsingtau.
Tsingtao is the old English spelling still in use by Tsingtao Beer and reflected in the airport code for Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport: TAO.
Tsingtau is the German spelling originally used when Germany administered Qingdao as part of the colonial territory Kiautschou (modern spelling Jiaozhou) from 1898 to 1919.
The Chinese name for Qingdao – 青岛 – translates to “Green Island” in English.
Locals often describe Qingdao as having “red-tiled roofs amongst greenery, the azure sky above the blue sea. This phrase is a translation of the Chinese expression 红瓦绿树碧海蓝天.
Qingdao is the home of Tsingtao Beer, Haier, and Hisense, and one of the busiest ports in the world, the Port of Qingdao.
History
Originally a naval fortification during Qing dynasty China, Qingdao became a German colony in 1898.
The Germans in Qingdao oversaw the building of a city during the colonial period that only ended with the Siege of Tsingtao at the outset of WW1.
Geopolitical developments in the aftermath of the war led to control of Qingdao by Japan, then by the Republic of China, then briefly back under Japanese control, and finally the People’s Republic of China when Qingdao in 1949.
Check out this take on Qingdao’s history.
An international city
The international legacy in Qingdao begins with its German colonial past and also involves Japanese imperialism.
Qingdao became a trendy resort for expats in China after the Germans exerted control over the city from 1897-8.
Those escaping the heat of Beijing and Shanghai came to swim and enjoy the beaches. Many stayed at the Strand Hotel in Qingdao across from Beach Number 1.
There is a continuing cultural impact of resident foreign nationals who live, work, vacation, and study in Qingdao.
Links to more information on Qingdao history:
Kiautschou Bay Concession
History of Kiautschou
US Marines in Qingdao 1945-48
Geography and transportation
Qingdao is located on a peninsula that hooks west from the Laoshan mountains to form Jiaozhou Bay. This geographical feature is referenced by Qingdao’s largest local newspaper known as The Peninsula, or “Ban Dao“.
The westernmost tip of the peninsula is where the older (colonial-era) part of the city looks out on Huangdao and Xuejiadao, which are a part of the Qingdao Economic Development Technology Zone.
The Qingdao subway system is called Metro.
The Metro, the Huangdao-Qingdao Tunnel and Jiaozhou Bay Bridge connects Qingdao with surrounding areas Jiaozhou, Jimo, Yangkou and Aoshanwei.
The Port of Qingdao is one of the largest in China. The city’s economy is heavily influenced by shipping, shipbuilding, logistics, container yards, and warehouses.
An Olympic City and China’s Sailing City
Qingdao was the venue of the Sailing Regatta of the Beijing 2008 Olympics and is also called China’s Sailing City.
Major sailing races involving Qingdao include the Clipper and Extreme Sailing.
The first Chinese woman to circumnavigate the globe, Vicky Song Kun, came from Qingdao’s local sailing scene.
Major landmarks, attractions, and sights in the Qingdao area
May 4 Square
In the center of the new city, across from the City Hall, the red monument “Winds of May” symbolizes the WWI era reform movement known as the May Fourth Movement.
Old Stone Man Beach
Long sandy beach in Qingdao’s Laoshan district with a rock outcropping said to resemble an old man waiting for his daughter to return from the sea.
Laoshan
Home to Taoist and Buddhist temples. Source of Laoshan water used in Tsingtao Beer. Tourist areas include Bei Jiu Shui and Taiqinggong.
Huadong Vineyards
Winery tours available – check out the Huadong Winery website. Located in Laoshan near Beizhai and the 2014 International Horticulture Expo site.
Little Fish Pagoda
Called Xiao Yu Shan in Chinese, overlooks the Number 1 Beach and Ocean University. Great views of the old city.
Zhan Shan Temple
Largest Buddhist temple in Qingdao, in the city near Zhongshan Park.
Qingdao Olympic Marina Sailing Center
On the site of the former Beihai Shipyards, now the home of a marina, shopping malls, hotels, public square.
Qingdao’s international brands
Haier
Large multinational with products and services from refrigerators to TVs to air conditioning to real estate. Long term sponsor of NBA. Top white goods manufacturer in China.
Hisense
Top appliance seller in Australia. Often compared with Haier as a Qingdao multinational.
Tsingtao Beer
Oldest of Qingdao’s top 5 consumer brands.
Map of Qingdao: