Lanshan District 岚山区

Setting and landscape

The land rises to the north and west; the district has hills at its back and faces the sea. Its 39.56 km coastline runs from the waters off Donghu Sancun (东湖三村) in Hushan (虎山) south to the mouth of the Xiuzhen River (绣针河), which follows the provincial boundary before entering the Yellow Sea. The other main rivers are the Jufeng (巨峰河), Xun (浔河), Longwang (龙王河) and Chuanzi (川子河).

Offshore to the southeast lie the Qiansan Islands (前三岛): Pingshan (平山岛), Dashan (达山岛) and Cheniushan (车牛山岛). More than 100 bird species have been recorded on them, and a bird reserve has been set up.

History

The Yaowangcheng site (尧王城遗址), around Nanxinzhuangzi (南辛庄子) in Gaoxing town (高兴镇), is mainly a Neolithic Longshan culture site of about 520,000 square metres and became a national protected site in May 2006; its finest pottery is thin, hard, glossy black eggshell ware. Beiguo town (碑廓镇) is honoured as the home of Xiang Tuo (项橐), the child prodigy said to have set Confucius three hard questions.

In 1384 Tang He (汤和), the Ming Duke of Xin, built the Andongwei (安东卫) garrison town on the coast against Japanese pirates. It was counted with Tianjin and Weihai among the four famous garrisons of the northern coast, and was folded into Rizhao County in 1742. Lanshan became a district of Rizhao in September 2004.

What to see

The Sea Stele (海上碑) is a large rock in Lanshan fishing harbour, not far offshore, that disappears at high tide and reappears at low tide. It carries five inscriptions: two by Su Jing (苏京) of the late Ming, two by his contemporary Wang Duo (王铎), and one by Yan Yuxiu (阎毓秀) of the early Qing.

Food and local products

Lanshan green tea dates from 1966, when tea from the south was first grown successfully on the north hill at Andongwei; the district describes the leaves as plump and tender. Its shellfish include xishishe (西施舌, "Xi Shi's tongue"), a flat, tongue-shaped clam with a red tip and tender, smooth flesh.

Highlights

• Yaowangcheng site 尧王城遗址: Longshan culture settlement in Gaoxing town, national protected site since 2006.
• Sea Stele 海上碑: Tidal rock in Lanshan fishing harbour with five Ming and Qing inscriptions.
• Qiansan Islands 前三岛: Three islands to the southeast with more than 100 recorded bird species and a bird reserve.
• Xishishe clam 西施舌: Flat, tongue-shaped local clam with a red tip and tender flesh.