Weihai (威海)

1. Introduction

Weihai City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. Located at the easternmost tip of Shandong Province, it is also known as Weihaiwei. The city borders Yantai City to the west, while its northern, eastern, and southern sides are all adjacent to the Yellow Sea. It faces the Liaodong Peninsula to the north and the Korean Peninsula to the east. Situated at the easternmost part of the Shandong Peninsula, it lies in the eastern region of the Ludong Hills, with low mountains and hills dominating its topography. The rivers within its territory belong to the coastal river systems of Shandong. Those flowing north into the sea include the Chucun River, Yangting River, and Wuzhu River, while those flowing south into the sea include the Gu River, Muzhu River, Huanglei River, and Rushan River. The coastline is winding, with numerous islands and reefs, such as Liugong Island, Jiming Island, and Moye Island. There are also several bays along the coast. The People's Government of Weihai City is located at No. 1 Xinwei Road, Huancui District.

In 2021, Weihai City achieved a regional GDP of 346.393 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 7.5%.

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2. History

Weihai has a long history, being one of the earliest areas inhabited by the Dongyi people. By the middle Neolithic period, there were human settlements within its territory. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the present-day city area was part of the Dongyi region, under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou, and was inhabited by the Laiyi people. In the Western Han Dynasty, the Buye County was established, belonging to Donglai Commandery. In the fourth year of the Tiantong era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (568 AD), Wendeng County was established within the region, encompassing the entire area of the present-day city. Thereafter, despite changes in dynasties, the area remained under the jurisdiction of Wendeng County.

In the 31st year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1398 AD), to defend against Japanese pirate invasions, Weihai Guard was established, deriving its name from the phrase "威震海疆" (meaning "powerfully guarding the sea frontiers"), hence the name "Weihai." Weihai is the cradle of China's first modern navy and served as an important military base for the Beiyang Fleet during the First Sino-Japanese War from 1894 to 1895. In 1895, Japanese forces landed in Rongcheng and captured Weihaiwei. On July 1, 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu era), Britain and the Qing government signed the Convention for the Lease of Weihaiwei, making Weihaiwei a British leased territory. The Weihaiwei Chinese Regiment was established to handle defense and public security, and in 1900, the Weihaiwei Administrative Office was set up. In October 1930, China regained Weihaiwei, except for Liugong Island, and established the Weihaiwei Administrative Region, directly under the Executive Yuan of the National Government. Liugong Island was returned to China by Britain in 1940. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Wang Jingwei regime's North China Political Affairs Commission changed Weihaiwei into a county-level special district under the jurisdiction of Yantai.

After the war, the area was taken over by the Chinese Communist Party and renamed Weihaiwei City, under the administration of the Shandong Province Jiaodong Administrative Office. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was originally a county-level city under the Yantai Prefecture. In May 1950, Wendeng Prefecture was established, governing eight counties: Weihai, Rongcheng, Wendeng, Kunyu, Rushan, Haiyang, Muping, and Fushan. In February 1956, Wendeng Prefecture was abolished, and the present-day Weihai area was transferred to Laiyang Prefecture. In October 1958, Laiyang Prefecture was renamed Yantai Prefecture. In February 1967, Yantai Prefecture was renamed Yantai Region, and the present-day Weihai area remained under its jurisdiction.

In August 1983, Yantai Region was abolished, and Yantai City (prefecture-level) was established. At the same time, Weihai City was changed to a provincial-administered county-level city, managed by Yantai City on its behalf. The three counties of Wendeng, Rongcheng, and Rushan were placed under the jurisdiction of Yantai City.

On June 15, 1987, Weihai City was upgraded to a prefecture-level city, with the former county-level Weihai City becoming Huancui District. The three counties of Rongcheng, Wendeng, and Rushan under Yantai City were transferred to the jurisdiction of Weihai City. On October 24, 1988, Wendeng County was changed to a provincial-administered county-level city, managed by Weihai City on its behalf. In November of the same year, Rongcheng County was changed to a provincial-administered county-level city, also managed by Weihai City on its behalf. In July 1993, Rushan County was changed to a provincial-administered county-level city, managed by Weihai City on its behalf.

In early 2014, Wendeng City was abolished and converted into a district, becoming a district-level administrative unit of Weihai City. On March 18, Wendeng District of Weihai City, Shandong Province, was officially established.

3. Geography

Weihai City is located between 36°41′ - 37°35′ north latitude and 121°11′ - 122°42′ east longitude. As the easternmost tip of the Shandong Peninsula, it is surrounded by sea on three sides, bordering the Yellow Sea to the north, east, and southeast. It faces the Liaodong Peninsula to the north, the Korean Peninsula and the Ryukyu Islands across the sea to the east and southeast, and borders Yantai City to the west. Its maximum east-west distance is 135 kilometers, and its maximum north-south distance is 81 kilometers, with a total area of 5,698 square kilometers, of which the urban area covers 769 square kilometers. Low mountains account for 15.77% of the total land area, hills for 52.38%, plains for 27.56%, islands for 0.28%, and tidal flats for 4.01%. The coastline stretches 985.9 kilometers, characterized as a harbor coastline with a sinuous, indented shore featuring numerous capes, bays, harbors, and islands.

3.1 Climate

Weihai City has a northern temperate monsoon-influenced continental climate, with distinct seasonal changes and monsoon transitions, moderate temperature variations, and relatively ample precipitation. Influenced by oceanic regulation, it exhibits maritime climate features such as cool springs, mild summers, warm autumns, temperate winters, small diurnal temperature ranges, long frost-free periods, frequent strong winds, and high humidity. The annual average temperature is approximately 12.2°C, typically ranging from -4°C to 29°C, rarely falling below -8°C or rising above 33°C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of -1.4°C; August is the hottest with an average of 25.1°C. The average annual precipitation is 687 mm, concentrated mainly in summer, especially July and August. The average annual sunshine duration is 2,538 hours.

Spring (March-May) sees temperatures 2-3°C lower and a slower rise compared to inland areas at the same latitude, delayed by about half a month. It is characterized by frequent strong winds and scant precipitation, accounting for roughly 14% of the annual total, making it prone to spring droughts.

Summer (June-August), influenced by the ocean, has temperatures 1-4°C lower than inland areas at the same latitude. Due to the southeastern monsoon, this season experiences abundant precipitation and high humidity, accounting for 59% of the annual rainfall.

Autumn (September-November) has temperatures 1-2°C higher than inland areas at the same latitude. Total autumn precipitation constitutes 23% of the annual amount, concentrated in September. From October onwards, there are many clear, crisp autumn days. Starting mid-November, cold air intensifies, causing temperatures to drop rapidly.

Winter (December-February), influenced by the Mongolian High, features dry and cold weather due to the northwestern monsoon. Winter temperatures are about 2°C higher than inland areas at the same latitude, with small diurnal temperature variations. From late December, influenced by the ocean, overcast days and snow showers increase, with precipitation and snowfall more than triple that of inland areas at the same latitude.

Weihai City Meteorological Data (1971-2000)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|------|------|------|------| | Record high °C (°F) | 13.6 (56.5) | 19.8 (67.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 29.6 (85.3) | 34.2 (93.6) | 38.4 (101.1) | 37.4 (99.3) | 35.4 (95.7) | 33.7 (92.7) | 30.4 (86.7) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.0 (64.4) | 38.4 (101.1) | | Average high °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 3.4 (38.1) | 8.5 (47.3) | 16.0 (60.8) | 21.6 (70.9) | 25.5 (77.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.8 (62.0) | 24.4 (75.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 11.8 (53.2) | 5.2 (41.4) | 16.1 (51.0) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | -0.9 (30.4) | 0.1 (32.2) | 4.6 (40.3) | 11.4 (52.5) | 16.9 (62.4) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.7 (76.5) | 21.2 (70.2) | 15.6 (60.1) | 8.5 (47.3) | 2.1 (35.8) | 12.5 (54.5) | | Average low °C (°F) | -3.4 (25.9) | -2.5 (27.5) | 1.3 (34.3) | 7.5 (45.5) | 12.8 (55.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 21.3 (70.3) | 22.0 (71.6) | 18.2 (64.8) | 12.4 (54.3) | 5.5 (41.9) | -0.5 (31.1) | 9.4 (48.8) | | Record low °C (°F) | -12.3 (9.9) | -13.2 (8.2) | -8.6 (16.5) | -1.2 (29.8) | 5.7 (42.3) | 10.7 (51.3) | 14.4 (57.9) | 15.3 (69.5) | 7.5 (45.5) | 0.8 (33.4) | -7.4 (18.7) | -11.3 (11.7) | -13.2 (8.2) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 12.9 (0.51) | 12.2 (0.48) | 17.8 (0.70) | 36.1 (1.42) | 49.0 (1.93) | 74.5 (2.93) | 132.6 (5.22) | 175.7 (6.92) | 79.9 (3.15) | 37.3 (1.47) | 29.9 (1.18) | 22.1 (0.87) | 680.0 (26.77) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1 mm) | 6.5 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 87.8 |** | 6.5 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 87.8 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Weihai City currently administers 2 municipal districts and manages 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Huancui District, Wendeng District
• County-level Cities: Rongcheng City, Rushan City

In addition to its formal administrative divisions, Weihai City has established the following economic functional zones: National Weihai Economic & Technological Development Zone, National Weihai Torch High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, National Weihai Lingang Economic & Technological Development Zone (formerly Weihai Industrial New Area), and Shidao Management Area (located in Rongcheng City, sub-county level).

| Division Code | Division Name | Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | |-------------------|-------------------|------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------| | 371000 | Weihai City | Weihai Shi | 5,796.98 | 2,906,548 | Huancui District | 264200 | 23 | 48 | | 371002 | Huancui District | Huancui Qu | 991.28 | 1,164,730 | Huancuilou Subdistrict | 264200 | 9 | 10 | | 371003 | Wendeng District | Wendeng Qu | 1,614.62 | 563,529 | Tianfulu Subdistrict | 264400 | 3 | 12 | | 371082 | Rongcheng City | Rongcheng Shi | 1,526.20 | 714,211 | Yatou Subdistrict | 264300 | 10 | 12 | | 371083 | Rushan City | Rushan Shi | 1,664.88 | 464,078 | Chengqu Subdistrict | 264500 | 1 | 14 |

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5. Transportation

• Air: Weihai Dashuibo International Airport
• Railway: Wendeng Station, Wendeng East Station, Wendeng South Station, Rongcheng Station, Weihai Station, Weihai North Station, Weihai South Sea Station, Rushan Station, Rushan South Station
• Highway: National Highway 228, National Highway 309, G18 Rongwu Expressway, G1813 Weiqing Expressway, Provincial Highway 301, Provincial Highway 302, Provincial Highway 303
• Waterway: Weihai Port

6. Education

6.1 Higher Education Institutions

• Shandong University, Weihai Campus (Directly under the Ministry of Education; Project 985, Project 211)
• Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai) (Directly under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Project 985, Project 211, C9 League)
• Beijing Jiaotong University, Weihai Campus (Directly under the Ministry of Education; Project 211)
• Harbin University of Science and Technology, Rongcheng Campus
• Shandong Jiaotong University, Weihai Campus
• Shandong Vocational University of Foreign Affairs
• Weihai Vocational & Technical College
• Shandong Vocational College of Medicine and Food
• Weihai Ocean Vocational College

7. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 2.9178 million. Among them, the urban population was 2.0938 million, an increase of 12,200 people compared to the end of the previous year. The urbanization rate of the permanent resident population was 71.76%, an increase of 0.34 percentage points from the previous year. At the end of the year, the city's registered household population was 2.5528 million, with a registered household urbanization rate of 61.60%, an increase of 0.59 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,906,548. Compared with the 2,804,771 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 101,777 people over the ten-year period, representing a growth of 3.63% and an average annual growth rate of 0.36%. Among them, the male population was 1,467,079, accounting for 50.47% of the total population; the female population was 1,439,469, accounting for 49.53% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 101.92. The population aged 0–14 was 343,483, accounting for 11.82% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,769,649, accounting for 60.88% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 793,416, accounting for 27.3% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 559,847, accounting for 19.26% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 2,040,910, accounting for 70.22% of the total population; the population residing in rural areas was 865,638, accounting for 29.78% of the total population.

7.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,875,752, accounting for 98.94%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 30,796, accounting for 1.06%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population increased by 95,427 people, a growth of 3.43%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.19 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 6,350 people, a growth of 25.98%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.19 percentage points.

Analysis and comparison of population data from the public security household registration departments in recent years show that there are approximately 20,000 temporary resident ethnic minorities, resulting in a total ethnic minority population of about 45,000, accounting for 1.6% of the city's total population.

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8. Culture

Weihai is the birthplace of golf in China, with the first golf course established on Liugong Island in 1902.
It is also the origin of modern football in China, introduced by British colonists.
Weihai boasts the best natural environment in China and was awarded the title of National Sanitary City in 1990, the first city in the country to receive this honor.
Known as the "Hometown of Hot Springs," Weihai has a long-standing culture of hot spring bathing, with 9 of Shandong Province's 18 natural springs located here.
China's first modern navy was founded on Liugong Island in Weihai.
Kunyu Mountain is the birthplace of the Quanzhen School of Taoism, where revered Taoist masters such as Wang Xuanfu, Wang Chongyang, and the Seven Masters of Quanzhen practiced and cultivated their spirituality.
Chengshantou is believed to be the ancient dwelling place of the Sun God. Numerous historical and contemporary figures, including Jiang Ziya, Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Kangxi, Hua Guofeng, Hu Yaobang, and Hu Jintao, have visited and paid homage here. It is also home to China's only preserved temple dedicated to Qin Shi Huang.
Weihai is the closest coastal city in China to South Korea. In 1990, it pioneered the first maritime route from China to South Korea.

9. Friendly Relations

9.1 Sister Cities

• Ghent, Belgium
• Nampo, North Korea
• Sochi, Russia
• Yeosu, South Korea
• Akron, USA
• Ube, Japan
• Sousse, Tunisia
• Timaru, New Zealand
• Bielle, Italy
• Cheltenham, United Kingdom
• Santa Barbara, USA

9.2 Friendship and Cooperation Cities

• Gunsan, South Korea
• Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea
• Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
• Bucheon, South Korea

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Taking the meaning of "Awe-inspiring across the seas"

Huancui District

Huancui District

Han Chinese population accounts for 98.94%; ethnic minority populations account for 1.06%

Albizia julibrissin

Osmanthus