This Sunday, August 28, 2011, Qingdao’s Giant Bicycle Store is helping to organize a bicycling charity event, and all are warmly welcomed to join.

What is more important than allowing children to grow up healthy?

What is more powerful than compassionate giving?

Lets take our love for biking and transfer it to the greater good, by providing less fortunate children with a chance at good health and more smiles.

Time:
Sunday, August 28th – 8:15 am – 10:30 am

Plan:
8:15 am – Meet at the Giant Bicycle Store at 58 Jiangxi Road (Just north of LPG).
8:30 am – Bike together to the Olympic Center next to Marina City.
8:50 am – Set off for Polar Ocean World (where donations will be collected) along Donghai Road.

Requirements:
Compassionate biking enthusiasts bring along a bike, helmet and shirts will be provided by the sponsors. Please abide by the schedule provided. Before Sunday you can provide Giant with your height and weight and they will help you to prepare t-shirts.

The Giant store’s number is +86 (532) 8587.2858 and they have friendly English-speaking staff willing to help answer any questions.

Relevant Links:
Qingdao Tayao Biking

Lying next to the green oasis of Zhongshan Park, Qingdao’s Zhanshan Temple (zhan shan si/湛山寺) makes for a great peaceful retreat from the buzz of downtown. Zhanshan Temple is China’s youngest temple constructed within the Tiantai (天台宗) sect of Buddhism (China’s oldest homegrown sect of Buddhism). Construction of the main hall, several traditional style temples and the 7-tiered tower began in 1933 and was not finished until 1945. Recently, the cranes and power tools have reincarnated and several new temples and a large ostentatious bell-tower have popped up within the premises over the last year. Located near the entrance are a pair of stone lions dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the early 20th century, supposedly some Germans constructing the Jiaoji Railway looted them from a wealthy landowner’s home in modern day Qingzhou (just west of Qingdao) and brought them to Qingdao. After the German colonial era they were donated to Zhanshan Temple, greatly damaged during the Cultural Revolution, and restored in the 1980′s. Grab some incense and enter through the south gate on Zhiquan Lu for a free peak of the main tower and a lotus pond containing a large Bodhisattva sculpture. If you want to get inside the temple complex it will cost you 10元, and it’s open 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.

Most locals might tell you to head to other cities if you’re looking for historical relics and traditional architecture, as the area that is Qingdao’s present downtown was a small, insignificant fishing village before the German occupation.

Still, Qingdao covers 10,654 sq. km and that’s plenty of space to size up China’s extensive 5,000 years of civilization, as there are quite a few areas in Laoshan of historical import. One of these is Chaohai Temple, which commemorates the landing of the explorer monk Faxian (法显) at Shazikou (near Laoshan) in 399 AD. Faxian was one of the earliest Chinese monks to travel to the Indian subcontinent in search of original Buddhist scriptures (more than 200 years before Xuanzang made his similar journey that was later immortalized in the epic story ‘Journey to the West’) and his stories of life in the kingdoms following the teachings of Siddhartha Gautma survive today as one of the oldest Chinese travelogues. Faxian and his crew, aiming to dock in modern day Guangdong, were caught in a storm and somehow ended up at Shazikou. They stayed in the area for almost half a year before moving on to the capital of the area, Qingzhou, to translate his new scriptures. Chaohai Temple was subsequently erected near the spot where Faxian landed and is one of three Buddhist temples found in the Laoshan area.

Other Laoshan area temples of historical interest are Fahai and Huayan. In 1980, a farmer tending his fields on the northwestern edge of Laoshan near Fahai Temple (法海寺) unearthed pieces of a Buddhist sculpture dating back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589 AD). Given that famine and war was rampant in the north during this period, Buddhism actually became much more popular and widely accepted around the Yellow River Delta (including the Shandong Peninsula) before later moving south during the Tang and Song Dynasties. Finally, on the eastern side of Laoshan is Huayan Temple (华严寺), where there’s a large statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin and several temples, but to get there you face the 100元 entrance fee for the Laoshan Scenic Park.

One of Qingdao’s most visited temples is Tai Qing Gong (太清宫) in the southern part of Laoshan near the Yellow Sea. Tai Qing Gong is a Taoist temple and receives many individual tourists and tour groups all year round. View some photos of Tai Qing Gong.

Photo Credits @ Marcus, Hunter

Relevant Links:
‘A Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms’ by Faxian (translated by James Legge)
Information on Buddhist temples in Qingdao (in Chinese)
Tours of Laoshan
Photos of temples (and more) around Qingdao

In China it is listed as a Susceptible Species in the Endangered Species Red Book, although populations in the Pacific Northeast seem to be less at threat, and do not even make the endangered list. Supposedly reasons for decline in the Yellow Sea include coastal oil pollution as well as predation on their eggs, mostly by fisherman that is (and we are going to surmise that the use of fishing nets as traps has also played no small part in the decline of local populations).

According to local engineer and ornithologist Wang Ximing, the Ancient Murrelet frequently breeds on the Japanese archipelago, but within China, they only tend to breed on the rocky islands off Qingdao’s coast, as they are not the most courageous birds and like to hide their nests away in the precipitous rock cliffs found here. The birds usually arrive in the area around January and mate during February-March, which is one of the earliest mating seasons of any local bird. At this time crustacean populations flourish in the sea, which is one of the main parts of their diet. Wang Ximing also point to the decrease in Qingdao fish populations as another factor in the birds’ local decline.

In Chinese, the Ancient Murrelet is often referred to as a small penguin, with its black body and white belly resembling that of its flightless cousin. The etymology of its Latin scientific name, Synthliboramphus antiquus, extends back to the first sighting by a European, who decided its white eyebrows and sideburns resemble that of an old man’s, thus the Ancient.

Wang Ximing would also like to push to make the bird a type of ‘mascot’ for Qingdao, bringing not only more attention to its decreasing numbers in the local area, but also more to promote bird conservation ideas in general. It is quite a peculiar bird in that it is the only member of the auk family that raises its young entirely at the sea. Just a few days after the eggs hatch, the fledglings scuttle out to sea at night (to avoid terrestrial predators) where they will swim almost five miles out to sea where the parents are waiting while calling for them. Once in the ocean the parents care for it for several weeks.

More on Qingdao’s proposed mascot from PBS:

“But the bird with least connection of all to land is the ancient murrelet, filmed at Buldir in the Aleutian Islands. This strange bird has dispensed altogether with the need to return to land to feed its chick, unlike most seabirds, which return to land to breed and feed their chicks on land until they are almost fully grown.
The murrelet lays its eggs in burrows. The chicks hatch and, for the first day, feed off their egg sac. Then, at dead of night, two days after the chicks hatched, the parents fly out to sea, calling their young to follow with a continuous sparrow-like chirping. The fluffy black and white chicks, still unable to fly or feed on their own, pour in a living flood down the hillsides. They evade killer mice and insomniac ravens, and hurtle for the surf like downy toys on clockwork legs, heeding the call of their parents. They don’t stop when they reach the water, but pursue their parents into the breakers and swim five miles out to sea. Once here they will continue to be fed for a few more weeks until they can fly.”

Relevant Links:
Qingdao Newspaper Group Online

Photo Credit @ Birds Korea

“Anything on your heart, some unforgettable moment? Or something leaving you like a fish-bone in the throat, you just won’t be happy until you spit it out? . . . Come use one Chinese character to describe your impressions of the past year.”

On December 10th, Bandao chose five characters from the more than 200 submissions, and are listed below as well as others not chosen for the final five. You can head over and vote on their blog after registering, and we here at QINGDAO(nese) would also love to hear your thoughts about the year 2010 in Qingdao as well, so throw us a word/character or two below in the comments.

Our 2010 was still full to the brim with touching and brilliant moments. Big love has no borders.

Top 5 Choices For Chinese Character of the Year for Qingdao in 2010

涨 – inflation, rise in price
低俗屠夫: Garlic prices increased like mad! Now Qingdao’s baozi shops don’t even offer free garlic anymore, when is the last time that has happened?

堵 – character used to describe a traffic jam, as in 堵车
匹死马: Everyday, every hour, every road, every moment, Qingdao is a city that jams your heart (堵心).

爱 – love
清梦无痕: Although in the past year we have experienced troublesome traffic jams, and before us is the irritating inflation of consumer goods, and every are of the motherland has felt a saddening disaster, however we always have love by our side. Friends’ help, family’s support and fellow compatriots’ unity . . . Our 2010 was still full to the brim with touching and brilliant moments. Big love has no borders.

旱 – drought
岛上拍客: Droughts everywhere, Yunnan at the beginning of the year and now Shandong near the end of the year. Qingdao originally is a city lacking freshwater, and its been quite a while since we have last seen rain. Less water, and the fields of farmers are lacking green sprouts, and the cheeks (describing the suburbs and outlying areas of Qingdao?) of the city are becoming bleak. Water, water, water, Qingdao needs a nice downpour this winter.

新 – new
土豆儿等: Demolish, demolish, demolish, everything is totally being demolished, the city as a whole, a modernized district, a piece of rural villages changing to an urban district, today Qingdao has become an entirely new city.

semolove: We all know, Qingdao is a beautiful city. Lining the sea, scenic areas abound. We shouldn’t look at the troubles in our lives as the norm. Our live is similar to the spreading of a briar vine. Why don’t we record the positive parts of our life. There’s no doubt Qingdao is a beautiful city.

Other characters that didn’t make the final five:

乱 – chaotic
牛后小雪: Just look at traffic during rush hours. Just before evening look at Taidong, no planning.

黑 – black, dark, mafia, swindle
曲动江城:
1) Banks are more similar to supermarkets, ripping off old folks.
2) Use mafia to relocate residents.

累 – tired
小小白杨: Life, work, all the pressure is too much.
三联: This year the only thing that didn’t inflate was my salary. You dare say not exhausted?

美 – beauty
semolove: We all know, Qingdao is a beautiful city. Lining the sea, scenic areas abound. We shouldn’t look at the troubles in our lives as the norm. Our live is similar to the spreading of a briar vine. Why don’t we record the positive parts of our life. There’s no doubt Qingdao is a beautiful city.

Some other characters that made it on the boards:

汗 – perspiration, sweat

高 – high
花逸梦: High buildings, high people, high prices, high.

拆 – common character spray painted on the wall of a building before it is to be demolished
青稞酒: Every buildings are coming down, buildings not even finished being built already coming down, its no wonder real estate prices continue to climb.

牛后小雪: Just look at traffic during rush hours. Just before evening look at Taidong, no planning.

跳 – jump
Old workers retire then their income is too low, hospital bills too expensive, and in order to prevent suffering, or from burdening their children, they jump from a building. So many that in one day more than three suicide attempts may occur.

钱 – money
Prices are inflating, currency value is deflating, corrupt officials appetite is getting larger, but the money in regular citizens pockets is decreasing. All for earning more money, more and more businesses, by fair means or foul, are unscrupulously losing their conscious, and leaving this society greatly confused.

贪 – corruption

闷 – bored, depressed, stifling, stuffy
子文 – Think for a minute what enjoyable event has occurred in Qingdao this year. Its all the same stuff as every year, roads are being repaired, traffic jams have become the norm, oil prices continue to rise. Homes continue to come down, new ones go up, unlivable homes more and more, people turn on each other over real estate, its all family. Public heating is still supplied, yet the common folks are freezing, food prices rice, but our pockets are still flat, people donating still donating money, advertisements popping up all over the place. Knockoff products are becoming more and more popular, if you have no money its crucial. Gold prices are sky-rocketing, if you don’t have gold you can only lament. Disasters continue to happen, and the perished are unable to rest peacefully. The common folk scream out, yet no one pays attention. If you want to ask how was this year in Qingdao, brother I was depressed and have lost my head. What about 2011, guess we will have to watch the newly-appointed party secretary make a move.

盼 – hope
找不到北: Hope for the government to clean up real estate problem and implement policy. Hope for a raise on my salary and no more inflation. Hope that people can be equal, and those evil folks won’t take their anger out on children anymore, can make kindergartens a safe and healthy learning environment. Hope construction on the subway finishes soon, and transportation in Qingdao will further develop, so I don’t have to live in inferior housing outside of the, and get angry every time the bus is overcrowded. Hope every one can have a placid heart, won’t cheat, won’t bully and won’t feel such high pressure. Hopes are so many. We live in a small food, eat poor tea and bland food, go to the square to exercise, go to Laoshan for hiking, just to keep our body healthy and sturdy, hope for good health so we will be ready for that day when when peace and prosperity arrives.

晕 – dizzy

愤 – furious

凸 – raised
天阳 – Have only seen inflation, no deflation (凹).

挤 – crowded

挖 – to dig
我不是一百分: Everything in Qingdao has been dug up and made in to an absolute mess.

If you want to ask how was this year in Qingdao, brother I was depressed and have lost my head. What about 2011, guess we will have to watch the newly-appointed party secretary make a move.

尘 – dust
海上黎明: Constructing buildings, fixing roads, dust is floating around everywhere. Especially are those large dump trucks over loaded with dirt. Are they not overloaded? Is there no regulations over them? So dangerous, every time I get on the road I am scared to the dickens.

等 – to wait
good-1606: Wait forever, waiting for Qingdao to not be jammed, not chaotic, not high, not corrupt, not dark, not bewildering, etc. waiting for that day.

假 – fake, false, artificial
Everything is fake, news, competition, lottery, ages, son, emotions, promises, name-brands, name-brands, food, beauty, and lets not forget hymens.

晕 – dizzy
Living in Qingdao, nothing to do, no free time, just the whole day is spent spinning around staying busy with work. Just for a bit of food and a home.

装 – to fake, to adorn, put on airs

憋 – stifling, suffocating, suppress

净 – clean
Air quality is very high and clean.

美 – beautiful

弱 – weak
xiyong: To those on the outside we are too soft.

创 – to create
nichwang: Everyday recreate the city, every month make new, create traffic jams, just for face continue construction and in the end, common citizens gain nothing positive.

唉 – an interjection representing frustration, similar to gasping

干 – another character often implying the f-bomb

愁 – worry, anxious
海歌: 1.Most people still have to worry about what to eat, where to live and how to exist while laboring tirelessly for these things.
2. Fake medicine, fake milk powder, fake leeks, poisonous food has caused common citizens unceasing worries.

伪 – false

非 – nothing

囧 – stupefied, sad, embarrassed
An actual Chinese character often used as an emoticon given it resembles an actual face

圈 – circular, enclosed

贵 – expensive
Food is expensive, shopping is expensive, real estate is expensive, heating is expensive and even finding a spouse is quite expensive (must have a house and car).

操 – a character of many meanings, including to operate, to grasp, to control, etc.
When seen on the internet, especially BBS forums, it likely means the F-bomb.

Photo Credits @ 守望者, China.CoolerThanThou.net

With its forest-capped mountains and islands, Qingdao is an important stopover for many migratory birds as they make their way south for the winter, but it seems for many it may be their last stop. One eaglet saved by the officials was a Second Level Protected Species in China and this trip they were able to save 13 birds including a northern sparrow hawk, turtledove, and grouse.

Although this type of trapping was made illegal when the Wildlife Conservation Law was passed in 1988, the monetary and scrumptious rewards apparently outweigh the legal deterrents. Trappers are supposed to pay up to a 5000元 fine if caught and some may even serve jail sentences, while many of the birds are sold to restaurants (where a turtle goes for around 20元) or bird markets, where they likely end up with those innocent elders toting bird cages. Any frequenter of the hills and hikes around Qingdao has likely come across these nets as they are quite prolific. Readers in the Huangdao area that spot a net can report it at 8685.0119.

Also this week in the news, China has unveiled a new ambitious wildlife protection plan (coincidence?) that supposedly “will put the country at the forefront of global efforts to reverse habitat and species decline.” Given China’s tainted history with birds, we can all look forward to the day when more birds than plastic bags perch on the trees of Qingdao.

Photo Credit @ Qingdao Adventures

Qingdao’s streets may not be as prolifically tagged as those in BJ and SH, but there are several local artists hoping to change that by adding a bit of paint to the many make-shift walls erected on Qingdao’s ever-evolving urban landscape. As Qingdao has been known to produce a multitude of traditional artists over the years, and many contemporary artists make the exodus up north to Beijing, these guys also paint in hopes of putting Qingdao on China’s contemporary-art map.

We took the time to sit down and talk with ICE, one of the harbinger’s of the Qingdao graffiti scene, and below is a short video and interview.

Why do you think there isn’t as much graffiti here in Qingdao as in Beijing or Shanghai?
There actually aren’t so many good walls in Qingdao because its so hilly here and most of the streets are quite curvy.

What do you think most common people and Qingdaonese think about graffiti?
There are two main reactions we usually come across: one is “Wow, thats beautiful!” while others often stop, stare and inquiry “What in the hell does that mean?”

What do you see for the future of graffiti in Qingdao?
Hopefully there will be more and more people getting out and doing graffiti.

Aren’t you concerned that the authorities might catch you?
Well the police aren’t really concerned about graffiti. I guess the chengguan (城关/a type of street security) would be the only ones we would have to worry about, but they usually don’t work on the weekends.

Relevant Links:
More street art in Qingdao
Graffiti Artist ICE’s Blog

A few highlights include:

• Women dressed in kimonos walking through the cherry blossoms of Zhongshan Park and then two large Shinto shrines built during the first Japanese occupation of Qingdao during 1914-1922.
• A large German eagle epigraph carved in a cliff just below Signal Hill that is no more.
• Traditional rural life in and around the Jiaozhou Bay area, including the large gates of Jimo which was a large walled-in city for many centuries.

There is also a short video near the entrance which includes footage of a horse race at what is now Tiantai Stadium (where Jonoon football club plays), as well as rural festivals around Qingdao. Unfortunately there are no translations of introductions and background information, but the images alone are a fascinating revelation of a Qingdao that once was. Also, on a side note, it does appear some of the supposed postcards are just copies, but a large percentage are certainly originals.

The Qingdao Municipal Archives is located on 148 Yanji Lu (延吉路148号) just east of the new Jusco/Wanda shopping center. The exhibition will be open daily from 9:00am-5:00pm up until May 31st and is free. View more information on the Qingdao Municipal Archives online.

The new store is located in Marina City in a post-Olympic renovation known as Baili Guangchang/百丽广场. With a supposed 2 billion RMB investment, Baili is Qingdao’s latest addition to what appears to be an insatiable shopping scene. The mall will also contains Zara (Spanish) and Uniqlo (Japanese) clothing stores as well as an SPR Coffee. There’s even an indoor skating rink. Baili Guangchang has been labeled as ‘China’s first shopping mall overlooking the sea’ in local press and it seems that it might be a bit of a cheaper alternative to the wicked expensive Hisense Plaza next door.

Relevant Links:
H&M Official Website
Pics of H&M Local Ads
Article about Baili Guangchang (Chinese)

He attended Number 6 Middle School (Qingdao’s premier art high school located atop one of Qingdao’s most beautiful hills, Guanxiang Shan) before moving on to Sichuan Fine Art Institute where he studied Environmental Art. He is also a great enthusiast and knowledgeable resource on all things ‘Old Town,’ so check out his blog or more of his art and photos.

Relevant Links:
Photos of Jiucai
Photos Link on Baidu
Pics and Story from Qingdao News (Chinese)

Just a few of the highlights will include:

* An outdoor wet market on a slabstone alleyway which has remained intact for almost a century, yet its fate is unclear as ‘major’ renovations to the area should commence this summer.

* A glance at Tranquility and Health #5 Liyuan, which at some points during the first half of the 20th century was a brothel said to contain over 100 prostitutes and supposedly a fertile source of tax revenue for the KMT.

* A final stop at Chopping Wood Liyuan, to take a glimpse at what the local government has already done to preserve this magnificent architecture type.

The walking tour will last around three to four hours and end with an optional meal. The group will be limited to no more than 10 people as not to disturb local residents and will cost 50元.

Email qingdaossadventures@gmail.com or visit www.qingdaossadventures.com for more information or to reserve a spot.

Relevant Links:
More Liyuan Photos on Flickr

Hometown Heroes

Qingdao Jonoon hopes to improve upon a 13th place finish in the Super League last year, as many local fans grieve over the loss of star player Qu Bo to Shaanxi Chanba. One player to watch from Jonoon this year is Zheng Long, who often makes the roster of the national team. After serving one year as head coach, Slobodan Santrač of Yugoslavia was replaced last month by previous Jonoon coach, Guo Kanfeng. Just last week Jonoon was handed a 0-3 spanking in a pre-season friendly against 2006 and 2008 Super League Champions, Shandong Luneng Taishan, playing out of Jinan. Shandong Luneng is Jonoon’s fiercest rivalry and their annual meetings on the pitch are one of the most anticipated matches of the Super League season. They are scheduled to meet for the first time in regular season play this year on July 13th.

The rivalry between the neighboring teams stems from the early days of Luneng Football when most of their brightest players were natives of Qingdao (i.e. Li Xiaopeng and Su Maozhen). The heated rivalry has earned the title of The Qilu Derby 齐鲁德比, with roots in the Spring and Autumn Period (722-481BC) and Warring States Period (475-221BC), when Shandong was split almost down the middle by two separate kingdoms, the state of Qi/齐 and the state of Lu/鲁 – while 德比 is simply a phonetic translation of derby. During the early years of the Super League, Qingdao reigned supreme in the rivalry, but since 2004 Luneng held the Qilu Derby title up until just last year, when Qingdao regained supremacy with a 3-1 win at home.

Chip-Shot Gate

Just last September, Qingdao’s second division Hailifeng Football Club had a decent 3-0 lead over their Sichuan opponents going into the final twenty minutes of the game. The coach of Hailifeng then received word that he could increase his earnings on a bet he had placed on the game if another goal was scored, in either net. Astonishingly, he proceeded to ring up his captain on the pitch (who had illegally brought a mobile phone on to the pitch) and ordered him to see to it that the ball hit the inside of a net. What happened next has became the latest and greatest controversy in Chinese athletics. As the minutes ticked away, a few of Qingdao’s Haifeng players shamelessly attempted three own-goals to help increase their bosses winnings. The final shot from near the center of the field was a chip over his own goalie’s head, earning the scandal the title, Chip-Shot Gate (吊射门). The final attempt was followed by shouts from the audience of 假球!/Jiaqiu!/Fixed-match! For more info check out this diagram or watch this clip.

On a higher note, although greatly overshadowed by the above scandal, China recently won the East Asian championship when they upset South Korea 3-0 in Tokyo (highlights here). One last more dreary note, China won’t be making it to the World Cup in South Africa this summer as they lost their determining qualifying match to Iraq back in 2008.

Relevant Links:
Tiantai Stadium on Google Maps
Historical list of black whistles/黑哨/heishao in China
Diagram of Match Fixing Scandal involving Qingdao club

On Youku (English and Chinese Subtitles / soundtrack mostly Mandarin and a bit of Cantonese).

Looking to see vigilante justice handed down to pickpockets and hit-and-run artists on the streets of Qingdao? Look no further than The Underdog Knight’ (硬汉). This ‘Hong Kong – Mainland China co-production shot in Qingdao just a few years ago brings together a great mash-up of local landmarks and idyllic backstreets alongside some entertaining action and comedy. Within just the first few minutes there is a cross-town conglomerate of shots including ‘Old Town’ alleys, the Firetower, Number Three Beach, Liuting Airport as well as several night scenes at May 4th Square throughout.

The plot is based around the life of Lao San/Old Three (played by Liu Ye, Curse of the Golden Flower, City of Life and Death), a sailor with high prospects until he suffers brain damage from an underwater rescue. Following a forced retirement he continues to ‘serve the people’ by fighting crime on the streets alongside his adolescent look alike. The film climaxes with a hostage crisis at the Qingdao Municipal Museum as some Hong Kong triad members attempt to steal a 900-year-old sword.

Although the plot is not the most solid, and the film actually had a disappointing silver screen run, it’s worth checking out if for nothing else than the first several minutes, when it becomes obvious as to why Qingdao’s rugged, rocky charm is such a desired backdrop for feature films. We also must scoff at the lack of Qingdaohua but overall, this movie shows off Qingdao as a pretty cool place for an action movie. MI5 maybe?

Relevant Links:
The Underdog Knight on IMDB
More online reviews of The Underdog Night (硬汉).

On May 1st of last year, a local arm-chair botanist was casually strolling around the lush oasis of Zhongshan Park, when kneeling down for a rest next to a large stone-lined ditch his eyes were caught by the gleam of a polished stone. Looking closer, he noticed the polished stone was covered with Chinese characters and some ornate floral patterns. Continuing along the ditch searching for more specimens, he discovered some even contained letters from the Latin alphabet. He speculated that the pieces of stone were tombstones from the German colonial era and quickly grabbed some photos and contacted scholars at the local Academy of Social Sciences. When he got in touch with local scholar Dr. Zhang Shufeng, the seasoned historian confirmed his suspicions, and furthermore concluded that they were fragments from the rampant demolition that took place during ‘The Great Ten Year Plunder’ (十年浩劫), more commonly referred to in English as the ‘Cultural Revolution.’

The International Cemetery was set aside in 1899 for all European businesspersons, military figures and missionaries that passed away while stationed in the German concession of Tsingtao (Qingdao), and it contained the graves of several significant players in Qingdao’s colonial history.

The gravestones were originally located in the International Cemetery (Wanguo Gongmu/万国公墓) which is located on the southeastern side of Qingdao Hill. Today, the area is occupied by Baihuayuan (One Hundred Flowers Park/百花园) which consists of bronze sculptures of past Chinese intellectuals, peony flowers, and a well manicured grass lawn. There are no signs hinting at or revealing what once laid below.

Just recently, the fragments of a name on one of the tombstones discovered in the ditch at Zhongshan Park was deciphered by Dr. Wilhelm Matzat of Bonn, Germany (born in Qingdao in 1930, Matzat is one of the foremost historians on the area, and also maintains an informative website on Qingdao’s history at www.tsingtau.org). The name clearly matches that of Elisabeth Othmer (maiden name Buri), who was born on 03/28/1874 in Donaueschingen, Germany and passed away on 08/06/1920 in Qingdao, China. She was a hospital nurse and on May 17th, 1911 she married Dr. William Othmer, a man almost nine years her younger (more info in German). Dr. Othmer was the headmaster at Deutsch-Chinesische Hochschule, (German-Chinese Preparatory School) which was a middle-school or high-school of sorts, where Chinese students had to learn mostly German so they could later attend German lectures in university. He remained at this post up until 1914, when he was taken as a prisoner of war after the Japanese-led ‘Siege of Tsingtao.’ He was unable to return to Qingdao until the spring of 1920, at which point his wife’s health had deteriorated to a great degree, dying soon thereafter. Dr. Othmer later married Elisabeth’s younger sister and remained in Qingdao until 1933, when he had to return to Germany because of a serious illness.

Dr. Wilhelm Othmer had also demonstrated a mastery of Mandarin and taught Mandarin to German businessman in Qingdao. These lectures, alongside Ferdinand Lessing, eventually led the two to develop a German answer to the English-derived Wade-Giles romanization of Chinese. In other words they created German Pinyin (both Wade-Giles and German Pinyin have been replaced by Standard Pinyin since 1958).

The tombstones that line the ditch in Zhongshan Park only account for a small percentage of the many that once lined the hills on Qingdao Shan. It is thought that many were used to pave roads or even as building-stones during the Cultural Revolution (so keep your eyes open if you are in the area). A few tombstones of significant figures include those of previous Tsingtau Governor Captain Paul Jaeschke, another high ranking military official, Johannes Christ, as well as a preeminent German Sinologist/missionary, Ernst Faber. To our knowledge these have not been ‘rediscovered.’

Jaeschke

In early 1901, Paul Jaeschke was infected with either typhoid fever or typhus and later died at the Government Hospital on Jiangsu Lu at the age of fifty. Born in Breslau, Germany, the son of a banker, he had quickly climbed up through the ranks of the German Navy, and arrived in Qingdao in 1899 to fulfill his duties as a high official in German’s Far Eastern Squadron. After arriving, his health steadily declined thereafter.

His large prominent tombstone included a quarry stone base and a double-edged sword sculpture pointing towards the sky.

Christ

The second most important government official to die while in Qingdao was Major Johannes Christ. Born in Frankfurt in 1855, he died in 1902 just two years after arriving in Qingdao. Although the cause of death is unknown, it is purported that he did not adapt well to the low standards of living and hygienic standards. Supposedly after this second significant death, German officials decided to decisively upgrade hygienic services and medical treatment standards.

He was buried just below the senior ranked Jaeschke, and although they used black marble this time, the monument was built in a similar style to Jaeschke.

Faber

Ernst Faber died of typhus in 1899. A type of celebrity for Qingdao at the time, he was a prominent Sinologist, botanist and missionary. Born in Coburg, Germany in 1839, he was first sent to China as a missionary in 1864, but because of throat problems was not a very effective preacher and spent much of his time conquering Mandarin. From 1864-1899 he was endlessly collecting fauna from around China, supposedly discovering around 120 different types and his name has been preserved through the ages in a couple plant names. Supposedly he discovered the Qingdao Lily on Xiao Qingdao (小青岛) and was said to spend most of his short stay exploring the small island.

The conditions were very rough at this time; with straw roofs leaking throughout the summer, the damp homes became breeding grounds for bacteria that cause typhoid and dysentery. He died along with many other foreigners in what was a small pandemic at the time. His tombstone was much more modest than the two adjacent military officials. After he died, at his request, there was a hospital built in his name (Faber Hospital) using his life savings. Today the hospital, created for the impoverished and needy, still exists on Wending Lu, and is now called Children’s Hospital (儿童医院). One of Faber’s books, Civilization: China and Christian, first went in to print in the Spring of 1884 and by the time of his death in 1902 had already sold 54,000 copies; it is still in print today and noted as an important text on Christianity in China.

For more information on Qingdao history, contact Marcus Murphy.

Relevant Links:
Photos of other tombstone fragments at Zhongshan Park
Article about the rediscovery of the tombstones in Zhongshan Park (in Chinese)
Article about the history of Wanguo Gongmu (in Chinese)

“We were not loading ships to go home! . . . We were loading ships to go to China to repatriate the Japanese forces. That was the reason they gave, but there were other factors at hand which they didn’t tell us. These we would find out for ourselves much later. All we knew now was that we were going to a foreign land we hardly knew existed, nor did we know exactly why we were going. We made no decisions, and controlled no destinies, not even our own. We were told to pack our gear, and to load the ships. That was all we knew.”

Their destination in China was none other than Tsingtao (Qingdao), where a large U.S. Marine and Navy garrison was stationed from 1945-1948. More than 50 years later in 2002, Stephens recorded his stories from these heady times in the autobiographical Take China: The Last of the China Marines. The book is a fascinating read into a largely overlooked, yet important part of Qingdao’s short yet perplexing history.

When the U.S. Marines landed on October 15th, 1945 in Jiaozhou Bay, Stephens speaks of a reception that likely surpassed many of those occurring at the same time back home in the US: “Each and everyone there that day, without exception, babies included, held small American flags which they waved frantically.”

Over the next 300+ pages Stephens “tell(s) it how it was,” with stories of:

* sipping on Tsingtao Beer at the many lively bars, including Prime Club, Cherry Club and even New York Bar (not the same one pumping music every night on Xianggang Lu), while having to wait in line for a dance with the bar girls, and at the same time avoiding fake liquor

* various platoons of the Marines ‘adopting’ impoverished Chinese children

* physical training while hungover at Laoshan

* learning Mandarin from English missionaries who had spent the previous seven years in a Japanese concentration camp

* coming across “black marketers, dope peddlers, smugglers, derelicts and war profiteers from all over the world, [including] Russians, Frenchmen, Germans, Arabs”

* meeting China’s last surviving imperial eunuch, Sun Yaoting, in the hutongs while studying Mandarin in Beijing

* doing military police duty and chasing Marines out of bordellos – the largest one being called Ping-Pong Wooley’s which was located in a liyuan

* rescuing spy planes on the other side of the Shandong peninsula in an area controlled by Mao and the Communists

* a growing charm with Chinese civilization gained through the study of the language, and accepting its concomitant Sinicization

* and of course, romance.

Stephens found himself caught between falling in love with a stateless White Russian and a Chinese woman, in spite of the fact that, “in 1946, trying to maintain a romance with a Chinese woman was near impossible. Any serious relationship had to be clandestine. Let it be known that a Marine entertained the idea of marrying a Chinese woman and he was on the next boat back Stateside.”

After three years, Harold Stephens and the remaining U.S. Marines left Qingdao in an exit that was a far-cry from the welcoming parade they originally received upon arrival. Another major battle for Qingdao looked like a great possibility (like that in 1914 when Japan seized the colony from Germany) as Mao’s Communist forces surrounded the city, but the Americans left without any major skirmishes. According to the St. Petersburg Times, just before the American Marines evacuated at the end of 1948, there were as many as 3,600 Marines along with a 12-ship task force stationed in Qingdao. Stephens didn’t have such an easy time leaving. Just before the hasty evacuation, Stephens was sent with a crew in two jeeps to rescue some Western nuns at a convent/orphanage in Laoshan. All of his fellow cohorts on the mission were murdered by bandits (his Mandarin abilities had saved his life), while he was captured and sent to an island before making an epic escape by swimming the Yellow Sea to safety in the middle of winter.

Thirty seven years after Liberation in 1949, the U.S Navy once again docked warships in China, their first time back to Qingdao since the evacuation of the 40′s. When U.S. sailors took a shore leave in Qingdao for an evening back in 1986, they experienced a considerably more subdued welcoming, and a much improved Qingdao than that of pre-Liberation days.

Check out some more amazing photos of Qingdao during this time period at this photo archive of Life images. One picture from the list worth noting is what was called Edgewater Mansions at the time. It was originally built in 1936 with major investments coming from the US, and it was Qingdao’s earliest large scale modernistic architecture. This was supposedly where US Marine and Navy officials and their families stayed during the occupation from 1945-1948. Today it is located at 5 Huiquan Lu (汇泉路5号) and is right next to the Donghai Hotel (on Google maps here) near Beach Number 2 in Badaguan and Beach Number 1 at Huiquan Bay. The now blue-green structure serves as pretty much the only major concrete evidence of historical American influence in Qingdao.

Order your copy of Take China: The Last of the China Marines here. Pictures from Harold Stephens in Qingdao during 1945-1948 are viewable on his website. For more information, there are some excerpts from the book to be found here, and you can also view a video from CCTV coverage of Harold Stephens’ recent return to Qingdao. Finally, take a look at one more photo showing the arrival of American Marines in Qingdao harbor in 1945 from the Qingdao Municipal Archives.

By the way, if anyone is interested in helping to translate Stephens’ book into Mandarin, you can email Marcus.

Relevant Links:
Hal Stephens Official Website

Photo credits @ haroldstephens.net

FUNQ was formed in 2008 to bring the terrific game of Ultimate Frisbee (极限飞盘) to the golden beaches of Qingdao. We are basically a multi-national, multi-aged and mixed-gendered group which can be found on Shilaoren Beach tossing around the frisbee and playing pick-up games just about every Sunday during the warmer months.

Wondering what in the FUNQ is Ultimate Frisbee? Basically, it is a non-contact sport that combines the best elements of football/soccer, American football, basketball and netball, all with the fun of a flying disc. It’s a really simple sport to learn and all skill levels are more than welcome to join. Although it certainly is a competitive sport, the FUNQers pride themselves in always keeping it friendly, fun and barefoot; then there is the non-imperative closing down of a good practice by turning up some Tsingtao Beers. See this instructional video for more details about the game of Ultimate (with Chinese subtitles).

There are several great frisbee tournaments around China each year and we hope to make it to several this season. FUNQ has been racking up the Party Awards across China the past couple of years at such tournaments, and hopes to pick up a few actual ultimate frisbee competition trophies in the coming season. So if your want to join in on the fun, or just curious to see what it’s all about, come join us at Shilaoren.

If you are interested in joining, it is recommended that you get on the email list in case practice is canceled due to weather or the team being out of town for tournaments, etc. Just shoot an email to FUNQingdao@gmail.com with the subject line, “I want to FUNQ.”

Check out some highlights from a U.S. tournament.

What: Ultimate Frisbee
When:Every Sunday at 2:00 pm
Where: Shilaoren Bathing Beach (石老人海水浴场) (usually located a little east of the center of the beach, next to the tower in the team photo on this page)
Price: Free

Relevant Links:
Shilaoren Beach on Google Maps

Beijing has its venerable yet vanishing traditional courtyard style hutongs while Shanghai is home to an East-West fusion architectural type known as shikumen lilong. Lesser known yet equally unique and fascinating is an architectural form in Qingdao called liyuan.

When Germans arrived off the coast of Jiaozhou Bay in the 1890′s, only a scattering of tiny villages made up of mostly siheyuans (四合院), traditional courtyard styled homes, lined the rolling hills of what is today downtown Qingdao. The Germans, greatly driven by economic endeavors, brought long term plans for investments and construction from the early days including those for a railway, port facilities, and numerous impressive government buildings built to last. This close to overnight development of the economy attracted thousands of peasants and businessmen from all over China (with a large percentage from the local Jiaodong Peninsula), and in the early 20th century the population of Qingdao increased exponentially.

Naturally, with this rapid influx, there was a serious lack in housing facilities for both the Western (German) and Chinese immigrants. Entrepreneurs and businessman from both the mainland and overseas quickly capitalized on the real estate opportunities. German architects built grand houses and villas restricted to Westerners along the coast east of the railway station, while Chinese architects built liyuan on the periphery of the German areas, constructed earliest to the west of the railway tracks in the area known as Xizhen, then later Baodao (around the northern tip of Zhongshan Lu), and finally after the Germany colonial era, liyuan were built further north in Sifang.

A publication from 1933 called Qingdao Guide (青岛指南) claimed that in the just over 30 years from around 1898 to the early 1930′s, more than 500 liyuans were constructed, amounting to 180,000 apartments providing housing for more than 120,000 families. The liyuan was the predominant style of housing for Chinese in Qingdao during the first half of the 20th century and today many remain in full use. Some of the first owners and residents of apartments in a liyuan were military personnel and businessmen owning more than 500元.

Later, during the beginning of the 20th century, the demand for rentals was high as migrant laborers were mobile yet relatively poor, and as a result, the overall aesthetic and structural quality in liyuans set up for rental purposes was often lacking. Rent ranged from anywhere between 1-10元 a month and the sizes of the liyuan buildings also differed greatly, but most were home to around 20-30 apartments. During the construction process, methods in line with local conditions were used and this included the melding of two historically significant and yet very different architectural styles. To a large degree, traditional Chinese architecture was a guiding force, but western elements, specifically German, were clearly adopted where seen useful. Some liyuans and other buildings in Qingdao were even designed by the earliest of Chinese students who had returned from Europe. Today they are still considered a jewel representing the wisdom and ingenuity of local Qingdaonese.

The traditional courtyard housing (siheyuans) found across China shares many similarities with the liyuan, however there are also some stark differences.

A square shape and a courtyard are distinctive features of the siheyuan, and although many of Qingdao’s liyuans are square-shaped, there are also many rectangular, triangular and polygon-shaped liyuans. Sizes ranged from the largest, found on Sifang Lu, with its courtyard covering around two football fields, to the smallest, with a courtyard of around 200 square meters. The shortest liyuans reach no less than eight meters while the highest reach up to more than 20 meters high.

Traditionally, siheyuans were built with only one story, however a majority of Qingdao’s liyuans were built two stories high, with a few reaching three stories and even fewer reaching four (the one on Haipo Lu near Sifang Lu being an example of the latter). Directional alignment also differs and few follow the standard north-south and west-east alignment that can be found in many siheyuans across China. This was largely due to the fact that Qingdao is such a hilly city and streets followed an irregular twisting and turning, thus the liyuans are rarely squarely laid out in harmonious cosmic alignment.

One aspect in which the liyuan and siheyuan share a similar appearance is the courtyard in the center surrounded by living quarters. On the periphery of liyuan courtyards are covered porches, mostly used as a walkway but also for storage. The banisters, columns and eaves of these porches were often delicately detailed with typical Chinese patterns of that day, many of which are still well preserved today. Another similarity with traditional courtyard architecture of China is the construction of a ‘privacy’ wall (zhaobi, 照壁), which sits just inside the main gate and serves to block the view from the outside.

These were often decorated with auspicious Chinese characters and some still remain intact today. A majority of the entrances for the liyuans are arched passageways while a few are a rectangular shape. Qingdaonese called these entrances damendong (大门洞), or big door tunnel. Most liyuans only contained one of these tunnel shaped entrances and as a result they were regarded as rather safe. One simply had to close the large door to shut out the chaos of the outside, and a liyuan became its own little independent kingdom in a sense. It is said that people normally left their apartment doors unlocked as honesty reigned on the inside.

There was a visible integration of aesthetic details and amenities coming from abroad. The traditional black roof tiles were replaced by leak-proof red ones, matching the German buildings. For the windows, paper, which was still used in many homes across China, was replaced my glass, making it easier to air out the home and receive more sunlight. Western patterns and classical architectural details were adopted largely for the outside of buildings including steel latticed gates and staircases. There were also electrical lighting, phone, tap water and plumbing systems coming from the west. Still, there were many Chinese features to the buildings. A vast majority of the Chinese immigrants that came to Qingdao were from Jiaodong Peninsula (also known as the Shandong Peninsula and roughly includes the modern regions of Weihai, Yantai and Qingdao), and they brought along with them many of their customs and traditions.

The furnishing and decorations found inside the liyuans closely resembled those found back in their old villages and hometowns. Many residents built traditional stoves and even kang beds (the heat from cooking was piped under the beds and served to keep the beds warm during the winter). Both firewood and coal were burned for heat and cooking and today they are still the sole source of fuel for many residents. Chinese residents also brought along stools, tables, wardrobes and cupboards, and today many liyuans are a treasure trove of antique furnishings.

From the end of the 19th century until the 1920′s and 1930′s a large percentage of Chinese residents were very mobile. Migrant laborers would often return to their villages during the busy farming seasons. Many of these migrant laborers became entrepreneurs and would bring their crops and wares from the rural areas to sell in the city, and so they not only needed a place to live, but also to store and sell their goods. The liyuan was also crafted for this function; stores were set up on the outside lining the streets, people stored their goods in the courtyard and then rested their heads in the rooms above. During the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937-1945) and War of Liberation (1945-1949) Qingdao served as a sanctuary from the devastating conditions in rural areas of Shandong and other parts of China.

From 1937 to 1947 the population almost doubled from around 400,000 to more than 700,000. The real estate market was unable to meet the sharp increase in demand, thus the city became very crowded and shanty towns popped up all over town, including inside the courtyards of liyuans. Inversely the quality in architecture and standard of living dropped as the liyuans were transformed. Much of the woodwork and paint fell into disrepair as landlords could not keep up with rapid inflation, and concrete was used in place of decorative wood. A large part of the elegance these special buildings once possessed was lost.

The word li in liyuan (里) is today most often translated as ‘in’ or ‘inside,’ but in ancient times it was used to describe a neighborhood or community.

People from all walks of life coming together and living together communally was described as a li. It was also used as an organizational unit for governmental purposes and most often around 15 families would make up one li. So it is both fitting and interesting that Qingdao residents upheld this traditional title as a name for the unique architecture that arose here. The second character in liyuan, yuan (院), is defined as a courtyard. Each separate liyuan also developed unique symbolic and celebratory names such as Qingshanli (Celebrate Vituosity Li), Guangheli (Broad Peace Li), and Ruitaili (Auspiciousness to the Highest Li). People often felt a very strong sense of loyalty to their liyuans and in a situation where they would have to announce their familial setup, proudly giving the name of their liyuan sufficed without need to announce the street name or number.

Many liyuans have fallen to the same fate of lilongs in Shanghai and hutongs in Beijing, and it is estimated only around 50 liyuans remain. However, it does appear the local government is aware of their remaining value, whether it lies in tourism or in preserving the soul of a city and its people, as many are supposedly protected from development. In 2008, they even put a polishing touch on one of the more famous liyuans, known as Pichaiyuan, always famous for its local food and night entertainment including opera and cross-talk, all of which can still be found today.

It is easy for an outsider to look in through the tunnel entrance and over-romanticize the ethereal appearance of laundry strung over the sunny courtyard or a glimpse of a grandfather cutting wood with his grandson, but it’s true that many of the current residents would jump at the chance to move into a brand new sky-rise apartment, east of the ‘Old Town’. Yet, it’s hard not to believe that they must hold an inkling of regret or at least nostalgia after they do so, as theirs is certainly a more intimate and communal lifestyle that is being lost.

Relevant Links:
Liyuan Photos on Qingdao Shanshui 山水 Flickr

According to the video, Tsingtao Beer can cure rheumatism, intestinal diseases, and is considered to be the ‘bread of a liquid diet’. The clip appears to be a collection of several commercials, or just one long one, and likely was recorded in the early 1950′s. It also includes an amazing view of Qingdao’s skyline when St. Michael’s Cathedral still dominated. Oh, and Laoshan is said to be covered with rainforest, which is news to us!

Check out the transcription of the Mandarin to English translation of the audio below (translation by Marcus Murphy with special thanks to Josh Zhao for proofreading and translation assistance).

1950′s Tsingtao Beer Advertisement

00:07
Correct, Qingdao really is a garden metropolis, but inside this garden metropolis there is also an outstanding industrial area. Home to the largest brewery in the Far East, none other than Tsingtao Brewery.

00:31
Let’s think about the origin of Tsingtao while we drink. First we’ll take a look at what ingredients are used. This is Laoshan, which lies in the northeast corner of Qingdao. The rolling hills are strategically important terrain and difficult to access. The peaks reach high into the sky and the canyons are very deep. An old saying goes, “Taishan may be taller but it doesn’t overtop the magnificence of Laoshan on the East China Sea.”

00:52
From here you can go to the peak and look at the rainforest vegetation. All of the water has fallen from the sky. Tsingtao Beer is actually brewed with this spring water.

1:11
Besides spring water there is another important ingredient, barley. The best barley is chosen and then cleaned and sent to the production department.

1:31
The barley mash is mixed with water and then boiled in a large stirring pot.

1:39
Characters = Contains minerals and vitamin B.

1:42
Then the mash is left to cool down and ferment. After this the basic production is finished. The beer is left in a sub-zero temperature basement for two months so that quality will not be compromised.

2:03
The fermented beer is then filtered, and the cleanliness is preserved. The characteristic of Tsingtao that stands out the most is the flavor. The flavoring comes from these hops.

2:22
Once the beer has been successfully brewed, the second important step is filling the bottles.

This is an automatic filling machine, which both sterilizes and cleans the bottles. The employees of the brewery all have backgrounds in Economic and Scientific Management. After the bottles are cleaned, they are automatically filled with beer. Everyday the factory produces around 200,000 bottles. Then they are inspected and the last step is to add the labels.

3:02
As the boxes come out one by one on the conveyor belt, they are stacked together before being prepared for delivery. From the factory, large quantities are sent out by trucks, trains, planes and steamship to both domestic markets and faraway countries.

3:36
Tsingtao Beer is stylish all over China. Everyday hundreds of crates are delivered to every corner of Shanghai. Sales increase day by day. You might ask why? It’s because Tsingtao Beer can increase ones appetite and stimulate the spleen, moreover it can even cure beriberi, rheumatism and intestinal or stomach diseases.

4:00
All the stores are busy and everybody is asking for Tsingtao Beer, proving Tsingtao really is popular and the quality is great. Why? Because Tsingtao Beer is the bread of a liquid diet.

4:33
Tsingtao is such a hit everywhere. Why? Number 1, it’s rich with minerals and vitamin B. Not only is it harmless, but moreover it strengthens the body, and even increases ones appetite and stimulates the spleen, moreover it can even cure beriberi, rheumatism and intestinal or stomach diseases. Number 2, Tsingtao Beer tastes very mellow and pure with a subtle pleasing aroma. Those with a higher tolerance can put them down rather fast, while those with a lower tolerance might want to drink less quickly and just slowly try a glass at first.
Or just enjoy its aromatic fragrance if nothing else.

5:15
It doesn’t matter what place, store or restaurant or hotel you go to, you will always be able to find a Tsingtao Beer. Within the household, it’s an essential beverage when hosting guests. When in public places it’s an essential beverage that everybody asks for. Tsingtao Beer really is the bread of a liquid diet. It quenches your thirst and is nutritious. One should often drink Tsingtao. Not only is it harmless, moreover it strengthens the body. Cup in hand, it’s infinitely enjoyable.

Relevant Links:
Official Tsingtao Beer Website
Quaff a Chinese Lager at the Tsingtao Beer Brewery
Youku

Skiing in Qingdao’s Backyard: Jimo

Tiantai Holiday Hot Spring and Ski Resort 天泰假日温泉滑雪场
Being the closest to Qingdao, it’s a convenient and easy day trip, but with only two slight slopes of 350m and 240m long, Tiantai is more geared towards beginners, or those just looking to get some fresh air and share some laughs. Both slopes are equipped with platter-pulls, but walking may be a quicker option if lines are long, as they tend to be on weekends. The gear available (including skis, snowboards, boots and snowsuits) is basic and in decent condition. The season begins in December and should last until the end of February and possibly into March, depending on weather conditions.

After skiing at Tiantai you can loosen up your loins in the afternoon at a couple of hot spring resorts in the area. Kylin Hot Springs Resort is one of the better known resorts and they have everything from milk and mud baths, to pools filled with minnows that nip away at your dead skin. 98 yuan (RMB) will award you with an hour and a half of bathing time. Call ahead for more info: 8657-8888.

There is a shuttle bus that runs from Jusco which costs 30 yuan (RMB) round-trip if you purchase Tiantai Ski tickets beforehand. The trip takes a little more than an hour from downtown Qingdao. The bus price triples if you have not previously purchased ski passes. These trips may include stop-overs at hot-springs as well as a place to grab lunch. The number to order bus and ski tickets is 150-9223-1208. See here for more information on ticket prices (in Chinese). Contact Qingdao Shanshui 山水 Adventures for additional information or help setting up a trip.

Skiing in Qingdao’s Neighbor, Qingzhou

Tuoshan Ski Resort 驼山滑雪场
Qingzhou, located just west of Qingdao, is a historical town bordered to the southwest by mountains which are home to some of the earliest Buddhist relics found in northern China. Now you can find one of Shandong’s best ski resorts amongst their slopes. The resort is around 5 km outside of town and the slopes are a bit steeper and longer than Tiantai. Getting a train to Qingzhou and then a taxi or bus to Tuoshan is probably your best option for getting there. If you get bored after a morning of skiing, head over and visit the municipal museum and see the Lost Buddhas of Qingzhou (photos), half of which are currently circling the globe and being exhibited in some of the world’s best museums. Link here for more information on ski prices at Qingzhou.

Skiing in Qingdao’s Big Brother, Jinan

Crouching Tiger Mountain Ski Resort 卧虎山滑雪场
We don’t know much about this place other than they claim to have the widest ski slope in China, and well, it’s called Crouching Tiger, which is cool in itself!

Jinxiang Shan 金象山滑雪场Supposedly
Shandong’s best, but it’s likely all of the above mentioned resorts would be better enjoyed by snow-bunnies and butt-draggers, while shredders and rippers should probably look further than Shandong to get their white powder fix.

Skiing Further Away from Qingdao

Duolemeidi Mountain Resort 多乐美地度假山庄
Located 226 kilometers northwest of Beijing, the first foreign invested ski resort in China is named Duolemeidi (a Mandarin transliteration of The Dolomites). Home to China’s finest and fastest ski lift as well as nicely groomed slopes and facilities, Duolemeidi makes for a perfect weekend getaway from Qingdao. There are seven slopes in total, two of which are over 1,500 meters long and plans for many more. They also have world-class ski equipment and the staff and services are very accommodating, including English speaking staff. Don’t miss the Glühwein (warm, spiced red-wine), hot-pot and pizza at the lodge. Getting away for the weekend is simple, head up to Beijing on Friday, catch the shuttle from around the third ring road, ski Saturday all day and Sunday morning than prepare to head back to Qingdao Sunday afternoon. Accommodations can be reserved for any time of the week, and ladies ski for free on Wednesday. See here for more information.

Nanshan Ski Resort 南山滑雪场
A little closer to Beijing is Nanshan, a snowboarding haven which hosted the Eighth Red Bull Nanshan Open. Given its proximity to Beijing, supposedly lines are the norm on weekends.

Yabuli Ski Resort 亚布力滑雪旅游度假区
A few hours outside of Haerbin by train, it is China’s largest ski resort and the training grounds for China’s Olympic ski team. Be prepared for a few days of travel and unless things have changed in recent years, loud techno pumping in your ears on the lifts and then squatter toilets up top. Also, snow making abilities may be an issue at times, so double check conditions beforehand.

Relevant Links:
Kylin Hot Springs Resort
Crouching Tiger Mountain Ski Resort 卧虎山滑雪场
Jinxiang Shan 金象山滑雪场
Duolemeidi Mountain Resort 多乐美地度假山庄
Nanshan Ski Resort 南山滑雪场
Yabuli Ski Resort 亚布力滑雪旅游度假区
Qingdao Adventures Skiing & Snowboarding Photos

Photo Credits @ Qingdao Adventures

Some find the heavy tongued accent of Qingdaohua (Qingdao dialect) either a bit comforting, funny, or frightening at first, but once you dig in there certainly is a unique and rich flavor as delicious as a plate of la gala (spicy clams) washed down with a shot of sanpi (draft beer). Though not too far off from standard Mandarin (Putonghua, literally common language), whose modern origins are based around Beijinghua, there are some clear differences which serve as insightful reflections on the colorful history of this relatively young city.

Qingdaohua belongs to the Jiaoliao Mandarin (胶辽官话) dialect, which is spoken primarily on the Shandong Peninsula (aka Jiaodong 胶东 Penisula) and across the Bohai Sea on Liaodong 辽东 Peninsula, which includes Dalian. However, differences within the Jiaoliao dialect are vast, and the same goes for Qingdaohua itself. From the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) on, there were a scattering of small seaports and fishing villages in what is today’s downtown Qingdao (i.e. Shinan District). Accents varied over the short distance from Tuandao to Fushansuo and today these distinctions can be heard from one area of town to the next by a very keen listener. Out at Laoshan, a fisherman from one side of the mountain might even have trouble negotiating bayu / 鲅鱼 (mackerel) prices with a villager from the other side. Besides the homegrown roots of pre-colonial era China, it is said that a small part of the colloquial accents and lexicon of modern Qingdaohua were retained from Deutsche after the German colony ended in 1914.

Qingdaohua Tutorial

German Roots:
A sewer manhole cover is xiàshuǐdào kǒu de pánzi / 下水道口的盘子 in standard Mandarin. In Qingdaohua it is called a gǔlìgài / 古力盖, likely derived from the German word gully. Some people familiar with Qingdaohua claim that young girl: xiao manr / 小曼儿 (which is the QIngdaohua equivalent of Putonghua’s xiǎo nǚháir / 小女孩儿 or xiǎo gūniɑng / 小姑娘) may have come from the German equivalent Mädchen, though this connection is not as clear as for gully.

Accent and Tones:
Qingdaohua often exchanges or adds a th sound in place of sh, x or s sounds, and a hard g sound is often thrown in after an n sound, as well as the arr sound after an a sound that is common in Beijinghua. Other patterns discernible in Qingdaohua:

- the short a vowel sound replaces the shwa e sound, as in gala for geli (clam), ha instead of he (drink), and gabei in place of gebe (arm)
- words such as tui and dui (leg and correct) drop the pursed lips w sound just before the oo sound of the middle u
- the ow sound heard in Mandarin, as at the end of Qingdao, becomes a more direct oh sound, as in biao (stupid)

As for those troublesome tones, it’s commonly held that the fourth tone predominates in Qingdaohua. To overcome your tone troubles just speak fast, use a lot of fourth tones, throw in some pirate-esque arrr and a few fluid th sounds and you will be speaking like a Qīngdǎoyín in no time.

Common Phrases and Words:
Qingdaohua = hā / 哈
Putonghua = hē / 喝
English = drink
Example: Let’s go drink some beer at the beach. / 我们到海滩去哈一点儿啤酒吧. / Wǒmen dào hǎitān qù hā yìdiǎnr píjiǔ bā.

Qingdaohua = yín / 银
Putonghua = rén / 人
English = person
I am Qingdaonese! 我是青岛银! / Wǒ shì qīngdǎoyín!

Qingdaohua = Biāozǐ / 婊子
Putonghua = shǎ / 傻
English = stupid
Is he really that stupid or is he just acting? / 他是装膘子还是真膘子? / Tā shì zhuāng biāozǐ háishì zhēn biāozǐ?

Yo! Qingdao Raps!

Qingdaohua also lends itself well to rapping. There are a couple of Qingdaonese who have had been instrumental in spreading the sounds of their local dialect in this increasingly popular musical genre in China. Check out Shazhou (沙洲), one of Qingdao’s more well-known rappers. He spits rhymes about the realities of growing up and being influenced by the myriad of changes happening at a break-neck pace around him in a rapidly modernized Chinese city. Shazhou represents for Qingdao on an episode of Sexy Beijing with Sophie Lowenstein. Xiaoqiang (小强) is another Qingdao native who lays his Qingdaohua rhymes to some funky, funny, up-beat tunes. He’s hosted a series of videos on Qingdao cultural and scenic spots for QTV, viewable online on Youku.

Relevant Links:
Qingdao Dialect on Wikipedia
Qingdao Dialect Intro (Chinese)

Photo Credit: uncorneredmarket.com