Shandong



Shandong (山东 Shāndōng) is a province in China. Also referred to as Chiloo (齐鲁 Qilu), The Giant State (Shandong people are known to be the tallest in the country), and the hometown of Confucius.

The name means east of the mountains. Shandong is a coastal province situated by the Bohai Sea to the north and the Yellow Sea to the south. The Yellow River runs through the province.

Main attractions are Qufu (the birthplace of Confucius), Mount Tai (holy mountain in Chinese belief, the most climbed mountain in China), Qingdao (nice port city with beaches and German buildings) and Yantai (holiday city with lots of European buildings). The capital, Jinan (a city of springs where water and willows are famous), is renowned for its artesian springs and serves as a transport hub for the region.

Cities

 * 济南- the capital
 * 泰安- the town established because of Mt. Tai
 * 青岛- or Tsingtao the largest city, former German concession, home of Tsingtao Brewery
 * 曲阜 - the birthplace of Confucius
 * 威海 - or Port Edward a seaside resort at the eastern end of the peninsula. Formerly, a British naval base.
 * 烟台 - or Chipoo, holiday city with beaches
 * 邹城  -  the birthplace of Mencius
 * 德州
 * 东营
 * 菏泽
 * 济宁
 * 莱芜 - smallest city in Shandong Province
 * 莱西
 * 莱阳
 * 临沂
 * 青州
 * 日照 - seaport city south of Qingdao
 * 潍坊
 * 淄博
 * 枣庄
 * 枣庄

Other destinations

 * (泰山 Tàishān)
 * (临沂 Línyí— Former residence of Wang Xizhi.
 * (蓬莱 Pénglái) — Coastal resort, home to Penglai Pagoda, one of the Four Great Towers of China.

Climate
Shandong has a temperate climate: humid continental (Köppen Dwa); it is bordering humid subtropical (Cwa under the Köppen climate classification) in the south. Generally, summers are hot (typical max 35°C) and rainy (except for eastern parts of Jiaodong Peninsula (typical max 28°C) and Mount Tai (typical max 20°C)), while winters are cold and dry. Average temperatures are −9 to 1 °C (16 to 34 °F) in January and 18 to 28 °C (64 to 82 °F) in July. Annual precipitation is 550 to 950 mm (22 to 37 in), the vast majority of which occurs during summer, due to monsoonal influences.

By plane
There are a few major international airports including Jinan Yaoqiang Airport, Qingdao Liuting Airport, Yantai Penglai Airport, and Weihai Dashuipo Airport.

By train

 * High-speed trains provide regular service from Beijing and Shanghai to cities including Jinan, Taian, Dezhou, Qufu and Zaozhuang. An average travel time is 2 hrs.
 * Regular train services provide links between pretty much anywhere else in China to almost any city and town in Shandong Province.