Three Thousand Years of Weihai

Weihai has a long history and a rich cultural heritage. As early as the Neolithic Age, primitive peoples lived and thrived here. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the Lai people established the City of Evernight, marking the beginning of the region's earliest urban culture. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the First Emperor summoned scholars to Wenshan, while Zheng Xuan farmed as a guest in Donglai, and a reverence for literature and learning took root across the region. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Chishan Port and Rushan Port were important seaports for trade between China, Japan, and Silla, and cultural exchanges with foreign lands flourished. During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, Wang Chongyang founded the Quanzhen school of Taoism, leaving many temple ruins throughout the Weihai area. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Weihai Guard was established and the Beiyang Fleet was formed, making the region a key coastal defense stronghold. After the humiliation of the First Sino-Japanese War and the British lease of Weihai, the people of Weihai waged a long and arduous struggle to resist foreign aggression and win national independence and the people's liberation. This book offers a comprehensive account of three thousand years of Weihai's natural, political, economic, social, and cultural history and development.