From Kites to Nobel Prizes: Why Does Weifang, Shandong Always Reach for the Sky?
Among the cities in Shandong, Qingdao, Jinan, and Yantai are the most well-known to outsiders, while other cities including Weifang are rarely familiar to non-locals.
▲ The "Eye of the Bohai" Ferris wheel in the Binhai New Area of Weifang. Photo/VCG
The popular singer Rihanna from across the ocean has a nickname on the Chinese internet: "Shandong's Heavenly Queen." Due to homophonic puns, her album and single titles have taken on a Shandong flavor:
Talk That Talk—"Huashuo Liaocheng," Where Have You Been—"Weihai Youbing," Towards The Sun—"Zhida Rizhao," Fool In Love—"Fulin Laiwu," You Da One—"Yantai Yiwen," Do Ya Thang—"Dongying Xiaoshi," and the most astonishing one is—
We Found Love
Before being associated with Rihanna, Weifang's most famous label was kites. The Weifang International Kite Festival, held continuously for nearly 40 years since 1984, has elevated Weifang from the "Kite Capital of China" to the "Kite Capital of the World."
▲ At the 2018 Weifang International Kite Festival, various kites "vied for attention." Photo/VCG
Every year at the kite festival, thousands of giant kites with wildly creative designs soar into the sky, turning it into a "magical city in the air": Ultraman vs. Nezha, Sun Wukong vs. Superman, the Eight Immortals vs. the Journey to the West pilgrimage team—deities and demons of different nationalities and styles appear in the same sky. At this time, "Why don't you go to the sky?" becomes a greeting among Weifang locals.
Beyond kites, what kind of place is Weifang really?
Between Mountains and Seas, Advantageously Situated
In terms of area, it ranks second in the province, covering over 16,000 square kilometers, slightly smaller than Beijing. In terms of population, it ranks third in the province, reaching 9.35 million, surpassing the provincial capital, Jinan.
▲ Weifang's population and area both rank among the top three in Shandong. Chart/Wu Pan
Is Weifang's location advantageous? Quite advantageous!
It is situated at the junction of the Shandong Peninsula and the inland part of Shandong, connecting east and west. It borders the open frontiers Qingdao and Yantai to the east and the industrial base Zibo and provincial capital Jinan to the west.
▲ Weifang is located between the mountains and the sea, and between Jinan and Qingdao. Chart/F50BB
From a broader geopolitical perspective, to the left of Weifang lies the heartland of agrarian civilization; to the right lies the forefront of maritime civilization. This location gives Weifang a geographically advantageous position of being "between two stools."
Beyond its famous kites, its majestic landscapes are often overlooked.
If Weifang were compared to a painting, its composition can be divided into three main scenes: the mountainous southern region with layered green peaks, the vast central plains, and the northern coastal area with endless yellow sands.
▲ Weifang has both mountains and sea. Chart/Shi Rui
Weifang's terrain is generally higher in the south and lower in the north. The hilly and mountainous southern region, accounting for about one-third of the area, is the "meeting point" of Shandong's two famous mountains—Mount Tai and Mount Lao. The Tai Mountain range stretches from west to east, creating the rugged peaks in southwestern Weifang. The Mount Lao range from the shores of the Yellow Sea winds from the southeast, forming the undulating hills in this area.
Between these two famous mountains lies another sibling: Mount Yi. Mount Yi is no ordinary mountain—it was once one of the "Five Great Mountains," known as the Eastern Town, comparable to the Five Great Peaks, and also called "Little Dongyue." Its main peak, like Mount Tai, is named "Jade Emperor Summit."
▲ Yuhuangding, the highest peak of Mount Yi, is located in Linqu County, Weifang City. / VCG
Yuhuangding, at an altitude of 1,032 meters, together with the surrounding peaks, forms the "Roof of Weifang," creating a natural barrier for the birth of civilization. While the Shandong Plain is largely flat and densely populated, with a forest coverage rate of only 18.24%, the core area of Mount Yi is covered with dense forests in its undulating mountainous hills, reaching a surprising forest coverage rate of 98.6%. It stands as a "green island" rising in central Shandong.
From south to north, beyond the deep valleys and lush forests of the southern mountainous area, vast plains suddenly open up. Four major rivers—the Wei River, Mi River, Bailang River, and Zi River—along with hundreds of tributaries at various levels, flow out from the southern mountains, continuously eroding and depositing sediment to form the expansive alluvial plain in central and eastern Weifang. This area, covering 6,597 square kilometers and accounting for 41.6% of the city's total area, serves as a cradle for urban and rural settlements.
▲ The Bailang River flows through the urban area of Weifang. Photo by Qilu LaojiangSino, / Tuchong Creativity
The Bailang River, running north-south through the city, is the mother river of Weifang's main urban area. Another important river, the Wei River, anciently known as Weishui, is the birthplace of the Dongyi culture during the Neolithic period. It nourishes Ju County and Wulian in Rizhao, as well as Zhucheng, Anqiu, and Changyi in Weifang. The middle reaches of the Wei River are home to the Xia Shan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in Shandong Province.
▲ Fanyin Pond in the mountainous area of Qingzhou City. / VCG
Many people are unaware that Weifang is also a city with a sea, boasting a coastline of over 140 kilometers and a sea area of 1,421 square kilometers.
Situated between mountains and sea, Weifang embodies and condenses the entire topography of Shandong: the harmony of coastal, mountainous, and plain areas gives it both the charm of Qi culture and the soul of Lu culture.
A "Patchwork" City: Ancient or Young?
Reviewing thousands of years of historical changes, we find that the growth and development of the Weifang region is a history almost without an absolute center; the territory of Weifang is also a map constantly divided and reassembled.
▲ A bird's-eye view of Weifang. Photo by Peter Haifeng, / Tuchong Creativity
For a long time, areas such as Qingzhou and Shouguang in the west of present-day Weifang City and Zhucheng and Gaomi in the east belonged to different administrative regions. In contrast, Weixian, the predecessor of Weifang's main urban area, was rather peripheral.
Before 1949, there was no such place name as "Weifang" in the world—"Wei" comes from the ancient and long-standing Weixian, while "Fang" is taken from Fangzi Town, which developed due to railway trade. Just like its name, this vast new administrative region was split and "pieced together" based on traditional administrative divisions.
▲ Fangzi, which prospered due to the railway, has become part of Weifang's urban area. Photo by Qiuying Suifeng, / Tuchong Creativity
During the Qin Dynasty, most of present-day Weifang was under the jurisdiction of Jiaodong Commandery, Qi Commandery, and Langya Commandery. Starting from the Western Han Dynasty, Qingzhou became the administrative center of Weifang and even eastern Shandong. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Murong De, a Xianbei and ancestor of Murong Fu from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," established the Southern Yan Dynasty and set its capital in Guanggu City, Qingzhou, making it the only "imperial capital" in Shandong's history.
From the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Haidai region centered around Qingzhou was an important center for the spread of Buddhism in Shandong and even northern China. The Longxing Temple Buddhist statues unearthed in the 1990s, as well as the grotto complexes in Tuo Mountain, Yunmen Mountain, and Shimenfang, are direct witnesses to this.
▲ A marvel in Qingzhou: "The Buddha is a mountain, the mountain is a Buddha." Photo by Liu Changjun, / Tuchong Creativity
In the Northern Song Dynasty, the area of Weifang was divided among Qing, Wei, and Mi prefectures under the Eastern Jingdong Road. During the Ming Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou and Laizhou prefectures, and in the Qing Dynasty, it belonged to Qingzhou, Laizhou, and Yizhou prefectures.
Throughout historical changes, the political, economic, and cultural center of Weifang has also continuously evolved.
Qingzhou was once the central city of the Weifang region and even eastern Shandong. As one of the ancient Nine Provinces, "Qingzhou" was not just the name of a city but covered a vast area stretching from Mount Tai in the west to the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea in the east. From the Han Dynasty to the early Ming Dynasty, the location of present-day Qingzhou City served as the central city of eastern Shandong for 1,600 years. Even in the Ming Dynasty, the scale of Qingzhou Prefecture's city still exceeded that of Jinan Prefecture's city.
▲ Ancient City of Qingzhou. Photo/VCG
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China era, Weixian—whose political, economic, and cultural status had previously been far inferior to Qingzhou (Yidu)—developed into a major hub of handicrafts, industry, and commerce north of the Yangtze River. During the Qianlong period, the saying "Suzhou in the south, Weixian in the north" emerged. Zheng Banqiao, who once served as the county magistrate of Weixian, praised it thus:
"Even at midnight, lanterns remain lit; jade-like delicacies and golden dishes fill the market towers.
Beyond the clouds, clear songs; beyond the flowers, flute music—Weizhou was ever a little Suzhou."
Clearly, the thriving Weixian was becoming the economic and trade center of the region at that time.
Through the turbulence of modern history, the Changwei Prefecture—established here due to the natural terrain of mountains and rivers—became the predecessor of modern Weifang City. After briefly being stationed in Yidu (now Qingzhou City), the administrative seat of Changwei Prefecture moved to the prospering Weixian, now known as Weicheng District.
▲ Kuiwen Gate, one of the ancient city gates of Weixian. Photo/VCG
Weifang, a name derived from combining "Weicheng" and "Fangzi," continuously integrated and blended diverse cultural circles from successive dynasties. This unique "life experience" has made it a city that never lacks traditional heritage while always being ready to embrace new trends.
How "Decentralized" is Weifang?
The "decentralized" nature of regional economy and culture is most typical in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In Shandong, Weifang’s degree of decentralization is no less than that of Jiangsu and Zhejiang: although its main urban area originated from Weixian, known as "Little Suzhou," it was only a county-level entity and paled in cultural depth compared to its subordinate cities like Zhucheng and Qingzhou.
▲ The county-level city of Shouguang is even more well-known than Weifang. Photo/VCG
Shouguang and Zhucheng are frequent contenders on the list of "China's Top 100 Economic Counties." Much like Yiwu to Jinhua, Wuzhen to Jiaxing, and Yixing to Wuxi, these powerful county-level entities have a presence no less—or even greater—than their superior city, Weifang.
Compared to many "stars surrounding the moon"-type cities, Weifang is more like a grand chessboard unfolding slowly, where each city shines like stars in the sky, each with its own distinct strengths.
▲ Ancient City of Qingzhou at night. Photo/VCG
Qingzhou, the first historically and culturally renowned city in Shandong, boasts a 5,000-year civilization history and over 2,000 years of city-building. Despite weathering centuries of changes, the layout of the ancient city of Qingzhou remains intact. Li Qingzhao and Zhao Mingcheng spent joyful times here; it is also the hometown of Han Xizai, the central figure in "The Night Revels of Han Xizai," and Xing Jie, a hero who resisted Japanese pirates.
Shouguang, renowned as the "Land of Vegetables" domestically and internationally—its fluctuations directly impact the stability of the 1.4 billion people’s "vegetable basket." The vegetable-growing基因 of Shouguang people likely dates back to ancient times: over 1,500 years ago, Jia Sixie, born in Shouguang, authored the monumental agricultural work "Qimin Yaoshu."
▲ Shouguang Vegetable Greenhouse Expo. Photo/VCG
Changle is a world-famous source of sapphires. China accounts for 60% of the world’s sapphire deposits, and Changle holds 90% of the nation’s sapphire resources. The large size and superior quality of Changle sapphires amaze the world, earning them the reputation "China Blue" in the gemstone industry.
▲ Changle possesses some of the finest sapphires in China and even the world. Photo/VCG
Zhucheng is a place that no version of Chinese literary and art history can bypass. It is the hometown of Zhang Zeduan, the copyright holder of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," and also where Su Shi wrote "River Town: Ten Years Dead and Living Dim and Draw," "River Town: Hunting in Mizhou," and "Prelude to Water Melody: How Long Will the Full Moon Appear?" These three ci poems, each distinct in style and profound in emotion, can almost represent half of the masterpieces of Song dynasty ci poetry.
▲ Zhucheng, anciently known as Mizhou, was where Su Shi "rekindled his youthful fervor." Photo/ Andy and Reed, Image/ Tuchong Creativity
Gaomi, the hometown of Mo Yan—winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature—and the inspiration for his novel *Red Sorghum*. Just like Lu Xun’s Shaoxing or Lao She’s Beijing, Mo Yan’s nostalgia is forever rooted in "Northeast Gaomi Township." On the world map, almost no one can immediately pinpoint Gaomi’s location; but because of Mo Yan, on the literary world map, Gaomi is a sacred place of literature for many.
▲ China’s only Nobel laureate in Literature, Guan Moye, is from Weifang. Image/ Visual China Group
How elegant is the "Little Suzhou"?
In the late Qing Dynasty, after the Grand Canal in western Shandong silted up, the coastal cities of Yantai and Qingdao opened as ports, and the Jiaoji and Jinpu Railways were constructed. The era of canal transport gave way to the age of maritime shipping and railways, making eastern Shandong the economic center of the province and even northern China. Weifang seized the opportunity and once again became a bustling commercial port.
▲ Weifang, a place of cultural brilliance and talent. Illustration/ Shi Rui
Built on a foundation of prosperous economy, Weifang’s culture has flourished far and wide. Its two most important cultural icons are kites and woodblock New Year prints. Originating in the Ming Dynasty, Yangjiabu woodblock prints once adorned the Spring Festival celebrations of millions of households across China. The long-standing tradition of kite-making has turned Weifang into the "Kite Capital," and it is now the permanent headquarters of the International Kite Federation.
▲ Making Yangjiabu woodblock New Year prints in Weifang. Photo/ Hou Heliang
Some say: Give the people of Weifang a string, and they can send the whole world flying into the sky. At the Weifang International Kite Festival, giant kites shaped like aircraft carriers, Thanos, Superman, and many other forms are launched—not only writing a new cultural chapter for kites but also reflecting the bold and ambitious spirit of Weifang’s people.
▲ Traditional handmade kites mainly feature classical themes. Photo/ Hou Heliang
The landmark in Zhang Zeduan’s *Along the River During the Qingming Festival* is the Rainbow Bridge in Bianliang (Kaifeng). Few know that its architectural prototype came from Qingzhou, not far from Zhang Zeduan’s hometown of Zhucheng. This work by a Weifang native was revered by many Jiangnan painters; later works such as *Prosperous Suzhou* and Qiu Ying’s version of *Along the River During the Qingming Festival* all drew inspiration from Zhang’s masterpiece.
▲ Replica of the Rainbow Bridge from *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*, Shihu Garden, and Ouyuan. Image 1, 3/ Visual China Group; Image 2 Photo/ Qiuying Suifeng, Image/ Tuchong Creativity
Weifang’s connection with Jiangnan goes even further.
Although located in the northern hinterland, the areas of Qingzhou and Weixian have never lacked the charm of Jiangnan. Weifang’s Shihu Garden, known as the "No. 1 Private Garden North of the Yangtze," features ponds, artificial hills, and waterside layouts, blending the rigorous order of northern gardens with the delicate elegance of Jiangnan-style gardens. Not far from ancient Weixian, in the old town of Qingzhou, lies another beautiful garden, "Ouyuan." Though small, it encompasses one hill, one hall, two streams, two gates, three bridges, three pavilions, four ponds, and five towers—capturing the essence of Jiangnan gardens.
Why is the fourth city the "Backbone of Shandong"?
Unlike the traditional impression of Shandong people, Weifang residents are not particularly "conservative." They embrace innovation and entrepreneurship.
▲ Nightscape of Weifang city. Image/ Visual China Group
The business acumen of Weifang people first arose from the benefits of fishing and salt along the Bohai Sea. Since pre-Qin times, Weifang—straddling both Qi and Lu—has been a production base for iron and sea salt, and the concept of "valuing commerce" took shape early on. In the late Qing and early Republican eras, the people of Weixian used their ingenuity to embark on early industrialization, excelling in textiles, copper smelting, commerce, freight transport, and banking.
▲ Aerial view of the Laizhou Bay salt fields in the Bohai Sea. Photo/ Hou Heliang
Today’s Weifang people have inherited their ancestors’ fine qualities and have developed many "core" industries for Shandong and China: machinery, papermaking, garments, food, chemicals, and agriculture—each with an output value exceeding 100 billion yuan. In just one minute, Weichai Power can equip a heavy-duty truck with a "heart," Goertek can produce tens of thousands of acoustic components, and Haomai Mold can manufacture countless tire molds…
▲ Goertek and Weichai, two enterprises from Weifang, are the pride of the national industry. Photo/VCG
In terms of GDP alone, Weifang ranks as the "fourth city" in Shandong, but it is second to none in foundational industries. "The world's industry looks to China, China's industry looks to Shandong, and Shandong's industry looks to Weifang": Among the 41 major industrial categories in China, Weifang has 37. The production and sales of 30 products from Weifang rank among the top globally, and 41 companies have their leading products occupying the top three market shares domestically.
▲ Aerial view of the salt fields, resembling a palette on the earth. Photo/VCG
In agriculture, Weifang is a top player, being the largest vegetable production and distribution hub in northern China. Its vegetable and livestock product exports account for 1/18 and 1/8 of the national total, respectively. Shouguang vegetables, Anqiu cherries, and Changyi ginger are renowned nationwide. Often overlooked is its marine economy—Weifang's output of raw salt, soda ash, and bromine accounts for 1/4, 1/6, and 9/10 of the national total, respectively.
▲ Weifang's vegetables profoundly influence the dining tables of Chinese people. Photo/VCG
This is Weifang—vast, strong, and capable of reaching great heights. Yet, this "Lu Da Qiang" (Shandong's powerhouse) remains low-key and unassuming. Stretching across mountains and seas, it stands proudly at the neck and backbone of Shandong (whose shape resembles an eagle), truly deserving the title "Shandong's Backbone."
Map Editors | F50BB, Shi Rui
Cover Photo | VCG