Penglai, Land of Fairy Tales

Penglai County in East China's Shandong Province is a place of fairy tales.

The ancient coastal castle of Penglai, about 65 kilometres northwest of Yantai, is the abode of the gods, according to mythology.

The legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea originated here. And the famous vision or mirage, which locals claim appears every few decades, has given a fascinating and mysterious atmosphere to the place.

Ever since I was a child I had dreamed of visiting Penglai. On a sunny morning in May, I finally made the trip.

Sainted mountains

Peng Lai Ge (Penglai Pavilion) is perched on a cliff overlooking the sea. It is about 1,000 years old.

The castle is on one of the three sainted mountains inhabited by immortals. The other two are Yingzhou and Fangzhang. They have frequently been visited by emperors since the Qin (221-206 BC) and the Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties.

It is said that the eight immortals got drunk at the castle and crossed the sea using magic, without ships.

Their magic inspired a popular saying: "When the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each one shows his special feat. Each tries to outwit the other."

Today the saying means that everybody has his or her own way of dealing with things.

Penglai Pavilion was built in 1061 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).

On display in the complex are works of calligraphy from famous writers, couplets on the hall columns and stone inscriptions.

"Penglai has many folk customs," said our tour guide Dai Fali.

"The most famous is the traditional fair of Penglai Pavilion held on January 16, according to the lunar calendar at the Heavenly Queen's Palace."

The Heavenly Queen is also called Mazu in Fujian Province. According to mythology, she was the daughter of Lin Yuan, inspector of Putian, Fujian in the Song Dynasty (AD 420-479). Her name was Lin Mo.

It is said she was born with red lights and fragrance, and seldom cried. She helped the poor, warded off devils and saved endangered fishing boats.

When Lin died at the age of 19, she became the Goddess of the Sea. Because she blessed ships at sea, people in Fujian offered her sacrifices.

On January 16, which is said to be her birthday, the people of Penglai hold a fair. They dance the yangge (a popular rural folk dance), play with dragon lights and walk on stilts.

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