Penglai Pavilion [Photo/xianjingyantai.com]

Penglai Pavilion [Photo/xianjingyantai.com]

Penglai is a fabled abode of immortals and a fairyland in the world.

It is said that the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC) heard that a sort of pills of immortality were made here and immortals appeared here too during the 3rdcentury BC. In order to look for these so-called pills of immortality, the emperor then ordered Xu Fu to lead many young people to go to the place. Subsequently, Taoism of China regarded the place as the Holy Land. The imperial courts of the past dynasties established many Taoist temples here successively, and the Penglai Pavilion is one of them.

The Penglai Pavilion is situated on the seashore cliff at the north of Penglai City, Yantai of Shandong Province. It was first constructed in 1070 of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The Penglai Pavilion and other three buildings, namely the Tengwang Pavilion, the Huanghe Tower and the Yueyang Tower, are collectively called the top four famous buildings of ancient China. The Penglai Pavilion is an ancient architectural complex, mainly including the Lüzu Hall, the Sanqing Hall, the Penglai Pavilion, the Tianhou Palace, the Mituo Temple and other buildings. Every building includes towers, halls, booths, platforms and other structures that have their own distinctive styles. One marvelous spectacle of the Penglai Pavilion is the mirage, which attracts countless tourists every year.

Penglai Pavilion [Photo by Ju Chuanjiang/chinadaily.com.cn]