Penglai Pavilion, the Clifftop Tower of the Eight Immortals
Penglai Pavilion, Penglai Ge, stands on Danya Hill on the north shore of Penglai District, west of central Yantai. Chinese Wikipedia dates the first tower to 1061, in the Northern Song, and it is often counted among the four great towers of China with the Yellow Crane Tower, Yueyang Tower and the Pavilion of Prince Teng. Legend makes this the place where the Eight Immortals set off across the sea, and old writers prized it for the mirages that sometimes appear offshore. Below the hill lies a Ming naval fort with its harbour still full of water. The whole area is a national 5A scenic area and needs most of a day, including the journey from Yantai.
The tower and its temples
The pavilion is the centre of a cluster of temples on the hill. Chinese Wikipedia lists six main groups, the pavilion itself, the Tianhou Palace for the sea goddess, a Longwang hall for the dragon king, the Lüzu Hall for the immortal Lü Dongbin, the Sanqing Hall for the three Taoist pure ones, and Mituo Temple, covering 18,900 square metres in all. Calligraphy, couplets and carved inscriptions by visiting writers fill the walls. English Wikipedia names the poet Su Shi, the general Qi Jiguang and even the warlord Zhang Zongchang among those who wrote verses about it.
Immortals and mirages
The best-known story set here is the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. After drinking at the pavilion, Lü Dongbin, Iron-Crutch Li, Zhang Guolao, Han Zhongli, Cao Guojiu, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe and Han Xiangzi each used a magic object of their own to ride the waves out to sea. The saying that each of the eight immortals shows his own powers, used for people solving a problem in their own ways, comes from this tale.
The mirage, known as the Dengzhou sea market, has drawn visitors for centuries. Ming writers listed it among the four wonders of China. Su Shi left the most famous account. He was posted to Dengzhou as prefect in the tenth month of 1085 and recalled to the capital after only five days. Before leaving he worried he would never see a mirage, so he prayed at the temple of the sea god, and the next day one appeared. He wrote a poem about it with a preface. A stone carving of the poem is displayed at the pavilion. Bendibao says spring and summer give the best chance of a mirage, but it depends entirely on the weather.
Penglai Water City
On the east side of Danya Hill is Penglai Water City, also called the Beiwo fort, a fort built to defend against Japanese pirates. It was started in 1376 as an earth wall and faced with brick in 1596. It covers 270,000 square metres. Its harbour works, the water gate, breakwater, wave-breaking platform, docks, Zhenyang Gate and a lamp tower, survive together with walls, gun platforms, a sluice and a moat. The general Qi Jiguang, famous for fighting the pirates, served here. The fort and the pavilion were listed together as a national key heritage site in 1982.
The fort's inner harbour has also given up ships. During dredging in 1984 workers found a ship from the Yuan or early Ming, and in 2005 three more were excavated at the same spot. Two of those were identified as ships from the Korean kingdom of Goryeo, the first ancient foreign ships found in China, and one combines Korean construction with Chinese features such as watertight bulkheads. The Penglai Ancient Ship Museum beside the harbour displays the finds.
A route through the scenic area
Yantai Bendibao suggests a loop that does not double back. Enter at Zhenyang Gate, the main gate, visit the Qi Jiguang memorial hall, then Mituo Temple and the Tianhou Palace, and climb to the pavilion itself for the view over the sea, where the line between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea can sometimes be seen. Continue down to the water city, ride the cable car up Tianheng Hill for a higher view of the two seas, and finish at the ancient ship museum. The paths are mostly steps, so wear flat shoes. Drones are banned because this is a coastal defence area.
Tickets, hours and getting there
Bendibao, updated in August 2026, lists the standard ticket at 100 yuan. It is valid for 48 hours, and your face is registered at first entry so you can go in and out. People aged 60 and over, children under six or under 1.4 metres, soldiers, veterans and disabled visitors enter free with ID. Minors aged 6 to 18 and full-time students pay half. The cable car costs 30 yuan one way or 60 yuan return and runs from 9:00 to 17:00.
Opening hours change with the season. From 1 May to 10 October the scenic area opens 8:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00. From 11 October to 30 April it opens 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00. Check the day's notice before you travel.
The address is 1 Beiguan Road, Penglai District. High-speed trains stop at Penglai station, about ten minutes by taxi from the gate, and city buses 3, 5 and 8 run from Penglai bus station to the Penglaige stop.
Planning your visit
The Yantai guide treats Penglai as a full day on its own and advises against adding it after a morning on Yantai Mountain. Start early. Bendibao recommends the old buildings in the morning, before tour groups arrive, and the cable car in the afternoon. Bring water and a windproof layer, since food stalls inside are few and the clifftop is exposed.
Before you go
- Note the seasonal hours, which shorten from 11 October.
- Carry ID for free or half-price tickets.
- Keep the ticket for re-entry within 48 hours.
- Leave drones at the hotel.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Penglai Pavilion ticket?
Bendibao lists 100 yuan in 2026, valid for 48 hours, with free entry for people aged 60 and over.
Can you see a mirage at Penglai?
Sometimes. Mirages are rare and depend on the weather, with spring and summer the more likely seasons.
How do I get to Penglai Pavilion from Yantai?
Take a high-speed train to Penglai station and a short taxi ride to the gate.
What is Penglai Water City?
A Ming naval fort and harbour on the east side of Danya Hill, begun in 1376.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved 12 October 2026.
- 蓬莱阁, Chinese Wikipedia
- 蓬莱水城, Chinese Wikipedia
- Penglai Pavilion, English Wikipedia
- 烟台蓬莱阁景区开放时间及游玩攻略, Yantai Bendibao
- 蓬莱古船博物馆：一船藏两技，古港见往来, Shandong Publicity Network
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown in each caption.