Yantai (Chinese: 烟台; pinyin: Yāntái), formerly known to Europeans as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in eastern China. It lies on the southern coast of the Bohai Strait, bordering Qingdao to the southwest and Weihai to the east, with sea access to both the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,102,116.
Etymology
The name "Yantai" (lit. "Smoke Watchtower") derives from beacon towers constructed on Mount Qi in 1398 during the Ming dynasty. These towers were used to light signal fires and send smoke signals (langyan) as part of the coastal defense system against Japanese pirates (wokou). The major district of Zhifu was romanized by Europeans as Chefoo, Che-foo, or Chi-fu, though locals referred to the settlement as Yantai throughout.
History
Early history
During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the region was inhabited by the Dongyi ("Eastern Barbarians"). Under the Zhou dynasty, they were colonized and sinicized as the state of Lai, which was annexed by Qi in 567 BC. Under Qin Shi Huang, the area was administered as Qi Commandery. In 218 BCE, the emperor visited Zhifu Island, leaving behind the Zhifu Stone Inscription. Under the Tang and Five Dynasties period, it was known as Deng Prefecture.
Opening as a port
Following the Second Opium War, the Qing regime was obliged to open more ports under the Treaty of Tianjin (1858). The harbor at Zhifu opened in May 1861, with its status as an international port affirmed on 22 August 1861. Britain and sixteen other nations established consulates. The 1876 Chefoo Convention, resolving the Margary Affair, was negotiated here by Thomas Wade and Li Hongzhong, granting British subjects extraterritoriality throughout China.
Modern history
After the creation of the People's Republic of China, Yantai was officially awarded city status in 1950. In November 1983, it became a prefecture-level city. Yantai was designated one of China's first "open" cities in 1984 as part of economic liberalization policies.
Geography
Yantai covers an area of 13,930.1 km² (5,305 sq mi). The topography consists of 36.62% mountainous, 39.7% hilly, 20.78% plain, and 2.90% basin. The highest point is Mount Kunyu at 922.8 meters (3,028 ft). The total coastline of the prefecture is 909 kilometers (565 mi). There are 121 rivers over 5 km in length.
Climate
Yantai has a monsoon-influenced climate, classified as either hot-summer humid continental (Dwa) or humid subtropical (Cwa) depending on the isotherm used. Summers are hot, humid, and rainy; winters are cold and dry. The average annual temperature is 13.4°C, and average annual precipitation is 524.9 mm.
Administration
Yantai administers 12 county-level divisions: 5 districts (Zhifu, Fushan, Muping, Laishan, Penglai), 6 county-level cities (Longkou, Laiyang, Laizhou, Zhaoyuan, Qixia, Haiyang), and one development zone. These are further divided into 148 township-level divisions.
Economy
Yantai is the second-largest industrial city in Shandong, next to Qingdao. In 2024, its GDP reached 1,078.3 billion yuan (approximately US$165.3 billion), making it one of China's trillion-yuan GDP cities. The region's largest industry is agriculture, and it is famous throughout China for apples, Laiyang pears, and cherries. It is home to the country's largest and oldest grape winery, Changyu, founded in 1892.
Key industries include equipment manufacturing, petrochemicals, automobile production, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and emerging high-tech sectors. Yantai Port is one of China's 15 major ports under the Belt and Road Initiative, ranking eighth nationally in throughput. It is China's top port for bauxite imports.
Transport
Yantai Penglai International Airport provides scheduled flights to major Chinese cities as well as Seoul, Osaka, and Hong Kong. The Qingrong Intercity Railway connects Yantai to Qingdao in approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Yantai Port has direct shipping connections with over 100 ports in more than 70 countries and regions.
Tourism
Notable attractions include:
- Penglai Pavilion (5A-rated scenic area), said to be the departure point of the Eight Immortals
- Yantai Hill, with the original beacon tower and 27 modern buildings
- Changyu Wine Culture Museum, housed in Asia's first underground wine cellar (1903)
- Yangma Island (Horse-Raising Island), a resort area
- Kunyu Mountain National Forest Park
- Changyu Wine City and Nanshan Tourism Scenic Area
Education
Yantai hosts several higher education institutions, including Yantai University (founded 1984), Ludong University, Shandong Technology and Business University, and campuses of China Agricultural University and Binzhou Medical College.
Notable People
- Qi Jiguang (1528–1588), Ming dynasty military general
- Wang Yirong (1845–1900), discoverer of oracle bone script
- Henry Luce (1898–1967), founder of Time magazine (born in Penglai)
- Fan Bingbing (b. 1981), actress
- Wang Yaping (b. 1980), astronaut
- Lin Qingxia (b. 1954), actress
International Relations
Yantai has established sister city relationships with numerous cities worldwide, including San Diego (USA), Beppu (Japan), Tauranga (New Zealand), Phuket (Thailand), and Incheon (South Korea), among others.
