Penglai

Penglai (蓬莱) is a name that appears in Chinese mythology and modern geography. In traditional lore, Penglai is described as a distant, mythical island in the eastern seas, believed to be a paradise inhabited by immortals and guarded by auspicious signs. It is often portrayed with jade palaces, peaches of immortality, and mystical springs, and it figures among the legendary “Islands of the Immortals” said to lie beyond the known world. The Penglai myth has been echoed in poetry, painting, and Daoist and Buddhist writings, contributing to its enduring symbolic association with longevity and transcendence.

In geographic terms, Penglai also designates a coastal area in Shandong Province, China. It is associated with the city of Penglai within the prefecture-level city of Yantai and is located on the northern coast of the Shandong Peninsula along the Bohai Sea. The peninsula and its shore are known for scenic sea cliffs, fishing villages, and maritime weathered landscapes that have attracted visitors for centuries. A central landmark is the Penglai Pavilion, a historic seaside structure perched above the sea that has become a major tourist attraction and a visual symbol of the Penglai region.

Culturally, Penglai has influenced Chinese literature, art, and popular imagination as a toponym and as an emblem of mythic otherworldliness. Today, references to Penglai commonly evoke ancient tales of immortality and the sea, while the modern location remains a site for tourism, local culture, and coastal economy.