Qingdao, located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, is a unique coastal city. How did Qingdao get its name? There’s a legendary story behind it.

A Loving Couple

Long ago, in Laoshan, Qingdao, there lived a small fishing village called Jiangjiazhuang. The man was called Yuge, and the woman, renowned for her guqin playing, became known far and wide, earning her the nickname Qinmei.

The couple made a living by fishing. Although their life was hard, they were deeply in love.

Capsize at Sea

Just after the New Year, Yuge gathered several other fishermen from the village and set out to sea. Unexpectedly, the weather suddenly changed as the boat reached the center of the sea. A fierce wind blew, and the waves surged. Yuge’s boat capsized, and everyone on board sank to the bottom.

Qinmei, restless at home, yearned for Yuge’s departure. She picked up her guqin and headed to a large rock on the shore. Facing the raging sea, she began to play.

The sky gradually darkened. Qin Mei was afraid that Yu Ge and his companions would get lost in the darkness, so she gathered a pile of tattered fishing nets, wrapped them around a bamboo pole, dipped it in tung oil, and lit it into a giant torch. She stuck it on the highest reef, hoping they would see the torch in the distance and hurry home. However, Yu Ge and his companions never returned.

Shark Monster

Yu Ge had always been a skilled swimmer and had extensive sailing experience. He could navigate any storm with ease. But what had happened this time? It turned out that a shark roamed these waters. After thousands of years of cultivation, it had transformed into a shark monster. It frequently stirred up storms in the area, bringing disaster to the people. This time, it had deliberately cast a spell, capsizing Yu Ge and his companions’ boat and sending it to the bottom of the sea.

Yu Ge was unconscious for a day and a night before waking up. He found himself in an underwater palace. A terrifying sea serpent had coiled around him, entwined around a coral pillar. A shark monster, clad in armor, had a hideous face.

Seeing he had woken, he approached and pretended to scold the sea snake, “I told you to invite Brother Fisherman to be my guest. How could you be so rude to leave him tied up here? Untie Brother Fisherman!” Then, he pulled Brother Fisherman to the table at the head table and ordered wine and food to be served.

Yu Ge looked at the monster before him, with its green face, fangs, pointed mouth, and bulging eyes. Furious, he shouted, “You monster! You overturned our fishing boat and drowned so many villagers. What else do you have to say? Kill me or chop me up, as you please! Stop pretending!”

The shark monster grinned wickedly and said, “Why are you so angry? I invited you here today mainly to ask for a favor. If you agree, I will no longer harass the people and will live in peace with you. If you don’t, hey, don’t blame me for being rude!”

Yu Ge glared at the shark monster and said, “What good can you possibly do? There’s no need to beat around the bush.” “You’ve been so mean, just speak frankly.”

“Okay, okay, I won’t hide it from you. For the past few years, I’ve often gone to the seashore to gaze upon the world from the waves. Your wife, Qinmei, is truly as famous as she’s said to be. She’s beautiful, gentle, and charming, and her playing is truly captivating. I, the Shark Immortal, have been lonely for thousands of years, and now I want to marry her and bring her to my Shark Palace to enjoy happiness. I see your life is hard, so why not give your wife, Qinmei, to me? I’ll give you a handful of pearls and a coral tree. These are enough for you to return to the human world and enjoy wealth and glory…”

The Fisherman was furious when he heard this. Before he could finish, he overturned the banquet. He cursed loudly, “You monster, you will surely get your comeuppance! Kill me! I won’t give you my wife!”

The shark monster, seeing the fisherman’s refusal, suddenly changed expression. “What a poor fisherman! Don’t think I, a creature of the sea, can’t reach shore and do nothing to you. I have the power to stir up trouble. Not only your shabby thatched cottage, but even your entire village—I can drag it to the bottom of the sea and feed it to the fish! I’ll give you three days to think it over.”

With that, it tossed its sleeves and swam away. Immediately, numerous sea snakes slithered over and tightly wrapped around the fisherman. Several sharks tore at him, causing him unbearable pain and nearly fainting.

The three days passed quickly. The shark monster came to see Yu Ge and said, “Today is the last day. Have you made up your mind? Do I eat you first and then stir up the sea to drag your wife, Qinmei, here? Or will you just hand her over to me and live in peace with the jewels?”

Feigning a compromise

Brother Fisherman closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He sighed deeply and said, “Okay, you take me to Jiangjiazhuang. I’ll talk to my wife myself.”

The shark monster was overjoyed and quickly sent sea snakes and water monsters to get Yu Ge back to shore.

Poor Qinmei sat on the rocks, holding her qin. The seawater soaked her clothes, the wind ruffled her hair, and she waited without eating or drinking… Suddenly, she saw Yu Ge stumbling out of the waves. She happily threw herself into his arms. But his expression was grim. He said quickly, “Qinmei, the shark monster wants to take you to be his wife. Run!”

Qinmei was struck by a bolt from the blue. A closer look revealed a sea snake wrapped around Yu Ge’s leg, followed by numerous sea monsters. Using his last remaining strength, he pushed Qin Mei to shore. He desperately held back the sea snake and the sea monsters, preventing them from pursuing him. Then, the tide rose. The fisherman was swept away again.

Transformed into a Seagull

The sea rose higher and higher, the tide intensified, and the shark monster appeared and disappeared. He commanded the sea monsters to drown Jiangjiazhuang. Then, Qin Mei picked up her guqin. Instead of running, she played it with all her might, pouring all her resentment towards the shark monsters into the sound of her zither.

Suddenly, a gust of sea breeze blew. The scarf she was wearing swung open to her sides, transforming into a pair of snow-white wings. Qin Mei transformed into a seagull, soaring into the air. Carrying the guqin, she soared over the waves, reaching the sky. Then, she dashed back out to sea. She aimed at the shark monster in the waves and fiercely threw the guqin down. The guqin instantly transformed into a massive rock, crushing the shark monster and all the other sea monsters beneath the waves. Suddenly, the sea returned to its former calm. Jiangjiazhuang, which had been on the verge of being submerged, gradually emerged from the waters, having been saved.

From then on, a strange bird appeared on the sea: it bravely flapped its wings against the water like a valiant defender. And the guqin-like rock became a small island, which the villagers called Qindao. Qindao was evergreen year-round, and passing fishermen and merchants were reluctant to leave. Over time, Qindao became famous, and gradually, people came to call it Qingdao today.