Chrysanthemum Island

Chrysanthemum Island

Chrysanthemum Island is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

On the Liaoxi Corridor, there lies a beautiful coastal historical and cultural city—Xingcheng. It is renowned for its well-preserved Ming Dynasty architecture, hot springs believed to “ward off disasters and cure diseases,” and beachfronts that could become a “second Beidaihe,” making it a scenic destination along China’s northern coast. About 10-plus kilometers southeast of Xingcheng County, there emerges a picturesque small island—this is Chrysanthemum Island.

Chrysanthemum Island, also known as Dahai Mountain, was called Taohua Pu or Taohua Island during the Tang Dynasty, and Juehua Island in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Legend has it that over 200 years ago during the Warring States period, Crown Prince Dan of Yan once sought refuge from the Qin threat on Taohua Island. Later, a monk named Juehua, a mountain hermit, came here to cultivate himself and devote himself to Buddhist studies, hence the island was also named Juehua Island. Several hundred years later, as chrysanthemums bloomed all over the island, it was renamed Chrysanthemum Island, a name that has endured to this day.

The islands along the coast of Liaoning Province are mainly concentrated in the eastern waters of the Liaodong Peninsula, while to the west of the Liaodong Peninsula, i.e., within the Liaodong Bay, there are very few islands. Chrysanthemum Island is the largest island in the Liaodong Bay. The island is gourd-shaped in plan, covering an area of 40 square kilometers. Near the north and south ends of Chrysanthemum Island, there are several small nearby islands. In the southern sea area, there are two: one is Zhangshan Island and the other is Yanshan Island. Zhangshan Island is relatively close to Chrysanthemum Island, while Yanshan Island is slightly farther away; at the northern end of Chrysanthemum Island, there is another small island called Mopan Mountain. Together, Zhangshan Island, Yanshan Island, and Mopan Mountain, along with Chrysanthemum Island, resemble an elder brother accompanied by one younger sister and two little sisters, playing together in the Liaodong Bay—an enchanting sight.

The terrain of Chrysanthemum Island features higher elevations in the south and flatter land in the north. Its highest peak reaches an altitude of 243 meters, roughly comparable to the height of Laotie Mountain at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula. Overall, the mountains on Chrysanthemum Island are steep and rugged, with overlapping peaks and beautiful mountain scenery, forming a harmonious and picturesque scene with the surrounding seascape. The northern part of the island has fewer mountains, flatter terrain, and fertile land, suitable for both farming and fishing. Thus, Chrysanthemum Island can be considered a fairy-tale island in the sea, blessed with both stunning scenery and fertile soil.

Chrysanthemum Island is primarily composed of granite. As we know, granite mainly consists of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Under the long-term impact, pounding, and erosion of sea waves, the softer feldspar and mica are easily washed away by water, while the harder quartz remains. The numerous quartz sands thus form the main material source of the beaches. Additionally, the spheroidal weathering characteristic of granite provides conditions for the formation of various uniquely shaped coastal rocky landscapes. Therefore, Chrysanthemum Island not only boasts beautiful beaches but also possesses peculiar rocky scenery. Due to the high kinetic energy of the sea waves here, fine sand particles on the beach are washed away, leaving behind larger pebbles, forming a pebble beach. On this pebble beach, the pebbles are smooth and round, varying in size, making it quite distinctive. At the southern end of Chrysanthemum Island, there is such a pebble beach. Visitors here can’t help but marvel, and walking barefoot on the pebbles is an endless source of fun.

Beyond the pebble beach, you can also see various uniquely shaped marine erosional bedrock landforms. Some granite has been eroded by the sea into the shape of pandas, some into majestic lions, and others resemble dolphins, elephants… Among them, there is a peculiar rock named “Guohai Shifang” (Sea-Crossing Stone Boat), which looks like an exquisitely carved painted boat, facing the vast blue sea, as if ready to set sail and journey into the distance. Another spot is called “Daishi Langdiao” (Black Rock Wave Carving), where all the rocks are black, resembling dark jade. The rocks also take on a variety of forms—some look like volumes of books, some like treasures stored in a casket, some like demonic mirrors, and others like dressing tables or bagua diagrams.

In addition to the beaches and rocky landscapes, Chrysanthemum Island also has many historic sites and scenic spots. Tourists visiting the island can explore ancient attractions such as Tangwang Cave, Babao Liuli Well, Shengshui Basin, Shifo Temple, and Dabeige Pavilion. It is said that Tangwang Cave was once “built by Emperor Taizong of Tang to escape the summer heat during his eastern campaign”—it is a cave built with stones. During the Liao Dynasty, there were also Haiyun Temple and Longgong Temple, but today they have completely disappeared. Only the faintly recognizable ruins of Longgong Temple remain, located at the eastern end of Chrysanthemum Island. The site is grand in scale and is referred to as the Great Longgong Temple.

Traveling around Chrysanthemum Island makes one feel surrounded by beautiful mountains and vast seas, with enchanting scenery. Climbing to the highest peak of Chrysanthemum Island and looking around, you’ll see the boundless sea, dotted fishing boats, the hum of machinery at the docks, and the cheerful songs of villages—a vibrant scene that is truly captivating. The legendary Penglai Fairy Island in the sea must be something like this. An ancient poet once wrote a poem praising the island, truly capturing the boundless beauty of Chrysanthemum Island. The poem goes:

Outside the city flows the green sea,

Islands seen afar, separated by river isles.

Two peaks kick up waves wrapped in cold mist,

A stretch of water floats cool emerald in the sky.

It is said that on Mopan Mountain, a small island to the south of Chrysanthemum Island, there is another unique charm. There are plenty of crabs there, earning it the nickname “Crab Island.” If visitors are interested in trying their hand at catching them, they’re sure to have a bountiful haul. Cooking and eating the crabs on the spot makes them even more delicious, and it’s sure to leave an unforgettable impression on travelers.

Currently, the Xingcheng County government has plans to develop the rich tourism resources of Chrysanthemum Island: restoring damaged historic sites; building new seaside bathing beaches, island parks, resort villages, hotels, villas, etc.; opening hunting grounds, horse racing tracks, and more; producing and cultivating various seafood, as well as offering boat tours around the island and nearby smaller islands. In short, in the near future, Chrysanthemum Island is expected to become a much-coveted seaside tourist destination.

■ Liaoning Xingcheng