China's First Sino-Japanese War Museum

China's First Sino-Japanese War Museum

The Tour Guide: The Admiral’s Office faces the sea with hills at its back, oriented north-south and enclosed by long walls, covering an area of 10,000 square meters. It is an ancient architectural complex of brick and wood structure. Along the central axis, there are three courtyards divided into front, middle, and rear halls. The front hall serves as the council chamber, the middle one the banquet hall, and the rear one the ceremonial hall. Corridors connect the east and west wing courtyards. The corner towers on either side of the main gate were used for sounding signals, music, and lookout, while the east and west sides feature gateways. The entire building boasts flying eaves and painted rafters, presenting a majestic and spectacular sight. About 200 meters southwest of the Admiral’s Office lies the residence of Ding Ruchang, the Qing Dynasty’s Navy Commander. In the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) during the First Sino-Japanese War, the Beiyang Fleet engaged in fierce battles with the Japanese navy in the Yellow Sea. Admiral Ding Ruchang and ship captain Deng Shichang fought bravely and ultimately died as martyrs. The Admiral’s Office has now been converted into the China's First Sino-Japanese War Museum, with its name inscribed by Comrade —, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of the country. The museum also manages and protects 28 historical sites of the Beiyang Fleet, including the Dragon King Temple, the Naval Academy, and the Memorial Hall of Beiyang Navy Soldiers. The museum houses a large collection of precious cultural relics, including two massive naval guns salvaged from the seabed, each weighing over 20 tons—the only ones of their kind in the world. Through exhibits featuring artifacts, photographs, wax figures, sand tables, models, and multimedia displays, the museum vividly recreates the historical landscape of the Beiyang Navy and the First Sino-Japanese War. The Beiyang Navy Admiral’s Office on Liugong Island is one of Weihai’s important historic sites. In the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1887), the Qing court established the Beiyang Fleet and set up its command office on the island, commonly known as the Beiyang Navy Admiral’s Office, which served as the command center of the Beiyang Fleet.

Address: Dinggong Road, Liugong Island, Huancui District, Weihai City

Visiting Time: Approximately 2 hours

Opening Hours:

Off-season: 8:30–16:30 (last entry at 16:00); Peak season: 7:30–18:00 (last entry at 17:30)

Ticket Information:

Free admission with a Liugong Island scenic area boat ticket; daily limited to 8,000 visitors

Further Reading:

· National First-Class Museum of China