Mirage

Mirage

Mirage

Mirages often appear on the southwestern sea surface of Shenquan Port, mostly around the transition between spring and summer, just before heavy rain. Each mirage is unique—some feature ancient pavilions and towers, others showcase modern skyscrapers, and there have even been scenes of the Sino-Japanese war. Even within a single mirage event, the visions are ever-changing and spectacular: at times warriors in armor ride steeds in full gallop, at others, curved gardens and wine banners appear with ladies frolicking, now hidden, now visible, now near, now far, creating a truly magnificent sight. Mirages may occur once a year or every few years, and sometimes twice a year. They can last several hours, or just over ten minutes, or even vanish in an instant. On March 19, 1957, a mirage appeared and lasted from 1:00 p.m. until 6:45 p.m., making it the longest-lasting mirage on record. Local fishermen have summed up observational weather wisdom, noting that “a distant mirage heralds wind, a close one forecasts rain.”