Rub its head and you’ll never worry in this lifetime — the dragon turtle you must touch on your coastal Shandong trip

In coastal cities of Yantai and Weihai in Shandong, there are many legends about the Dragon King. Turtles and dragon turtles are commonly seen as “mounts of the sea deities.” Outside the Temple of Goddess Guo at Xianggu Ding in Weihai, there is a giant dragon turtle, which is a “must-touch” talisman for visitors. Staff at the temple say, “Rub its head and you’ll never worry in this lifetime; rub its back and you’ll never be tired in this lifetime; rub its tail and you’ll never regret in this lifetime.” It’s incredibly magical — you simply must touch it.

The Temple of Goddess Guo also sells prayer ribbons, prayer plaques, health-incense, and wealth-incense. Among them, the wealth-incense is priced at 399 RMB (about 2000 TWD), and haggling is not allowed. Local guides say that sincerity is what matters most — even just putting one yuan as an offering is fine; you don’t necessarily have to buy incense.

▲ The giant dragon turtle in front of the Goddess Temple — you’ve got to rub it. Dragon turtles can be spotted all over Weihai; the image on the right shows one at the entrance of Weihai Platinum Hotel.

Located in Qixia, Yantai, Shandong, the Mou’s Manor is a place full of wonders. Known as the largest manor in northern China, according to the manor’s guides, at its peak during the Qing Dynasty, the Mou family owned 10,000 hectares of land in Shandong, 6,000 hectares of which were leased to tenant farmers. They had 5,500 rooms and 64 accountants managing the finances. Its scale was as massive as Foxconn or Formosa Plastics in Shandong.

▲ The Yuanbao (Ingot) Alley inside Mou’s Manor.

The currently preserved and open-to-public area of Mou’s Manor has been reduced significantly, taking just over an hour to tour, but there are still plenty of “treasures” to discover and enjoy within the grounds.

For example, there is a pathway known as “Yuanbao Alley” because it is low in the middle and high on both sides. On the walls lining Yuanbao Alley, there are hidden images, including turtles symbolizing longevity, and another wall features five bats representing “five blessings descending upon the home.” During your visit, you can also try to spot drainage holes shaped like coins — a design symbolizing “wealth attraction”!

▲ Yuanbao Alley in Mou’s Manor, with hidden images on the walls. Left image: “Yearly Abundance of Fish”; right image: “Five Bats Descending” — can you spot them?

▲ Coin-shaped drainage holes in Mou’s Manor, symbolizing wealth attraction. Entrance of Mou’s Manor (right image)