Qingdao Badaguan (Eight Passes), Shandong China

> China Travel Tour Guide > Attractions

Qingdao Badaguan

The Badaguan ("Eight Passes") is famous for its gardens and roads. It lies in the east of Qingdao City in Shandong Province, the Taiping Mountain around its north side and the Huanghai Sea is towards the south. There are historical relics that the fort of Taipingjiao and the fort of Huiquanjiao, which were used for defense are on its right and left sides. They form a beautiful scene and it is one of the best-known scene areas in Qingdao.

The Badaguan is a general designation of several crisscrossing roads. The eight roads are all named after eight strategic passes of the famous Great Wall in China. They are Shanhaiguan, Zhengyangguan, Jiayuguan, Wushengguan, Zijingguan, Ningwuguan, Juyongguan and Shaoguan. The terrain of these eight roads is undulant.

Since Ming and Ch'ing Dynasty, the people in Qingdao likes to plant different kinds of flowers that blooming in different seasons on both sides of the roads, such as crape myrtle, Chinese flowering crabapple, green peach and cedar. When the flowers bloom, all roads, even pedestrians and the vehicles are embraced with the sea of flowers.

There are all green peaches on both sides of the Shaoguan Road and on both sides of the Zhengyangguan Road are all crape myrtle. Some how the Zijingguan is different from others, on both sides of it are all planted with cedars. Although the cedars do not have the bright-colored and beautiful looks, yet its beauty has been loved by the public.

Long ago there was a poem describing the Badaguan and the meaning is that in the Badaguan there are flowers every season and there are trees everywhere. The proud locals often said that whoever comes to the Badaguan, will never lose his way because the flowers and trees are the best guide.

You will not believe that you will see a group of modern villa in the middle of the historic sites. Those western style buildings are built according to the terrain and the mountain. They are over 80 exquisite buildings crossing the eight roads. The red walls, green tiles red flowers and green leaves are brilliant, they form this special scenery.