Qinhuangdao is located between the Bohai Sea to the south and Mount Yanshan to the north. It is close to Beijing and Tianjin in the west, while Liaoning province lies to the east. This prosperous and culturally rich city is one of the top ten tourist destinations in China, offering sea, beach and mountain landscapes, as well as proximity to the Great Wall and other historical sites.
Qinhuangdao was one of the first coastal cities in China to open up to the outside world in 1984. It is named after the legendary Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty, the first emperor in Chinese history. In 215 B.C., Emperor Qinshihuang arrived in Jieshi (the ancient name of Qinhuangdao) to search for immortality.