Named Jieshi in ancient times, Qinhuangdao has a long history.
In 225 B.C. Qin Shihuang (259-210 B.C.), First Emperor of Qin,
arrived here on his fourth inspection and sent Lu Sheng from Yan
State and Han Zhong (a necromancer) out to the sea to beg the gods
that he might live forever. Qinhuangdao is the only city named
after one of the 340 emperors in the feudal society in China.
Mountains and sea make Qinhuangdao a military town where there
were once many wars, like Li Zicheng fighting against Wu Sangui,
the warlord Feng Guozhang against the warlord Zhang Zuolin
(Zhi-Feng War), the Anti-Japanese Amalgamated Army of the Northeast
fighting bravely against the Japanese invaders, and so on.
Thus Qinhuangdao has enjoyed the name of "Throat and Key to
Beijing" since ancient times. Qinhuangdao enjoys a pleasant climate
that is neither hot in summer nor cold in winter. Its yearly
temperature is 10.1 centigrade on average. The 260 kilometer-long
Great Wall and 126 kilometer-long coastline drew a lot of emperors,
generals and scholars.
As early as 1898, the Qing government designated Beidaihe
"International Summer Resort" Since then, celebrities inside and
outside China have flocked here, making it a legendary place.
In 1984 the State Council approved Qinhuangdao one of the first
of China's coastal cities open to the outside world.?
(chinahotelsreservation.com)