If the Great Wall is like a flying dragon, the city of Qinhuangdao is located at the head of the dragon. It got its name because of the first emperor in Chinese history, Qinshihuang, who visited this place in the year B.C. 215. It is the only city in China that inherited its name from an emperor. 11 Olympic Football Games will be held here.

Qinhuangdao is located northeast of Hebei Province, with the south facing Bohai Sea and the north connecting to the Yanshan Mountain. It hugs Liaoning Province to the east and its west side is close to Beijing and Tianjin. This city is located in the center of 200 Manual for Beijing Olympic Volunteers Huan Bohai Economic Circle and is considered a most suitable area because it connects two major economic sections: northeast and north. There are 3 subordinate districts and 4 counties under this city and 2,760,000 people live here. The total area is 7,812.4 square kilometers.

Qinhuangdao is positioned along the mountain and facing the sea. It has a pleasant climate and beautiful natural environment. It is a well-known great place for vacation and sightseeing and listed as a key attraction for tourists. There are 42 scenic areas within the city and more than 300 scenic spots. Beidaihe has wonderful seashores and numerous beautiful plants and is one of the 4 largest bird observation sights. Waving sails on the sea like sparkling stars, together with the green of the land and gardens of different styles, attract so many tourists that they almost forget to return home.

Shanhaiguan Pass and the sea inlet of the Great Wall, renown as the “Great Pass in the World” both provide lovely sights. This area also has Lady Jiang’s Temple, the Xuanyang Cave and the Yanse Lake. In current years, Qinhuangdao further expanded
and developed 63 new scenic spots.

Other tourist attractions include Shanghai Pass, Pigeon Nestle Park, Qiuxian Inlet, Wild Animal Park, Xin Ocean Park, Changli Gold Seashore Sand Skating Court, Nandaihe, Taolinkou Reservoir and Qinglongzu Mountain Forest Park. Abundant tour resources, good facilities for tourists, convenient transportation conditions and traditions of hospitality attract thousands of comestic and foreign tourists yearly.

In anticipation of the Olympic Games, Qinhuangdao is actively working on its infrastructure. Now the city owns 2,106 sports venues and 1,271 of them are standard sites. It has built 35 public sports facilities and 36 walking and running paths. It also built facilities for athletic activities, further motivating people to strengthen their health. 10 sports training bases and 7 training sites in counties and districts have been established, and 45% of the total population participate in health-building activities. Additionally, the Elders’ Sports Association, Farmers’ Sports Society and Disabled Sports Association are actively playing important roles.

Construction of sports facilities in Qinhuangdao has increased dramatically because of the Olympic football games. The goal is for continued growth in this area. The sports craze is strengthened and athletic skills have been improved, which provide
a solid foundation for building a great city that loves sports.