The journey to Mount Dai, one of China’s 12 island counties, takes about 40 minutes by ship from Zhoushan’s main island. The Records of the Grand Historian tell of how Emperor Qin Shihuang charged the alchemist Xu Fu with voyaging to distant islands with 3,000 children who would pick herbs with which to make the elixir of life. Children were considered suitable for this task as they were pure in mind and body and their small hands would not bruise the plants. The party landed on Penglai Fairyland (today’s Mount Dai), so named during the Tang Dynasty, and one of China’s holy mountains.

The sight I found most impressive on Mount Dai was its 12,000-odd mu (1 mu equals 0.067 hectares) salt pan. Under bright sunshine, crystallized sodium chloride at the base glistens while salt crystals on the upper layer emit a silvery sheen. I arrived at sunset to the glorious sight of glittering salt columns against a deep blue sky.

Mount Dai Island occupies less than 330 square kilometers, but is nonetheless site of 10 ocean-themed museums. They include the China Typhoon Museum, China Marine Fishery Museum, China Salt Industry Museum, China Lighthouse Museum, China Coast Defense Museum and China Reef Museum. All give insight into China’s sea industry and culture.

Farther away are the Shengsi Isles. The perfect retreat from busy city life, their alternating green and blue waters reflect varying ocean depths. From afar, these changing colors lend the islets a magical ethos.

Scattered over 8,738 square kilometers of sea, the Shengsi Isles are also known as “Tiny Town.” Out of the total 400 isles, 16 indeed house miniature towns that are home to a total population of 76,000.

The Shengsi Isles are in a supreme location southeast of Shanghai, connected to its Luchao Port via Donghai Bridge. During the two years since the bridge opened to traffic, growing numbers of Shanghai residents have traveled to the isles at weekends and on holidays to enjoy their beach and mountain scenery.

Shengshan Isle, a main aspect of the Shengsi Isles scenic area, is an authentic fishing village deeply entrenched in ocean culture. Pictures painted by local fishermen that express their love for the ocean and the world beyond hang on the walls of most homes. A climb to a high vantage point reveals an enchanting panorama of the island and its colorful houses set against the backdrop of blue sky and green sea.

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