A flourishing city
1 min readShanhai Plaza
At the Shanhai Plaza sit the new centerpieces of Yingkou. Standing tall in the center of the plaza are two monuments to the water. The inverted pyramid viewing stadium set out on a jetty offers a 360 degree view of the mountains, city and seas. The giant mermaid statue wadding in the waters is the embodiment of a great Yingkou legend. The half woman, half fish-Spanish mackerel to be specific-was the love interest of local fisherman who pledged his life to the saltwater princess.
Just behind the plaza stands the irregular shaped Wang’ er Mountain. Here the figure ofawoman can be seen in the natural stone formation, appearing as a waiting mother looking out over the land waiting for her son’s return. Legend has it that a local scholar ascended through the imperial exams and was called away from his loved ones in ancient Yingkou.
His mother, longing for his return stood at the top of the mountain constantly surveying the horizon waiting. Her patience and unending love were”set in stone”at the peak, while her flowing tears seeped into the ground forming local springs.A beautiful legend has turned the site into a popular place of retreat for visitors to take a moment to visit and pray for their parents and ancestors.
