Liugong Island () is a small island located on the northeastern edge of Shandong Peninsula, China, at the mouth of Weihai Bay. It is known as the "birthplace of China's first modern navy" and is also the site of its defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. Geography Liugong Island is located about 4 kilometers (2½ miles) from the city of Weihai. It has an area of 3.15 square kilometers (1¼ sq. mi.), with a maximum length of 4.08 kilometers (2½ miles) (in east-western direction) and a maximum width of 1.5 kilometers (1 mile). The coastline has a total length of 14.93 kilometers (9¼ miles). In general, the terrain of the island slopes down from the north to the south. With an altitude of 153 meters (502'), Qiding Mountain, is the highest point of the island. Its northern slope is made up of cliffs, whereas the southern side of the hill slopes down more gently. Tourists can only arrive by boat. More than half of the island's area (about 1.8 square kilometers; 450 acres) is covered by forest, predominantly consisting of black pine trees. The forest is protected by a national forestry park. On the island there is also a zoo, within which there are two pandas and a few other animals, of which some were gifts by the Taiwanese government to China. Naval training grounds are also located on the island, along with a museum documenting the history of the First Sino-Japanese War, and a memorial to the Beiyang Fleet. History Archaeological evidence suggests that the island has been inhabited at least from the Warring States Period onwards. During the times of the Han Dynasty, the island was settled by members of the Liu family which resulted in the present-day name. The use of the island was subject to several changes during the Ming Dynasty: At first, all inhabitants left the island because of pirate threats. During the reign of the Jiajing Emperor, a rebel force led by Xian Wang sought refuge on the island, but the rebellion was put down shortly thereafter. Towards the end of the reign of the Wanli Emperor, settlers were recruited to re-cultivate the island. They were guarded against pirate attacks by a detachment of troops. Subsequently, a rise in shipping activities between the north and the south of China brought prosperity and an increase in population to the island. In 1663, the island's population