Located on the eastern tip of East China's Shandong Province, Rock Island is endowed with beautiful landscapes and a reputation as a 'little Hong Kong in northern China'. Scarlet Hill, on the back of the island, outshines all other scenic spots with its heavenly charm. In today's On the Road, we will pay a visit to this hill and enjoy its beautiful scenery. Here's our host Yun Feng.

On the shores of the Yellow Sea in East China, the Chishan, or Scarlet Hill scenic zone covers an area of 13 square kilometers. Some 1,000 acres of forest make it a natural oxygen bar, and winding paths amid the sound of flowing brooks and chirping birds lead tourists up the mountain to enchanting views. Right here at Scarlet Hill, one can find traces of Korean and Japanese civilizations, the attraction of Buddhism and the charm of local folklore.

The solemn sounds of Buddhist music have brought us to the center of the Scarlet Hill Scenic Zone, a paradise where we see statues of religious figures surrounded by a dazzling multi-functional fountain. As high as 26 meters, the bronze statue of Guanshiyin, or the Goddess of Mercy, weighs more than 200 tons. The fountain, monitored by computer, gives performances with music, waterfalls and even fire.

As the music continues, the 'golden boy and jade girl,' or the immortal boy and girl believed to serve the Goddess of Mercy, slowly show their figures on the lotus while taking in the dew drops from the vase in the hand of the goddess.

At this very moment, the monks begin chanting sutras as the holy Guanyin statue rotates slowly. Suddenly, four water columns shoot 30 meters up in the sky. Flames blow out of the four scriptures protecting heavenly guardian worriers as water is sprayed by the nine golden dragons in the fountain. Bodhisattva sculptures are seemingly dancing in the water mist, while an enormous statue of Guanyin glitters in the rainbow.

Following the stone steps up the hill, we then arrive at the statue of 'China's No. 1 sea god'. People on the island have lived off of fishing for hundreds of years, which explains the local custom of worshiping the sea god.

The 60-meter-high statue of the sea god is believed to be the tallest bronze god statue in the world. He faces the sea with calmness and courage, as if blessing the fishermen and keeping them safe at sea.

Tour guide Zhang Dan is a local from Rock Island. She explains that the sea god's gesture has implied meanings.

"This sea god is actually the solar god that ancient Chinese worshiped most. He is also the main god that emperors held sacrificial ceremonies for. He lands his left hand on the knee, implying he's calming down the masses; his right palm faces down, implying he's pacifying the storm-tossed sea and bringing the fishermen back safe and sound every time with loaded boats."

Besides being the protector of local people, the sea god is also said to have assisted the Korean Zhang Baogao in his career in the army and in international trade, and to have saved a Japanese rabbi from maritime peril, gaining the respect of people in China, Japan and Korea.

Back in the year 790 in the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Baogao joined the army and won glory for bravery and wisdom in battle. Later, when he came across Rock Island, he was inspired by its favorable geographical conditions to start trading across the ocean with Japan and Korea. That was as early as 1,200 years ago, and Zhang Baogao initiated some of China's first maritime foreign trade relations.