In Chinese mythology, Penglai Mountain is said to be the home of the Eight Immortals, a group of deities revered in Taoist culture.

Today, Penglai is a bustling port city on the coast of Shandong Province that continues to draw droves of tourists to its most famous site, Penglai Pavilion (pictured bottom).

Considered one of China's Four Great Towers, the legendary pavilion that once housed the Eight Immortals overlooks the Bohai Sea along the cliffs of Danya Mountain.

To reach the pavilion, visitors first pass a series of lesser Taoist temples, each constructed in descending order throughout the dynasties.

Cresting Danya Mountain, it is easy to understand how this magical vista has inspired so many poets and authors.

When temperatures on the sea's surface are lower than that of the air's, a mirage often appears in the mists, giving the area its heavenly ambiance.

The temple itself, which was first constructed in AD1061, is a simple stone and wood structure made colorful inside with murals of the Eight Immortals.

Walking through the pavilion's delicate corridors, visitors are treated to numerous paintings and inscriptions by scholars who have visited the site over the ages.

According to ancient allegories, the Immortals - seven males and one female - each have a special power which can either bestow life or destroy evil via a unique device such as a fan or a lotus flower.

Penglai is a bustling port city on the coast of Shandong Province that continues to draw droves of tourists. Photos: Qi Xijia/GT

In modern times, their powers are an allusion for solving your problems using your own unique abilities.

After exiting the pavilion, one can proceed to the top of Tianheng Hill either on foot or by cable car.

The peak is famous for its 200-meter-long, 20-meter-high plank way that offers Shandong's best views of the merging of the Bohai Sea with the Yellow Sea.