Rizhao (Chinese: 日照, pinyin: Rìzhào) is an urban area in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong. The name means “first rays of the sun”.

History
In ancient times, these places were part of the kingdom of Ju (莒国), which in 431 BC. e. was conquered by the kingdom of Chu. Then they became the scene of a struggle between the kingdoms of Chu and Qi, until both of them were conquered by the kingdom of Qin, which united all of China. In the Qin Empire, these lands became part of the Langya District (琅琊郡).
Under the Han Empire, Haiqu County (海曲县) was established here. During the time of Emperor Yuan Di, the title of Kunshan Hou (昆山侯) was created, and the western part of these lands (modern Wulian County) became the Kunshan Destiny (昆山侯国). Under the Eastern Han Empire, the appanage was liquidated, and Haiqu County was renamed Xihai (西海县).
In the era of the Three Kingdoms, Xihai County was annexed to Ju County, and for several centuries these lands remained in its composition, only in 529 was Liangxiang County (梁乡县) briefly created.
Under the Northern Song Empire, in 1087, the village of Rizhao was established in Ju County, which was later transferred to Jiaoxi County (胶西县). After these lands were conquered by the Jurchen Jin Empire, the area around the village was allocated in 1184 as a separate county of Rizhao (日照县), subordinate to the province of Juzhou (莒州).
Under the Ming Empire, the Andong guard (安东卫) was stationed on the southern border of the county (modern Lanshan) to protect against Japanese wokou pirates.
Under the Qing Empire, the Juzhou region was raised in 1730 to the status of “directly ruled” (that is, it began to report directly to the provincial governor, bypassing the intermediate link in the form of a council), but in 1734 the Yizhou Council (沂州府), Rizhao County, was created was withdrawn from the subordination of the region (which became “bezuyezd”), and was, like the region, directly subordinate to the government. In 1742, the Andong guard ceased to be a separate administrative unit and was transferred to the jurisdiction of Rizhao County. After the Xinhai Revolution in China, the units of administrative-territorial division of the level below the provincial level were unified, and in 1913 the regions and councils were liquidated, only counties remained.
In 1950, the Yishui Special Region (沂水专区) was formed as part of Shandong Province, to which, in particular, the counties of Ju and Rizhao were subordinated. In 1953, it was disbanded, Rizhao County was transferred to Jiaozhou Special Region (胶州专区) and the rest as part of Linyi Special Region (临沂专区). In March 1956, the Jiaozhou Special Region was disbanded, and Rizhao County was also transferred to the Linyi Special Region. In 1967, the Linyi Special Region was renamed Linyi County (临沂地区).
In April 1984, the Shijiugang Committee (石臼港办事处) was formed as part of Linyi County by a decree of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. On March 22, 1985, by a decree of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, the Shijiugang Committee and Rizhao County were disbanded, and the city of Rizhao was formed instead. On June 12, 1989, by a decree of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Rizhao was removed from Linyi County into a separate city district. In June 1992, Lanshan Development District (岚山开发区) was established in Rizhao. On December 7, 1992, Wulian County from Weifang City District and Jiuxian County from Linyi County were transferred to Rizhao City; the city of Rizhao itself was at the same time administratively transformed into the Donggang region. In 2004, Lanshan District was established on the basis of Lanshan Development District.

Geography and climate
The city district is located in the southern part of the Shandong Peninsula, in an area with coordinates 118° 35′ – 119° 39′ East and 35° 04′ – 36° 02′ North latitude. The geographical relief of the urban district is a hill in the center, surrounded by lowland on all sides. At the center of the city district is Mount Jiaozishan, from which endless hills stretch into the distance. In the eastern part there are quite spacious plains – this is the coastal plain and the delta of the Shu River. To the west of the Shu River are the mountainous regions of southern and central Shandong. The eastern part of the city district belongs to the East Shandong Hills. All the rivers flowing here flow into the Bohai Bay, with the exception of the Huaihe River with its tributaries, which flows into the Yellow Sea. Rizhao is an urban area with a vast shallow sea basin. The total area of ​​shallow water within the 10-meter zone is 20 thousand hectares, and the total area of ​​shallow water is 54 thousand hectares.

Climate
Rizhao City is located in a warm zone dominated by a climate with humid seasonal winds. There is a clear distinction between the four seasons here. The hot months are usually accompanied by heavy rains. Under the direct influence of the nearby sea, the city knows no strong frosts in winter and does not experience unbearable heat in summer. The annual average temperature is 12.6°C. The average annual insolation is 2.514 hours. The average level of annual precipitation is 841 mm. The average relative humidity is 70%, the frost-free period is 213 days.