[4] Chaoyong's basic design was initially used on the Chilean Navy vessel Arturo Prat, which preceded it in construction, although several changes were made, including increasing the number of steam boilers from four to six.

[6] They both were constructed out of 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) steel with waterproof bulkhead 3.5 ft (1.1 m) below the waterline, a single smokestack, and twin masts, which could also be used for sails.

The main armaments were breech-loading Armstrong Whitworth 254 mm (10.0 in) cannons, one on the bow and one on the stern, mounted in stationary gun shields.

They were both completed ahead of Arturo Prat,[5] who instead would enter service as the Imperial Japanese Navy's Tsukushi after Chile cancelled the order following the end of the War of the Pacific.

They sailed out of the Tyne River on 9 August, and stopped in Plymouth Sound two days later where Admiral Ding Ruchang joined them to take command of the ships for the journey to China.

[6] On 23 June 1884, Chaoyong was present alongside Yangwei, as well as the corvette Yangwu and the sloop Kangji, when the Chinese vessels met their French Navy counterparts.

[10] The Sino-French War broke out shortly afterwards,[11] although Chaoyong saw no action,[10] although there was speculation that the two cruisers might be sent to break the French blockade of Formosa.

[12] She and Yangwei were sent south to Shanghai in November, but were then brought back north after concerns were raised about growing Japanese influences in Korea.

They operated out of Taku, but since the water froze over during winter, they would spend that part of the year in the Korean port of Chemulpo (now Incheon).

Within a few minutes, fires broke out, which quickly engulfed the central superstructure with its numerous wooden partitions covered with thick layers of flammable varnish applied over the years.