Shandong's Mount Tai is the most revered mountain of Taoism and a site with one of the longest histories of continuous religious worship in the world.

After a period of political instability and economic hardship beginning in the late 19th century, Shandong has experienced rapid growth in recent decades.

[18][19] A common nickname for Shandong is Qilu (齐鲁; 齊魯), from the states of Qi and Lu that existed in the area during the Spring and Autumn period.

Lu is famous for being the home of Confucius; however, it was comparatively small, eventually being annexed by the neighboring state of Chu to its south.

Meanwhile, Qi was a significant power throughout the entire period, and ruled cities including Linzi, Jimo (near modern Qingdao) and Ju.

The Han dynasty that followed created several commanderies supervised by two regions (刺史部) in what is now modern Shandong: Qingzhou (青州) in the north and Yanzhou (兗州) in the south.

In 412 AD, the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian landed at Laoshan, on the southern edge of the Shandong peninsula, and proceeded to Qingzhou to edit and translate the scriptures he had brought back from India.

The classic novel Water Margin was based on folk tales of outlaw bands active in Shandong during the Song dynasty.

The statues included early examples of painted figures and are thought to have been buried due to Emperor Huizong's repression of Buddhism (he favored Taoism).

The modern province of Shandong was created by the Ming dynasty, where it had a more expansive territory, including the agricultural part of Liaoning.

[21][22] During the 19th century, China became increasingly exposed to Western influence; Shandong, a coastal province under the dukedom of Xiong, was significantly affected.

Development was a high priority for the Germans: over 200 million marks were invested in world-class harbor facilities including berths, heavy machinery, rail yards, and a floating dry dock.

Popular dissatisfaction with this outcome, referred to as the Shandong Problem, led to the vehement student protests in the May Fourth Movement.

In April 1925, the Fengtian clique installed the warlord Zhang Zongchang, nicknamed the "Dogmeat General", as military governor of Shandong Province.

He was succeeded by Han Fuju, who was loyal to the warlord Feng Yuxiang but later switched his allegiance to the Nanjing government headed by Chiang Kai-shek.

Han Fuju was made Deputy Commander in Chief of the 5th War Area and put in charge of defending the lower Yellow River valley.

Over the next four years of the Chinese Civil War, they expanded their holdings, eventually driving the Kuomintang (government of the Republic of China) out of Shandong to the island of Taiwan by June 1949, including a noble of the Xiong (熊) family who held the governorship, previously a dukedom during the imperial era, and an ancient viscountcy originating in Chu.

As of 1832, Shandong was exporting fruits, vegetables, wine, drugs, and deerskin, often heading to Guangzhou to exchange clothing and fabrics.

Shandong is one of China's richest provinces, and its economic development focuses on large enterprises with well-known brand names.

[31] The richest part of the province is the Shandong Peninsula, where the city of Qingdao is home to three of the most well-known brand names of China: Tsingtao Beer, Haier and Hisense.

Despite the primacy of Shandong's energy sector, the province has also been plagued with problems of inefficiency and ranks as the largest consumer of fossil fuels in all of China.

Most of the soil is loose, well-ventilated, and rich in minerals and organic matter that enable full development of the root systems.

Presently, there are more than 140 wineries in the region, mainly distributed in the Nanwang Grape Valley and the Yan-Peng Sightseeing Highway (both are in Yantai).

Since its foundation, the Jinan High-tech Industrial Development Zone has attracted enterprises as LG, Panasonic, Volvo, and Sanyo.

[36] Approved by the State Council in October 1984, Qingdao Economic and Technical Development Zone has a plan of 12.5 km2 (4.8 sq mi).

The land can be transacted conveniently, guaranteeing the demand of any project construction and providing broad development space for the enterprises in the area.

[citation needed] Weihai Export & Processing Zone (EPZ) was set up by the approval of the State Council on April 27, 2000.

[citation needed] Weihai Torch Hi-Tech Science Park is a state-level development zone approved by the State Council in March 1991.

[54][55] The reports did not give figures for other types of religion; 80.05% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and folk religious sects.

The Shandong Peninsula, with its bays and harbours, has many important ports, including Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Rizhao, Dongying and Longkou.