Ancient time According to historical records, human settlements existed in Rongcheng as early as the
Neolithic period. In ancient times, Rongcheng belonged to the territory of the Lai people and was governed by the
State of Lai starting from the Shang dynasty. After the State of Lai was annexed by the
State of Qi during the Conquest of Lai by Qi, the region became part of Qi's territory (in 567 BCE), and from then on, it fell under the control of the
Central China. According to historical records, the
First Emperor of the
Qin dynasty had visited Rongcheng twice during his
imperial tours, building bridges and temples.
Imperial time In 201 BCE, the county of Buye (不夜) was established and placed under
Donglai Commandery. The ruins of Buye County are located just south of Buye Village in Buliu Town, Rongcheng City, approximately 30 kilometers east of Chengshantou. During Northern Qi, in 568 CE, Wendeng County was established from parts of Muping and Guanyang counties, and the entire area of modern Rongcheng fell under the jurisdiction of Wendeng. In the early Ming dynasty, to defend against external threats (mainly
wokou pirates), two military garrisons—Chengshan and Jinghai—were established during
Hongwu era (in 1380). These garrisons also managed civil affairs within their respective military zones, while areas outside the garrisons remained under the administration of Wendeng County. During
Yongzheng's reign (1735), the Chengshan Garrison was abolished and replaced with a county. Emperor Yongzheng named the new county "Rongcheng," noting that "Qin Shi Huang once shot a giant fish at Mount Rongcheng, which lies within this region." Thus, the name "Rongcheng County" came into official use.
In People's Republic '' was sunk near Rongcheng on July 23, 1896, during a typhoon. Three men managed to swim ashore, and 11 survivors were rescued from the wreck two days later, apart from that, 71 men lost their lives. This is the tomb dedicated to the soldiers lost in the accident. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Rongcheng came under the administration of Wendeng District (文登专区), Shandong Province, in June 1950. In 1956, it was placed under Laiyang District; in 1958, it became part of Yantai District; and in 1987, it was transferred to Weihai City. In December 1988, with the approval of the
State Council of China, Rongcheng was upgraded from a county to a county-level city under the jurisdiction of
Weihai. In June 2011, a mutiny and mass murder broke out on
Lurongyu 2682, a fishing trawler registered in Rongcheng. After a month-long killings in the West
Pacific, 11 of the 33 crew returned. In July 2013, the Intermediate Court of
Wendeng, adjacent to Rongcheng, convicted the 11 men with murder. ==Administration==