SHAN-TUNG, (Chin., mountain east). A maritime province of China, a con siderable portion of which consists of a moun tainous promontory 100 miles wide, which pro jects eastward from the mainland into the Yel low Sea for 200 miles, and is distant from the peninsula of Korea less than a day's sail (Map: China, E, 4). Area, about 65,104 square miles. The central portion is occupied by massive lime stone mountains, culminating in Mount Tai (411] feet), famous in history and considered sacred by the people. West, southwest, and north of these mountains lie the Shantung portions of the great alluvial plain of North China; while east and southeast of the mountains, and through out the promontory, are many fertile valleys and small plains. As a rule these mountains are des titute of forests. The province is well watered, though its lakes are few and small, and there are no rivers of importance except the lloang-ho, which traverses the great plain in the west and north. The Grand Canal runs through the whole province from north to south. The fertile loess deposit is found in several places, and agri culture flourishes. The crops include some cot ton. very little rice, but much tobacco. indigo, wheat. barley, maize, millet, pulse, peanuts, and vegetables. The fruits are of almost all kinds. tSilk is an important product, the chief seat of which is Yen-chow, on the great plain; and pongee, the spun-silk fabric derived from the cocoons of the wild silkworm, is much exported to foreign countries. The finest brocaded silk is woven near Tsi-nan-fu, the capital. Straw plaiting is an important industry, and much in sect wax is produced.
The fauna includes wolves, badgers, foxes, several species of poisonous snakes, scorpions, etc., and among the birds pheasants, partridges,
wild ducks and turkeys, Manchurian cranes, etc. The surrounding waters as well as the rivers teem with fish. Shantung is especially rich in minerals. Coal and iron abound, and gold, ga lena, copper, antimony, marble, granite, asbestos, and sulphur are abundant. There are four great eoal-fields. The coast line is about 750 miles. There are many good harbors. The chief are: on the north coast, Yang-kia-Mow, at the mouth of the Little Tsin River (canalized in 1801 and ex tended westward to Tsi-nan-fu), a few miles south of the mouth of the boang-ho (which now occupies the channel of the Great Tsin River) ; Chi-fu (q.v.), a treaty port; Wei-hai-wei, now controlled by Great Britain, and on the south coast Shi-tao and Tsing-tao on the southwest cor ner of the Lao-shan peninsula, now controlled by Germany. (See Iitio-cifAu.) The climate is healthful throughout. The rainy season lasts six weeks, and occurs in .June and July. The snow fall is heavy, and the harbors on the north coast are frequently blocked with ice. The temperature ranges from 20° F. below zero to 00° F. above.
Shantung is noted as containing the birth places of both Confucius and Mencius (qq.v.) and has played an important part in the history of the eountmy. Population. 30.000.000.
Railways have been introduced by the Germans and extend from the new port of Tsing-tao north ward to Wei-hien, and westward toward Tsi-nan fu (q.v.), and beyond, meeting at two different points the projected Anglo-German line from Tientsin to Chin.kiang-fu (q.v.).