When land meets the ocean, not only waves roll up, but also the ever-changing fields behind the rising tide. Over a hundred years ago, a city was born and named after the sea. She faces the Bohai Sea to the north and is connected to the sea and sky at the mouth of Lushun on the Liaodong Peninsula, guarding the capital and capital; To the east lies the Yellow Sea, facing the turbulent waves of the Pacific Ocean that are not peaceful. The long coastline surrounds this city, and the breath of the sea is constantly ringing in people's ears. Unlike most coastal cities with trade genes flowing in their blood, she carried the sacred mission of modern China to resist maritime aggression and defend its borders from the moment it was officially born. She is one of the "Seven Sons" in the works of patriotic poet Wen Yiduo, Weihai. As sung in "The Song of the Seven Sons? Weihaiwei", "Mother, don't forget that I am a strong general defending the sea. I have a Liugong Island as my shield.". To come to Weihai, one must go to Liugong Island. Looking at Liu Gong Island from afar. Photo taken by Li Jingxuan, a journalist from China Military Network. Starting from Weihai, it takes only 20 minutes for the ferry to reach the tourist port on Liugong Island. Less than 500 meters away from this modern dock is a long iron dock. It is like an old man who has experienced many hardships, quietly watching the endless stream of tourists visiting the island for sightseeing, just as it silently welcomed the group of athletes who returned from the sea more than 130 years ago. What kind of group is that? Through the fog of history, rows of warships painted in black and red are breaking through the waves. Under the dragon flag fluttering at the bow of the ship, officers and soldiers dressed in jackets and navy uniforms, either steer and adjust according to the chart, or constantly change their flag commands. That's right, that's China's first modern navy - the Beiyang Navy. The model of the Dingyuan ship. In the 19th century, with the rise of modern navy, the world map underwent drastic changes. In 1873, a top naval academy was built in Greenwich, England, known as the "cradle of naval officers in the empire where the sun never sets". Just four years later, this college welcomed a group of young people from the East. Six of them were the first batch of naval students sent by the Qing government to study in Britain. At the beginning of enrollment, although there was a certain gap between them and Western students, their qualities of hard work and perseverance always allowed them to catch up. Just like Lin Yongsheng, who served as the captain of the "Jingyuan" ship several years later, the British instructor gave him a graduation evaluation of "being proficient in marching and all tactics". In addition to the six international students who entered the Royal Naval Academy in Greenwich, the Qing government also sent six top students from Fujian Shipbuilding School to British fleets in the Mediterranean, West India, and Atlantic for ship internships. During the Battle of Jiawu, 8 of these 12 individuals served as the management of the Beiyang Fleet. In 1888, after more than 20 years of dedicated management, the Beiyang Navy was officially formed. On the day of the formation of the army, the ironclad giant ship was anchored on the sea surface of Liugong Island, with a tiger gazing at the sea and its air engulfing the sea of clouds. Shortly thereafter, supporting military facilities such as iron docks, naval academies, and shore defense forts were also gradually constructed. Liugong Island became the "fundamental stronghold" of modern Chinese navy. The iron dock on Liugong Island. Photo by Li Jiaqi, a journalist from China Military Network, but the grand scene has ultimately become a thing of the past. In the Battle of the Yellow Sea, although the Beiyang Fleet suffered heavy losses, the main battleships still survived