Shandong (short name
鲁 Lǔ, from the ancient State of Lu) means "east of the mountains," referring to the Taihang range. It is the birthplace of Confucius (
孔子) and Mencius (
孟子), home to sacred Mount Tai (
泰山), and famous for Qingdao beer, Yantai apples, and Shandong cuisine
鲁菜.
