Already famous

Beidaihe was popular before top leaders made it their summer resort, said Sun Zhisheng, cultural consultant of Beidaihe district.

"Beidaihe was first discovered as a seaside resort and named in 1893 because of the establishment of a railway station near the village ofBeidaihe, located a few miles from the sea," he said.

Well-known emperors of the Qin, Han, Wei and Tang dynasties had visited the area. That in turn drew foreigners from European countries and the United States to build villas and churches and make it a beach resort, Sun said.