Mists rising on the shore created an image of the city, with modern high-rise buildings, broad city streets and bustling cars as well as crowds of people all clearly visible.

Penglai had been soaked by two days of rain before the rare weather phenomenon occurred.

The mirage took place during the week-long Labour Day holiday.

Experts said that many mirages have been recorded in Penglai, on the tip of Shandong Peninsula, which made it to be known as a dwelling place of the gods.

They explained that a mirage is formed when moisture in the air becomes warmer than the seawater temperature, refracting rays of sunlight to create reflections of the landscape in the sky.

--Xinhua