To the old fishermen of Zhuanghe, the Haiwang Nine Islands — a string of pearls in the Yellow Sea — were a lifeline, a shelter when storms rose at sea. Island life was hard: men sailed small wooden boats for days while women dried nets and traded catches for rice and oil. Some never returned from heavy seas. Over time came ferries, electricity and fresh water; today the islands are a national 4A scenic area named among China’s ‘Harmonious Sea Islands,’ and retired fishermen tell their old tales to visitors over a song or two.