Mount Taishan

Mount Taishan

Mount Tai is located in the centre of Shandong Province, north of Taian City , and is considered by the Chinese to be one of the nations five 'holiest' mountains. This is also one of the most interesting mountains in terms of history; long the haunt of emperors who took pride in surveying their vast empires from the summit here. The numerous temples and pavilions dotted about the slopes here are testament to this royal patronage.
The Mountain has been renamed by various emperors across the ages, all keen to pay great tribute to this holy Taoist spot. In 725, the Mountain was given the title of 'King Equal to the Sky' and men of letters, artists and poets have all paid tribute to this holiest of spots too. The path ascending the mountain is littered with poems and tributes carved in stone, proclaiming the importance and beauty of the spot. Confucius and the poet Dufu both penned poems illustrating their respect, and legend has it that those who climb the mountain will live until they are one hundred years old.

The entire mountain covers an area of about 426 square kilometers with Qufu, the hometown of Confucius to the front and Jinan, the City of Springs nestled behind. The peak of the Jade Emperor, the highest spot here, rises some 1545 meters above sea level.The trek from base to summit is about 8 km long and takes approximately five hours. The climb is relatively easy until the half way point at Zhongdian Gate, from where the steps become considerably more steep.

Although the Mountain carries considerable historical and religious weight, the inevitable influx of tourism has led to the 'disney-fication' of the area and it is increasingly difficult to see the mountain for the historical grandeur it once represented. Stalls, shops, photo booths and tea houses are dotted about and there is even a bus station and cable car situated half way up.
It is possible however to escape all this, and the traditional western descent route tends to be more quiet and scenic. What's more, despite (or as a result of) its fame, hundreds of Taoist pilgrims still make the journey up here on a regular basis, including many women, ascending to pay tribute to the Princess of the Rosy Clouds (Bixia Yuan Jun), who it is said can help women conceive. For those feeling really keen, the annual Mount Tai race takes place in September each year, and includes a competition for the best foreign participant!