Throwing yourself off the Taishan Mountain then you will find heaven. Mount Taishan, the sacred peak of the Taoists
Mount Taishan has great cultural and historical significance and is one of the five sacred mountains Taoism. Traditionally, the mountain was considered the habitat of Taoist saints and immortals. The mountain is located in the vicinity of Tai'an City. The highest peak at 1545 m is called the Peak of the Jade Emperor. In China, Mount Taishan is associated with sunrise, birth, renewal. The temple at the top of the mountain has been the destination of numerous pilgrims for 3000 years. Now you can climb the mountain on a lift.
There are traces of human existence since the Paleolithic era. In these places, archaeologists have recorded settlements of the Neolithic period. At that time, two cultures developed in the vicinity of the mountain - first Beixin (4700-3400) and Davenkou (3700-3100), then Longshan (2100-1600). During the Zhou era of the Spring and Autumn period (771-453), the border of the Qi kingdom in the north and the Lu kingdom in the south passed along the mountain. In the subsequent Warring States Period (453-221), the Qi kingdom erected a 500 km wall to defend against attacks, the ruins of this wall have survived to this day. The name of the city of Tai'an is given the meaning "as long as Mount Taishan stands, the whole country holds on" - both signs in the name of the city have different meanings of the word "peace, stability".
Mount Taishan has taken root in Chinese culture as a symbol of stability. This was reflected in the saying "unshakable as Mount Taishan," often used by Mao Zedong.
Taishan has been a place of worship since time immemorial, at least since the Shang period. At some time, the ceremony on Mount Taishan became official; the mountain became the main place where the Emperor addressed Heaven and Earth (fengshan ceremony). During a feng ceremony held at the top of the mountain, the Emperor thanked Heaven for the mandate of power entrusted to him. During the Shan ceremony, which took place at the foot, the Emperor thanked the Earth for the harvest sent down. In 219 BC. NS. Emperor Qin Shihuang held a ceremony on the summit of Mount Taishan and proclaimed the unification of the entire Empire. After him, many Chinese Emperors performed solemn ceremonies on the top of the mountain on the occasion of any particularly important events.
The Han emperor Wu-di climbed Mount Taishan many times and organized regular sacrifices. For this he built palaces and towers on the mountain itself and at its foot.
Since 1987, Mount Taishan has been ranked World Heritage UNESCO. In 2003, the mountain was visited by 6 million pilgrims and tourists. According to a new project, religious buildings have been restored since 2005, and modern buildings that damage the landscape have been removed.
On the territory of the mountain there are 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone plates, 1018 drawings and inscriptions on the rocks. On the mountain, 7200 steps were carved and built up to the very top, there are 11 gates, 14 galleries, 14 kiosks and 4 pavilions.
The Temple of the Deity of Mount Tai is the largest and oldest complex on the mountain; it covers an area of 96 thousand m 2. The temple was built during the Qin dynasty. Since the reign of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), the temple began to repeat the architecture imperial palace and the Temple of Confucius in Qufu). The temple has five main halls and many additional rooms. In the center is the Heavenly Blessing Palace, built in 1008 during the Northern Song. The wall painting "Travel of the deity of Mount Tai" dating back to 1009 has been preserved in the Palace. The mural covers the east, north and west walls of the hall and is 3.3 meters high and 62 meters long. The subject of the image is an inspection of the mountain by the Celestial deity. The temple is surrounded by cypress trees planted during the Han Dynasty, about 2,100 years ago.
Important temples are also the Blue Cloud Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mount Laomu, and the Temple of the Sacred Rock, which houses the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.
Visitors can get to the mountain by bus, from the Middle Gate of Heaven stop, you can climb to the very top by lift. It takes two hours to climb to the top on foot. There are stalls along the entire road, and porters can also be hired.
The ascent starts from the Taishan Arch. On the path of 7200 stone steps, the pilgrim first passes the tower of the Ten Thousand Immortals, walks along the ridge of the Arhats, and comes to the palace of the deity Doumu. A full climb from the very foot of the mountain from the city, however, takes seven hours.
To the northeast of Doumu Palace is the Sutra Rock Valley, where the Diamond Sutra was carved into the rock in 50 cm characters, presumably during the Northern Wei Dynasty. According to ancient superstition, one can "gain Heaven" by jumping down from the top of Mount Taishan. Therefore, there were regularly many suicide pilgrims who tried to throw themselves down from the top of the mountain. Measures have now been taken to protect the territory at the top from the possibilities of such an act.
The Thousand Buddha Mountain is considered the main attraction of the city of Zengan. The mountain rises to 258 meters in height. In 1959, a national park Shandong province.
In the years 581-618, when the Sui dynasty ruled, a large number of silhouettes of Buddha were carved on the slopes of the mountain and a temple of a thousand Buddhas was built, which became very famous after that. Therefore, the mountain has the same name as the temple. The mountain includes many historical sites and relics.
The temple complex consists of the Laughing Buddha Pavilion, Daxiong Baodian and Kuan-yin Halls, and Duihua Place. To the south-west of the temple is the oldest inscription - four printed symbols carved into the rock.
In the Lishan Pavilion, you can see how Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are in harmony with each other. Here, the temples of Luban and Yulan, the Temple of Humility and the Wenchang pavilion are adjacent.
More than 130 Buddha statues are carved into the mountain, which are located on the southern slope of the mountain. On the opposite side are the Qianlou, Yizu, Jile and Longquan caves.
Coordinates: 36.63972200,117.03642900
Mount Ni
Mount Ni is a 340-meter-high hill located 30 kilometers from Qufu City, Shandong Province, China. The mountain is traditionally considered the birthplace of Confucius, therefore it has a great historical value. According to legend, Confucius's parents, Kong On and Yang Zheng, did not have children for a long time. They constantly went to pray on Mount Ni, and soon they had a long-awaited son. After it turned out that the boy was born with deformities, his mother threw him into a cave, but the tiger and eagle saved the child.
In honor of this event, in the cave of Mount Ni, Confucius' father erected a magnificent temple. Its history can be traced back to 535 AD. However, after the death of Kong She is a temple on long time was abandoned and rebuilt much later, during the reign of the Ming dynasty, in 1418. Further expansion of the temple took place during the reign of the Qing dynasty, after which it was divided into three separate structures.
Currently located here architectural ensemble, consisting of a historic temple dedicated to Kong On, the father of Confucius, a Confucian academy and a Memorial Temple. This place is very popular with tourists. People from all over the world come here to admire the beauty of the architectural structure of Mount Ni and the picturesque nature that bewitches the eye.
Coordinates: 35.50309400,117.21734000
Shandong mountains
The Shandong Mountains are a mountain range in eastern China, in the Shandong province. The Shandong Mountains stretch over 500 kilometers. The mountains are composed of Archean crystalline schists and granites, as well as sedimentary rocks of the Lower Paleozoic.
The most high mountain Shandong Massif - Taishan. It rises 1524 meters above the level of the World Ocean. The Chinese have known Mount Taishan since ancient times; pagodas and other religious buildings were built on it even before the beginning of our era.
The beginning of the settlement of local forests and construction on the slopes of Taishan was laid in 2200 BC, when Emperor Shan ascended to the top of the mountain.
Coordinates: 36.26666700,117.10000000
Signal mountain
Signal Mountain (or Yantai Shan) is an upland in the city of Yantai (Shandong province). During the reign of the Moon dynasty (1398), attacks by the Wako pirates began on the city. To protect themselves from them, observation posts were organized in the local mountains, which, in the event of an enemy approaching, had to give a signal: during the day - with smoke, at night - with fire. Such posts were called "Smoke Bridges", and the Yantai Mountain itself began to be called "signal". At the same time, a lighthouse was installed on it, which is now the symbol of the city.
The mountain is washed by the sea on three sides and has an area of 24 hectares. There are ancient monuments and a number of historical museums here.
Coordinates: 37.46429900,121.44818000
Mount Taishan
One of the five mountains of Taoism recognized as saints is Mount Taishan. There is a legend that this mountain was once inhabited by immortals and Taoist saints. This religious place is located near the city of Tai'an in China.
The highest point of the mountain, 1545 meters high, is called the Peak of the Jade Emperor. The people of China associate Taishan with the rising of the warm sun, renewal and rebirth. At the very top there is a temple, which thousands of pilgrims have been trying to reach for about 3000 years. Today it is much easier to get to the mountain, since a lift has already been built on it.
Even in the Paleolithic era, the first human traces appeared here. Archaeologists have found here the remains of Neolithic settlements. To this day, the ruins of a 500-kilometer wall, erected to protect against attacks during the Warring States Period, have survived on the mountain. It is not for nothing that they say in these parts that as long as Mount Taishan exists, the whole country also exists. The mountain has become a symbol of the stability of Chinese culture.
The territory of Taishan includes 22 temples, 1018 inscriptions and rock paintings, 819 stone slabs and 97 ruins. It is the oldest and largest cultural complex located on one mountain.
Coordinates: 36.18339400,116.83328900
Shandong landmarks
As part of the Shandong Mountains, which has become for the peoples of the country a symbol of eternal beauty and a sacred place where those eager to realize their purpose in life come in the hope of hearing the answer in the mountain echo, the noise of foliage and the murmur of water.
Literally translated from Chinese, Taishan means "Mountain of Sunrise" or "Eastern Mountain".
Taishan is also the highest point of the Shandong Mountains. The mountain is composed of gneisses, granites, shales, limestones. The rocks around the mountain are heavily dissected by deep tectonic valleys.
The mountain drops steeply to the north, towards the river valley. Numerous streams run down the slopes of Taishan, forming picturesque waterfalls. Almost the entire mountain is covered with state-protected vegetation, there are over a thousand plant species.
V Ancient China Mount Taishan was considered sacred: it was here that the legendary Chinese Emperor Shun, who lived in the XXIII century. BC e., made a sacrifice to the sky, as they say in the "Shu jing" - "Book of history", in its most ancient parts of the XIV-XI centuries. BC NS.
According to legend, Shun is the last of the Five Ancient Emperors who ruled in the most ancient period of Chinese history - in the third millennium BC. NS. Chinese folklore ascribes to him the creation of the national music and calendar. Confucius himself equated Shun with "perfect people": some researchers believe that these were aliens, and Shun himself, respectively, is a representative or descendant of an extraterrestrial civilization. Shun waged long and bloody wars with the Miao and Kung tribes, who did not give up hope of conquering China. Legends say that in these wars, the Chinese used iron weapons for the first time.
From the time of Shun, in the Chinese view, Taishan was a semblance of the afterlife: it was believed that the souls of the dead gathered in the vicinity of the mountain, near the Hao-li hill. People today believe that gold boxes with jade plates are kept on Mount Taishan, on which the lives of people are recorded.
Hence the perception of Taishan as a deity not only of death, but also of birth (Eastern Mountain, sunrise and the beginning of life). It is believed that amulets - stones from Mount Taishan, called shigandan, placed in front of the entrance to the house or at the beginning of the street, protect from evil spirits.
Later, Taishan began to be perceived as an intermediary between the ruler of people and the supreme heavenly deity, and another, underground China was located under the mountain. This mediator is Taishan-jun, the god of Mount Taishan, the grandson of heaven and earth, who is in charge of the fate of people, the distribution of nobility and wealth, as well as the court of the afterlife.
Temple complex of Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism
The Taishan grief is also associated with the cult of the goddess - the daughter of the ruler of Mount Taishan, the patroness of children, called Taishan Niannyang - Mother of Mount Taishan. Her temple was opened on the 18th of the 4th moon, since it was believed that the goddess sleeps nine months a year.The closest assistant of the god of Mount Taishan is the commander-in-chief Wen, in the temples of the mountain he was portrayed with a bracelet (a gift from a god) in his left hand and an iron mace in his right.
Temples dedicated to Mount Taishan and its spirit were erected not only on the mountain itself, but throughout China, this cult is so significant in the worldview of the Chinese. The birthday of the ruler of Mount Tanshan falls on the 28th of the 3rd moon in the Chinese calendar and is celebrated throughout the country and far abroad - in Chinese communities around the world.
Mount Taishan is in historic center Chinese civilization and played a significant role in the spread of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism in China.
A narrow stone staircase with thousands of steps leads to the sanctuaries of Mount Taishan, which became one of the tests of the pilgrim's strength of faith.
Taishan is one of the Five Great Sacred Mountains of China. According to Chinese mythology, they were formed from the body of Pangu, the Creator of the Universe, and Taishan from his head, when Pangu's body was divided.
In Chinese culture, the image of Mount Taishan is entrenched as a symbol of stability. This is how the proverb "Unshakable as Mount Taishan" appeared - the favorite saying of the all-powerful Chairman Mao Zedong.
When the mountain acquired sacred status, only the emperor performed ceremonies on it. The lord of the Celestial Empire performed a double fengshan ceremony, addressing Heaven and Earth. During the feng ceremony at the top of the mountain, the emperor thanked Heaven for entrusting him with power. During the Shan ceremony at the foot of the mountain, he thanked the Earth for the harvest sent down.
Over time, Mount Taishan was built up with temples and became the focus of numerous monuments of Chinese architecture. The local temples do not belong to any particular religion; adherents of all three main teachings of China - Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism - come here.
Buddhist and Taoist temples were erected here, old buildings were destroyed, and new ones were erected in their place, and these temples have long been lost. In total, more than 20 architectural temple ensembles have survived. A special place is occupied by about 2 thousand stone steles and rocks, decorated with artistic carvings and inscriptions.
The largest and oldest complex on Mount Taishan is the Mount Tai Deity Temple (Daimiao), which includes more than 600 shrines and other buildings. The complex covers an area of 96 thousand m 2 and was built during the Qin dynasty. It was often rebuilt in accordance with the trends of the times, until, since the reign of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), the temple began to copy the architecture of the imperial palace with its vast courtyards lined with trees, arches, gates, many pavilions-temples. Central place temple complex occupies the Palace of Heavenly Blessing (Tiankuandian), built during the Northern Song times. On its walls, the wall painting "The Travel of the Deity of Mount Tai", dating back to 1009, has been preserved, striking in its dimensions: 3.3 m in height and 62 m in length.
Temples at the top of Taishan have been the target of regular mass pilgrimage since the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
Climbing Mount Taishan, which in reality is not one mountain, but a group of peaks, usually starts from the city of Tai'an, which is one of the most large temples China - Daimiao. A winding stone staircase with a length of about 10 km leads from the northern outskirts of the city to the top. There are more than 7 thousand steps in it, along which hundreds of millions of people climbed - from peasants to emperors. The entire journey of the pilgrim from the city to the top takes seven hours.
In 1987, Mount Taishan, praised by the great thinkers and poets of China for two thousand years, one of the fundamental symbols of Chinese civilization, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Also on Mount Taishan there are traces of a Paleolithic man and a destroyed fragment of a 500-kilometer wall that the Qi kingdom erected during the Warring States period. An amazing natural object is the Bridge of the Immortals: it is not clear how several huge stones blocked the gorge in a chain at a considerable height, forming a passage.
general information
Location: east of the PRC.Administrative affiliation: province, People's Republic of China.
Purpose: temple complexes of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
Immediate big cities : Jinan - 4,335,989 people. (2010), Tai'an - 1,735,425 people. (2010).
Language: Chinese (Jinan dialect, Mandarin).
Ethnic composition: Han - 98%, others (Hui and Manchus) - 2% (2010).
Religions: Taoism, Buddhism.
Currency unit: yuan.
An airport : international Airport Jinan Yaoqiang.
Numbers
Altitude: 1545 m (Peak of the Jade Emperor).Foot height above sea level: 150 m.
Base area: 426 km 2.
Temples: 22.
Stone steles: 819.
Rocks with drawings: 1018.
Climate and weather
Continental monsoon.Average January temperature: -2 ° C.
Average temperature in July: + 26 ° C.
Average annual rainfall: 680 mm.
Relative humidity: 60%.
sights
Natural
Bridge of the Immortals, Peaks of the Jade Emperor, Thousand Pines and Heavenly Candle, Fan's Rock, Grotto of White Clouds.
Cult
Daimiao Temple Complex (221-206 BC) with Tiankuandian Palace (1008), Blue Cloud Temple, Sacred Rock Temple (with the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas), Doumu Palace, Lying Tiger Temple, Sivanmu Fairy Temple, Temple Princesses of Openwork Clouds (Bisyatsi), Temple of the Heavenly Emperor (Yu-huangdi).
Historical
Neolithic settlements (Beixin culture, 4700-3400 BC; Davenkou culture, 3700-3100 BC; Longshan culture, 2100-1600 BC), ruins of the kingdom wall Qi (453-221 BC), stone stairs, stone steles and rocks with artistic carvings, Taishan Arch, Tower of Ten Thousand Immortals, Arhats ridge, Stone Sutra Valley (Diamond Sutra carving), Middle Heavenly Gate (Zhongtianmen ), South Heavenly Gate.
Jinan city
Baotu Spring, Shentong Temple (4th century), Mount of a Thousand Buddhas, Four Gate Pagoda (661), Lingyuan Temple, Shandong Provincial Museum.
Tai'an City
Daimiao Temple (1009).
Curious facts
■ In 2003, Tangshan Mountain was visited by 6 million pilgrims and tourists.■ An image of Mount Taishan appears on the 5 yuan banknote.
■ Mount Taishan is also associated with the first ancestor of the Chinese Fu-hsi, mentioned in the "Historical Notes" dating from the 11th-1st centuries. BC NS. According to legends, he was the legendary leader of the early eastern tribes in China, taught people to fish, hunt, raise livestock, and also invented eight trigrams that formed the basis of the "Book of Changes" (I Ching).
■ The full name of the goddess - the daughter of the ruler of Mount Taishan - Dunyue Taishan tianxian yunyu biisia yuanjun (" East Peak Taishan Mountains Heavenly Fairy Jade Maiden Lady of the Azure Dawn ").
■ During the Zhou era of the Spring and Autumn period (771-453 BC), the two warring kingdoms - Qi in the north and Lu in the south - could not divide the sacred mountain in any way, and the border was drawn directly through Taishan.
■ Inscriptions on slabs and rocks - quotes from ancient Chinese classics: "We honor your strength above the other three sacred mountains", "You awaken the stale and lost", "Here you have in your hands all kinds of people's happiness."
■ On Mount Taishan there are trees known since ancient times: the Han dynasty cypress planted by Emperor Wu more than 2 thousand years ago, the tree of Tang scientists (more than 1300 years old), the “Welcome Pine” (500 years) and the “Pine of the Fifth rank "(250 years).
■ One of the halls of the Daimiao Temple contains a huge piece of Khotan jasper, one edge of which is warmer and the other colder.
■ Temple of the Lying Tiger - the seat of the sacred tiger from Mount Taishan, whose image is still in many Chinese houses today. It is believed that he drives away any evil from the human dwelling.
■ The city of Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, is located 75 km south of Mount Taishan. There are three shrines associated with the name of the great thinker: Confucius Palace (Yanshengong Palace), Confucius Temple and Kunlin Cemetery, where Confucius himself and thousands of his descendants are buried. All these sites are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
■ In China, people who are significantly different from those around them are called "He is like Mount Taishan and even more."
■ In the entire long history of China, only five emperors climbed Mount Taishan.
Translated from Chinese, Taishan means "Eastern Mountain". They say that if you climb this mountain yourself and make a sacrifice to the gods, you can live up to 100 years. In 1987, Mount Taishan was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Taishan is at least 2 billion years old. On stone mountain range you can study the history of the Earth.
In ancient times, locals climbed mountain peaks and burned bonfires to receive heavenly blessings. All Chinese emperors considered Mount Taishan sacred.
Even today, people believe that this mountain is the entrance to the kingdom of the immortals.
Taishan is located in the center of Shandong province. Its length from west to east is 200 km, and from north to south - 50 km. The base of the mountain has an area of 426 km². The highest peak is 1545 meters above sea level.
History
In ancient times, the Chinese sages believed that the earth and the sky stood on five sacred mountains called Yue. Taishan was called Eastern Yue, because it rises in the easternmost point of China, in the place where the sun rises. The Chinese believe that life originated here.
Taishan is called the main of the Five Great Mountains of China (Taishan, Huashan, Hengshan (Hunan), Hengshan (Shanxi), Songshan).
In various myths and legends, Mount Taishan was presented as a place of sacrifices to the sky. According to many legends, 72 emperors performed the chailan sacrifice ceremony on this mountain, after which they received a blessing from heaven, in other words, they became legitimate.
In the early winter of A.D. 1008. NS. participating in a seventeen-day march, an army detachment led by the Song emperor Zhao Heng reached this temple. The emperor publicly stated that a spirit appeared to him in a dream, which instructed him to go to Mount Taishan and receive a heavenly blessing there.
In 219 BC. NS. the first emperor Qin (Qin Shi Huang Ti) visited these places and made a sacrifice to the sky at the top of the mountain (feng rite), and at the foot of the mountain he thanked the God of Fertility (shan rite). The complete ceremony of initiation into emperors became known as fengshan. After this ceremony, the emperor announced to the whole country that his power was granted by heaven, therefore it is sacred and inviolable. Since then, every emperor performed the fengshan rite on this mountain.
sights
The Daimiao temple complex was built at the foot of the mountain and has a length from north to south of 405 meters. This is a sacred place. Here the Chinese emperors made sacrifices to heaven and earth, as well as to spirits and ancestors.
This is the mural at Daimiao Temple "Journey of the Taishan Mountain Deity." It shows how the fengshan ceremony for one of the emperors took place. This painting is about 1,000 years old.
Tiankuandian Palace. It is located in the center of the Daimiao Temple Complex. Used for sacrifices. Built on the model of the imperial palace. It is one of the three famous ancient palaces in China that have survived to this day.
This is the heavenly gate. They are located just behind the temple. Behind them there will be a road uphill.
On the way up the mountain, you can find various carved inscriptions reflecting the culture of the ancient people.
On the cliff there is an inscription "benefit to the people". She reminds everyone that a pure mountain spring can heal mental suffering.
This is the chamber of immortality. After it, tourists will need to climb about a kilometer. This is the famous "18 Taishan Roads".
At the end of the path, tourists pass through south gate and walk along Heavenly Street.
In the spring of 1790, Emperor Qianlong carved a poem praising Taishan on a stone 30 m high and 12 m wide. The people called the inscription "the highest inscription". It is the largest rock inscription in Taishan.
There are other engraved texts from the common Chinese intelligentsia at different times.
This is a sacred gorge. In it, on a stone of 2000 sq. m. a Buddhist canon is carved.
At the highest peak (Peak of the Jade Emperor) is the tallest Taoist temple dedicated to the Jade Emperor. It is difficult to name the exact age of the temple, since during the Ming dynasty it was heavily reconstructed.
In the center of the temple stands big statue emperor.
There are many other gods in the temple to whom you can make sacrifices, for example, this God of Money.
This is the temple of Mother Taishan. Every year, on March 15, according to the lunar calendar, local residents climb the mountain and make sacrifices to the god Mother Taishan.
Mother Taishan was born into an ordinary family. Once she was chopping wood on the mountain and met a heavenly spirit who made her immortal so that Mother Taishan could help ordinary people. This small temple is the place where she gained immortality.
This is Bisyatsi Temple. It is the largest on this mountain. Built around the 17th century. The ancestors and mother Taishan are worshiped in it.
Nature
Trees, untouched by anyone since ancient times, sprouted directly into the rocks. Although the mountains are composed of rocks, the vegetation cover reaches 80%.
All types of seed, root and herbaceous plants typical for temperate climates are represented here.
Mount Taishan has great cultural and historical significance and is one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism. Traditionally, the mountain was considered the habitat of Taoist saints and immortals. The mountain is located in the vicinity of Tai'an City. The highest peak at 1545 m is called the Peak of the Jade Emperor. In China, Mount Taishan is associated with sunrise, birth, renewal. The temple at the top of the mountain has been the destination of numerous pilgrims for 3000 years. Now you can climb the mountain on a lift.
Location
Mount Taishan is located north of Tai'an and south of the provincial capital, Jinan City. At the foot of the mountain, the height is 150 m above sea level. The base of the mountain covers an area of 426 km².
History
There are traces of human existence since the Paleolithic era. In these places, archaeologists have recorded settlements of the Neolithic period. At that time, two cultures developed in the vicinity of the mountain - first Beixin (4700-3400) and Davenkou (3700-3100), then Longshan (2100-1600). During the Zhou era of the Spring and Autumn period (771-453), the border of the Qi kingdom in the north and the Lu kingdom in the south passed along the mountain. In the subsequent Warring States Period (453-221), the Qi kingdom erected a 500 km wall to defend against attacks, the ruins of this wall have survived to this day. The name of the city of Tai'an is given the meaning “as long as Mount Taishan stands, the whole country holds on” - both signs in the name of the city have different meanings of the word “peace, stability”.
Mount Taishan has taken root in Chinese culture as a symbol of stability. This was reflected in the saying "unshakable as Mount Taishan", often used by Mao Zedong.
Taishan has been a place of worship since time immemorial, at least since the Shang period. At some time, the ceremony on Mount Taishan became official; the mountain became the main place where the Emperor spoke to Heaven and Earth (fengshan ceremony 封禪). During the feng (封) ceremony held at the top of the mountain, the Emperor thanked Heaven for the mandate of power entrusted to him. During the shan (禪) ceremony, which took place at the foot, the Emperor thanked the Earth for the harvest sent down. In 219 BC. NS. Emperor Qin Shihuang held a ceremony on the summit of Mount Taishan and proclaimed the unification of the entire Empire. After him, many Chinese Emperors performed solemn ceremonies on the top of the mountain on the occasion of any particularly important events.
The Han emperor Wu-di climbed Mount Taishan many times and organized regular sacrifices. For this he built palaces and towers on the mountain itself and at its foot.
Since 1987, Mount Taishan has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2003, the mountain was visited by 6 million pilgrims and tourists. According to a new project, religious buildings have been restored since 2005, and modern buildings that damage the landscape have been removed.
Nature
Geology
Mount Taishan is an inclined fault massif, the height of which increases from north to south. This is the oldest example of a paleo-metamorphic formation of the Cambrian period in the east of China. The Taishan complex is composed of magnetized, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks interspersed with rocks of a different origin, related to the Archean. The rise of the relief in this region began in the Proterozoic; by the end of the Proterozoic era, the present environs of Taishan became part of the mainland.
In addition to Peak of the Jade Emperor, other formations are of interest, such as Heavenly Candle Peak, Fan's Cliff, Back Mountain Hollow or the Bridge of the Immortals.
80 % mountain system covered with deciduous forests, which are protected by the state. The flora of the mountain is very rich, there are more than 1000 plant species. Some trees have been known for a long time and have a large cultural significance... In particular, the Han dynasty cypress, planted by Emperor Wu, the tree of Tang scholars (which is more than 1300 years old), the Pine that welcomes guests (500 years old) and the Pine of the fifth rank, so named by Emperor Qin Shihuang, transplanted 250 years ago.
Cultural monuments
On the territory of the mountain there are 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone slabs, 1018 drawings and inscriptions on the rocks. On the mountain, 7200 steps were carved and built up to the very top, there are 11 gates, 14 galleries, 14 kiosks and 4 pavilions.
The Temple of the Deity of Mount Tai (Dai Miao) is the largest and oldest complex on the mountain, it covers an area of 96 thousand square meters. The temple was built during the Qin dynasty. Since the reign of the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), the temple began to repeat the architecture of the imperial palace and the Temple of Confucius in Qufu). The temple has five main halls and many additional rooms. In the center is the Heavenly Blessing Palace (Tian Zhu), built in 1008 during the Northern Song era. In the Palace, there is a wall painting "The Journey of the Deity of Mount Tai" dating back to 1009. The painting covers the eastern, northern and western walls of the hall and is 3.3 meters high and 62 meters long. The subject of the image is an inspection of the mountain by the Celestial deity. The temple is surrounded by cypress trees planted during the Han Dynasty, about 2,100 years ago.
Important temples are also the Blue Cloud Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mount Laomu, and the Temple of the Sacred Rock, which houses the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.
Infrastructure
Visitors can get to the mountain by bus, from the stop Sredniye Vor "" from Neba on the lift you can climb to the very top. It takes two hours to climb to the top on foot. There are stalls along the entire road, and porters can also be hired.
The ascent starts from the Taishan Arch. On the path of 7200 stone steps, the pilgrim first passes the tower of the Ten Thousand Immortals (Wanxianlou), walks along the ridge of the Arhats (Luohanya), and comes to the palace of the deity Doumugong.
A full climb from the very foot of the mountain from the city, however, takes seven hours.
To the northeast of Doumu Palace is the Sutra Rock Valley, where the Diamond Sutra was carved into the rock in 50 cm characters, presumably during the Northern Wei Dynasty.
According to an ancient superstition, one can "find Heaven" by jumping down from the top of Mount Taishan. Therefore, there were regularly many suicide pilgrims who tried to throw themselves down from the top of the mountain. Measures have now been taken to protect the territory at the top from the possibilities of such an act.
