Mountains of Shandong. Mount Taishan - Pilgrimage Ascent Temple Complex of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism

Mount Taishan has great cultural and historical significance and is one of the five sacred mountains Taoism. Traditionally, the mountain was considered the home of Taoist saints and immortals. The mountain is located in the vicinity of the city of Tai'an. The highest peak at 1545m is called the Jade Emperor Peak. In China, Mount Taishan is associated with sunrise, birth, renewal. The temple on top of the mountain has been the goal of numerous pilgrims for 3000 years. Now you can climb the mountain by 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.

Story
There are traces of human presence 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 Dawenkou (3700-3100), then Longshan (2100-1600). During the Zhou era of the Spring and Autumn period (771-453), the mountain was the border of the kingdom of Qi in the north and the kingdom of Lu in the south. In the subsequent Warring States Period (453-221), the kingdom of Qi erected a 500 km long wall to protect against attacks, and the ruins of this wall remain 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 become entrenched in Chinese culture as a symbol of stability. This was reflected in the saying "steady 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 acquired official status; the mountain became the main place where the Emperor addressed Heaven and Earth (fengshan 封禪 ceremony). During the feng (封) ceremony held at the top of the mountain, the Emperor thanked Heaven for giving him the mandate of power. During the shan (禪) ceremony, which took place at the foot, the Emperor thanked the Earth for the sent down harvest. In 219 BC e. Emperor Qin Shi Huang held a ceremony atop 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 especially important events.

The Han Emperor Wu Di repeatedly climbed Mount Taishan and organized regular sacrifices. For this he built palaces and towers on the mountain itself and at its foot.

Since 1987, Taishan Mountain 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, since 2005 religious buildings have been restored, and modern buildings that harm the landscape have been removed.
Nature
Geology

Mount Taishan is a tilted 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 eastern China. The Taishan Complex is composed of magnetized, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks interspersed with rocks of other origins dating back to the Archean. The rise of the relief in this region began in the Proterozoic, by the end of the Proterozoic era, the current environs of Taishan became part of the mainland.

In addition to Jade Emperor Peak, there are other formations of interest, such as Sky Candle Peak, Fan Crag, Back Mountain Hollow, or Immortal Bridge.

80% of the mountain system is 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 since ancient times and have a great cultural significance. In particular, the cypress of the Han dynasty, planted by Emperor Wu Di, 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 rocks. On the mountain, 7200 steps were hollowed out and built up to the very top, there are 11 gates, 14 galleries, 14 stalls and 4 pavilions.

Mount Tai Deity Temple (Dai Miao) - the largest and oldest complex on the mountain, it covers an area of ​​96 thousand m² The temple was built during the Qin Dynasty. From the time 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. The Palace has preserved a mural "Journey of the deity of Mount Tai" dating back to 1009. The mural covers the eastern, northern and western walls of the hall and is 3.3 m high and 62 m long. The plot of the image is the inspection of the Celestial deity of the mountain. The temple is surrounded by cypress trees planted during the Han Dynasty, about 2100 years ago.

Other important temples are the Blue Cloud Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mount Laom, and the Temple of the Sacred Rock, which has a Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.

Infrastructure

Visitors can get to the mountain by bus, from the stop Sredniye Vor""Ota Neba" you can take a lift to the very top. It takes two hours to hike to the top. There are stalls all along the road, you can also hire porters.

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), goes along the crest of the Arhats (Luohanya), and comes to the palace of the deity Doumu (Doumugong).

The full ascent 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 is carved into the rock in 50 cm characters, presumably during the Northern Wei Dynasty.

According to an ancient superstition, one can "gain Heaven" by throwing oneself down from the top of Mount Taishan. Therefore, there were regularly many suicidal pilgrims who sought to throw themselves down from the top of the mountain. Measures have now been taken to protect the territory at the top from the possibility of such an act.

In China, there are five sacred mountains, according to legend, they arose when the body of the creator of the universe (Pangu) broke into five parts. Taishan came out of the head. Taoists consider these mountains to be sacred as they link heaven and earth. Taishan is the most revered of the three sacred mountains of China, located in the Shandong province.

The height of Mount Taishan is 1591 meters, and according to legend, one who walked the path to the top of Taishan on his feet will live 100 years.

Here, all the emperors, up to the rulers of the Ming Dynasty, made sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. The area of ​​Mount Taishan is one of the birthplaces of civilization. During the Neolithic era, the Lushan archaeological culture of the 2nd millennium flourished here. BC. Later, rival states of Qi and Lu existed here.

Mount Taishan was considered a deity, to which the surrounding population made sacrifices in order to ensure a good harvest and protect themselves from earthquakes and floods. According to Taoist beliefs, the spirit of Mount Taishan - the Lord of the Eastern Peak - controls human destinies, and after death, the souls of people return to this mountain for the highest court. The traditions of honoring Mount Taishan were adopted from the Taoists by Buddhists and Confucians. Taishan was a permanent venue for the most important rituals, and it is not surprising that over several millennia, the slopes of the mountain were covered with many large and small shrines, temples and rock paintings.

Mount Taishan is not really a single mountain, but a picturesque group of peaks. A wide zigzag staircase goes up, on the sides of which there are numerous temples, and on the rocks and boulders lying on the sides of the road there are inscriptions glorifying Mount Taishan, many of which were made more than 1000 years ago.

Nowadays, you can climb the mountain with the help of a cable car.

At the very foot of the mountain there is a huge Taiyamo - Temple of the Lord of the East Peak(Taishan), the supreme judge of the dead. Centennial cypress trees have been preserved here, some of them were planted by the emperors of the Tang Dynasty. The temple has preserved many ancient inscriptions dedicated to this mountain and drawings.

The first significant temple on the slope of Taishan - Sanctuary of the god of money and abundance Caishen. According to ancient Chinese beliefs, praying means inviting, asking God to come to the rescue, and to make it more convenient for him, walking figures are depicted in the temple.
about the horse.

Passing one of the peaks of the mountain, - Thousand Pines Peak, travelers rise to Temple of the Lying Tiger. This is the seat of the sacred Tiger from Mount Taishan, whose image used to be found in every Chinese house. According to legend, this tiger drives away evil spirits from human dwellings.

At the top of the sacred mountain, there is a temple of the goddess Bisia, named after the Princess of Pink Clouds, the Taoist goddess who saves women from infertility. Many women flock to this temple to get rid of women's diseases and pray for the birth of a healthy child.

Taishan Mountain is the highest point Jade Emperor Peak, - the supreme deity of the Taoists. On the east side of the summit is the Sun Observation Pavilion, from where you can admire the sunrise and sunset of the Yangtze River.

The Taishan Mountain Ensemble is today included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the temples of the goddess Bixia and the Xiwangmu Temple are major religious centers.

For those who are interested in the culture and religion of ancient China, and who are attracted by the spirit of pilgrimage and ancient legends, a trip to Mount Taishan will be an unforgettable spiritual experience.

How to get to Mount Taishan.

From Beijing, you need to get by bus or train to the city of Tai'an. Here is the information center of Mount Taishan, where you can find all the necessary information on the route. Entrance to the territory of Mount Taishan costs from 60 to 80 yuan, and visiting attractions is paid separately.

There can be any number of reasons to personally visit the Chinese mountain Taishan. Taishan means as much to the Chinese as Olympus to the Greeks, and there are temples dedicated to this mountain and its spirits all over China. You can come to Taishan and climb, if only because here you will see the China that for centuries, even millennia, artists have depicted with ink on silk. Not multimillion-dollar, boiling and colorful, but peaceful, spiritual. When you, standing above the clouds, see mountains sinking in white flakes with trees and pagodas growing horizontally, you will understand why the Chinese love their homeland.

We are located in the city of Tai'an at the very foot of the main mountain in eastern China. It was this factor that allowed the modest city to acquire good infrastructure, including excellent, modern hotels. Seeing Mount Taishan is the dream of millions of people, and not only the Chinese.

For 3 thousand years, this mountain has been associated in China with sunrise and renewal. For 3 thousand years, billions of monks, peasants, warriors and emperors have managed to pray here. Meeting the dawn on Mount Taishan for many of them meant the ascension to the throne and the beginning of the reign.

It is not surprising that for thousands of years, Mount Taishan has acquired not only many natural, but also man-made wonders. Today, 22 temples, 97 ruins, more than 2,200 hewn stone slabs, 1,018 drawings and inscriptions on the rocks are known here. There is the world-famous "Bridge of the Immortals", the Eighteen Bend Staircase, the view of the Yellow River and many more reasons why Taishan Mountain was named an open-air museum complex and included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. It's a sin not to visit if possible. And everyone who has reached the famous Chinese province of Shandong has the opportunity to get here. The provincial capital can be reached from Beijing by train in just 2 hours. Then another 70 kilometers by bus or train - and you are at the foot.

Breakfast is eaten, the camera is charged, and the way up begins with a serpentine, which we fly by bus. The road is mountainous, obstinate, but well-made, and any transport travels here confidently and quickly. The most patient, religious and poor tourists go up on foot from the very beginning.

Listing the names of all the temples and arches seen is meaningless. The main thing is that despite the huge crowds of people, a feeling of peace appears on the mountain, which is created not only by slopes and clouds, but also by Taoist monks, altars, sacred statues and endless temple buildings.

Most spectators watch from the open stands, but VIP ticket holders sit higher than everyone else in canopy-covered seats. The show has great service. For example, we did not sit in VIP, but still in more expensive places. At the very beginning, the staff gave us thick, very warm jackets. At the start of the performance, light rain began to fall from the sky, and then quite tangible rain, but the show team, accustomed to such a turn of events, solved the problem clearly and quickly. For some 5 minutes, everyone was given raincoats. The show went on.

The scale of what is happening is quite in the spirit of an ever-growing China. The screen shows excellently made videos, excellent historical music always plays in the theme. On the stairs and surrounding bridges, hills, paths in historical costumes move and fight, repel attacks and even confess their love to the inhabitants of different periods of Chinese history.

Photo: Roman Shadrin
Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.
Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.
Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.
Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.

Epochs and scenery are changing rapidly, and most importantly, everything that happens is understandable even to a child. For convenience, there is a large board next to the scene of action, on which explanations of what is happening are constantly written in Chinese and English.

The show lasts almost an hour and a half - from 21.00 to 22.20, but even in the rain the time flew by like an arrow. The history of China has become less vague and incomprehensible.

After the performance, we were convinced of the quality of the costumes and make-up on the artists, who had just run up and down the stairs dozens of times.

Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.
Photo: Roman Shadrin All about tourism and travel. Complete information about travel agencies of Chita, last minute tours from Chita.

Mount Taishan – located in Shandong Province in the city of the same name in China; it's just an hour's drive from Confucius' hometown of Qufu. Previously it was called “Daishan Mountain”, also known as “Great Peak”, “Great Mountain” and “East Mountain”.

The significance of the sacred mountain to Chinese mythology cannot be overestimated. Visiting Taishan (shan means mountain) is more than just climbing mountains , this is a pilgrimage to the shrines of China.

Centuries ago, Confucius stood on top of Taishan and proclaimed, “The world is small.” Although here you can really feel small, riding the cable car while it dangles between heaven and earth and takes all visitors to the mountain top in a short time.

Taishan has long been known as the sacred sanctuary that links Heaven and Earth. , and undoubtedly the most significant of the five Taoist mountains in China. According to Chinese mythology, the five sacred mountains were formed from the body of Pangu, the Creator of the universe, and Taishan was formed from his head when his body split. Taishan is more than just a mountain;

The mountain has a long history and is at the center of Chinese mythological beliefs. It is the highest point in eastern China and the East believed that this is the place where heaven and earth are connected. Throughout China, Tai Shan symbols are used, believing that it will bring good luck, or in order to invoke the powers of earth and sky to numerous temples.

Earlier, for a thousand years, the emperors of China made offerings to Heaven and Earth here, but this tradition ceased with the appearance in Beijing The Temple of Heaven and Earth built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Standing at an altitude of 1.545 m above sea level, the mountain causes both fear and admiration. Walking around Taishan evokes a lot of emotions and sets you on a wave of inspiration. You can imagine great poets whose works are carved into stone walls. However, your dreams and fantasies can be interrupted by the screams of local merchants who are trying to sell absolutely everything to tourists, from incense to a skeleton with chattering teeth.

Visiting Mount Taishan

From the city of Taishan, which lies at the base of the mountain, there are two ways to reach the top. The first option is just walking, the second option is to take the bus or the funicular. A taxi ride will cost you 10 - 15 RMB and will take you to Tianwai village.

From there, there are regular buses to the Midway Gate to Heaven, where you can start your ascent to the top. Be prepared for a crowd of traders who may surround your bus, they are especially aggressive during the low season.

Middle Heaven's Gate are half way from the base of the mountain to its summit. Then you can climb to the top yourself or take a ride on the cable car. cable car, which takes you to the Moon Viewing Peak is just a few minutes walk from the South Gate of Heaven (Nantianmen) which is close to the top.

Mount Taishan has great cultural and historical significance and is one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism. Traditionally, the mountain was considered the home of Taoist saints and immortals. The mountain is located in the vicinity of the city of Tai'an. The highest peak at 1545m is called the Jade Emperor Peak. In China, Mount Taishan is associated with sunrise, birth, renewal. The temple on top of the mountain has been the goal of numerous pilgrims for 3000 years. Now you can climb the mountain by lift.

There are traces of human presence 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 Dawenkou (3700-3100), then Longshan (2100-1600). During the Zhou era of the Spring and Autumn period (771-453), the mountain was the border of the kingdom of Qi in the north and the kingdom of Lu in the south. In the subsequent Warring States Period (453-221), the kingdom of Qi erected a 500 km long wall to protect against attacks, and the ruins of this wall remain 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 become entrenched in Chinese culture as a symbol of stability. This was reflected in the saying "steady 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 acquired official status; the mountain became the main place where the Emperor addressed Heaven and Earth (fengshan ceremony). During a feng ceremony held at the top of a mountain, the Emperor thanked Heaven for the mandate of power he had been given. During the shan ceremony, which took place at the foot, the Emperor thanked the Earth for the sent down harvest. In 219 BC e. Emperor Qin Shi Huang held a ceremony atop 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 especially important events.

The Han Emperor Wu Di repeatedly climbed Mount Taishan and organized regular sacrifices. For this he built palaces and towers on the mountain itself and at its foot.

Since 1987, Taishan Mountain 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, since 2005 religious buildings have been restored, and modern buildings that harm 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 hollowed out and built up to the very top, there are 11 gates, 14 galleries, 14 stalls and 4 pavilions.

Mount Tai Deity Temple is the largest and oldest complex on the mountain, covering an area of ​​96,000 m2. The temple was built during the Qin Dynasty. From the time 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, built in 1008 during the Northern Song. The wall painting "Journey of the Deity of Mount Tai", dating back to 1009, has been preserved in the Palace. The painting covers the eastern, northern and western walls of the hall and is 3.3 meters high and 62 meters long. The plot of the image is the inspection of the Celestial deity of the mountain. The temple is surrounded by cypress trees planted during the Han Dynasty, about 2100 years ago.

Other important temples are the Blue Cloud Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mount Laom, and the Temple of the Sacred Rock, which has a Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.

Visitors can get to the mountain by bus, from the Middle Gate of Heaven stop on the lift you can climb to the very top. It takes two hours to hike to the top. There are stalls all along the road, you can also hire porters.

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, goes along the ridge of the Arhats, and comes to the palace of the deity Doum. The full ascent 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 is carved into the rock in 50 cm characters, presumably during the Northern Wei Dynasty. According to an ancient superstition, one can "gain Heaven" by throwing oneself down from the top of Mount Taishan. Therefore, there were regularly many suicidal pilgrims who sought to throw themselves down from the top of the mountain. Measures have now been taken to protect the territory at the top from the possibility of such an act.