Mt. Tai

Shandong Province, People's Republic of China

Climbed on November 10, 2011 in celebration of my birthday.

Mount Tai is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an, in Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It extends from 490 to 5,069 ft above sea level and covers an area of 164 sq miles at its base. The Jade Emperor Peak is 5,029 ft above sea level.

Mount Tai is one of the "Five Sacred Mountains". It is associated with sunrise, birth, and renewal. Mount Tai has been a place of worship for at least 3,000 years and served as one of the most important ceremonial centers of China during large portions of this period.




A flight of 7,200 total steps (including inner temple steps), with 6,293 Official Mountain Walkway Steps, lead up the East Peak of Mount Tai, along its course, there are 11 gates, 14 archways, 14 kiosks, and 4 pavilions.



In total, there are 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets, and 1,018 cliff-side and stone inscriptions located on Mount Tai. These include the Jade Emperor Temple, the Bixia Temple or Azure Clouds Temple, the Qingdi Palace, a Confucius Temple, the Dou Mu Hall and the Puzhao Temple.



Among the tablets and inscriptions on the top of Mount Tai, the inscription that declares Mount Tai the "Most Revered of the Five Sacred Mountains" on the "Sun Viewing Peak" is particularly renown from which Confucius took in the view over his home state of Lu and then pronounced "The world is small".