|
 Towering
in the middle of
Shandong Province, and
stretching into the sea,
the magnificent range of
Mount Tai rises and
falls for over 200
kilometers just like a
giant sleeping dragon.
with the Yellow River
flowing at the foot of
its northern slopes, it
has been regarded as the
first of the five sacred
mountains in ancient
China for its majesty
and beauty. Its summit,
Jade Emperor Peak, is
1,545 meters above sea
level and is known as
the Celestial Pillar.
Overlooking the other
smaller peaks, it offers
a breathtaking panoramic
view.
In ancient times, Mount
Tai was deified by the
feudal rulers of various
dynasties and given the
title, "Divine Emperor
of the East Peak". From
the First Emperor of the
Qin Dynasty down to
Emperor Qianlong of The
Qing Dynasty, many of
them personally visited
Mount Tai to attend
grand sacrificial
ceremonies.
Various other titles
were lavishly offered to
the "Divine Emperor of
the East Peak" by them
as a means to have their
own names long
remembered. These "royal
visits" contributed to
the construction of many
temples, pavilions, and
other buildings.
Not only emperors but
poets, scholars and men
of letters were fond of
coming to this sacred
mountain, and left
behind countless
inscriptions engraved on
rocks and stones.
It many be said that the
whole of Mount Tai is a
vast open-air museum of
history, having on
display much of an
oriental civilization,
which is representative
of the creative wisdom
of the ancient Chinese
people. |
