中国名胜故事（英文版）

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Taishan Mountain (Mount Tai) The Taishan Mountain, located in Tai’an, Shandong Province, was also called Daizong, Daiyue, Dongyue and Taiyue. It is the most famous and most culturally important of China’s “Five Sacred Mountains” which includes the Hengshan Mountain (the North Great Mountain in Shanxi), the Huashan Mountain (the West Great Mountain in Shannxi), the Songshan Mountain (the Center Great Mountain in Henan), the Taishan Mountain (the East Great Mountain in Shandong) and the Hengshan Mountain (the South Great Mountain in Hunan). The term “Five Sacred Mountains” is associated with the concept of five elements - wood, fire, earth, metal and water - and they embody the Chinese people’s respect for mountains and mountain deities. The name of the Taishan Mountain first appeared in the Book of Songs. “Tai” in Chinese means great, smooth and peaceful. The mountain has a deep cultural connotation. The historic buildings inside are mainly in the Ming and Qing style, integrating architecture, painting, carving, stones and woods. It represents the splendor of the grand civilization of the East. In 1987, the Taishan Mountain was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rising 1,545 meters, the Taishan Mountain ranks only third among the five sacred mountains in terms of height. Nevertheless, it is regarded as the leader of the five due to its unique geographical environment and a number of human factors. The Taishan Mountain stands on the Qilu Plain and looks over the Yellow Sea. Blessed with a mild climate and fertile land, it is the heartland for ancient Chinese civilization and one of the great centers of ancient civilization. Over the millennia, it has been one of the centers of politics, economy and culture in the Orient. Despite the fact that the Taishan Mountain is not as high as many other famous mountains, it is still preeminent because of its surrounding plains and hills. Extending over 100 km, the mountain covers an area of 426 square km, vast enough to engender an aura of stability and mass. The phrases “as stable as the Taishan Mountain” and “as heavy as the Taishan Mountain” that are commonly used in China show what we think about the natural features of the Taishan Mountain. Since ancient times, the mountain has been hailed as the epitome of loftiness, goodness, dignity and determination. For this reason, great men and people of distinction are always compared to “Taishan Mountain and the North Star”. In the eyes of the Chinese, the Taishan Mountain represents greatness and dignity. The Taishan Mountain,located in the east, is where the sun rises every day, and is therefore deemed as the symbol of Heaven. Ancient rulers had since the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC) held Feng-Shan ceremonies in the mountain, with Feng referring to the setting up of an altar on the mountaintop to worship heaven and Shan to the act of setting up an altar on the small hill on the lower slopes of the mountain to worship Earth. This move was aimed at denoting that “the power of the sovereign is bestowed by the deities”. After the ceremonies, the emperor was recognized by the Heavenly Emperor as the Son of Heaven. Because of this, the mountain is regarded as the symbol of national stability, regime consolidation, prosperity and ethnic harmony. Buddhists, Taoists, men of letters and famous people come to the Taishan Mountain in droves. Its magnificent landscapes, spirit and scenery combine to make the mountain the very epitome of Chinese culture.