View source for Mount Tai

{{short description|Mountain in Shandong, China}}
{{Infobox mountain
|  name = Mount Tai
|  photo = 泰山 南天门.jpg
|  photo_caption = The South Gate to Heaven at Mount Tai
|  elevation_m = 1532.7
|  elevation_ref = 
|  prominence_m = 1505
|  prominence_ref = <ref name="peaklist">[http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/china4.html "Central and Eastern China, Taiwan and Korea"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809014526/http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/china4.html |date=2012-08-09 }} Peaklist.org.Listed as "Tai Shan". Prominence based on an elevation of 1,545 m and a [[key col|col]] of 40 m. Retrieved 2011-11-19.</ref>
|  listing = [[Ultra prominent peak|Ultra]]
|  map = China Shandong#China Northern Plain#China
|  label_position = top
|  map_size = 280
|  location = [[Tai'an]], [[Shandong]]
|  coordinates = {{coord|36|15|21|N|117|06|27|E|type:mountain_scale:100000_region:CN-37|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|  coordinates_ref = <ref name="peaklist"/>
|  topo =
|  type = metamorphic, sedimentary
|  age = [[Cambrian]]
|  first_ascent =
|  easiest_route = Cable Car
|  embedded = 
  {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
  |child = yes
  |ID = 437
  |Year = 1987
  |Criteria = Cultural: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi; Natural: vii
  |Area = 25,000 ha
  }}
}}{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Tai_shan_(Chinese_characters).svg
| piccap = "Mount Tai" in Chinese characters
| picsize = 125px
| c = 泰山
| l = "exalted mountain"
| p = Tài Shān
| w = T'ai<sup>4</sup> shan<sup>1</sup>
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|t|ai|4|-|sh|an|1}}
| wuu = Tah<sup>入</sup> sae<sup>平</sup>
| j = Taai<sup>3</sup> saan<sup>1</sup>
| y = Taai sāan
| poj = Thài san
| mc = {{IPA|tʰaj ʂean}} 
| oc-bs = &ast;{{IPA|l̥ˤa[t]-s s-ŋrar}}
| c2 = 岱山、岱岳、岱宗、太山、东岳
| p2 = Dài shān
}}

'''Mount Tai''' ({{zh|c=泰山|p=Tài Shān}}) is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of [[Tai'an]]. It is the highest point in [[Shandong]] province, China. The tallest peak is the ''[[Jade Emperor]] Peak'' ({{zh|s={{linktext|玉|皇|顶}}|t={{linktext|玉|皇|頂}}|p=Yùhuáng Dǐng}}), which is commonly reported as being {{convert|1545|m|sp=us}} tall.<ref name="forestrystudy">{{cite journal 
  |year=2000 |title=Studies on the diversity of soil animals in Taishan Mountain 
  |journal=Journal of Forestry Research 
  |volume=11 |issue=2 
  |pages=109–113 
  |url=http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/qikan/periodical.articles/lyyj/lyyj2000/0002/000208.htm 
  |access-date=2007-06-04 
  |doi=10.1007/BF02856685 
  |author= Yuan Xingzhong 
  
  |last2= Hong |first2= Liu 
  |s2cid=24791914 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165122/http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/qikan/periodical.articles/lyyj/lyyj2000/0002/000208.htm 
  |archive-date = 2007-09-30|url-access=subscription 
  }}</ref>

Mount Tai is known as the eastern mountain of the [[Sacred Mountains of China]]. It is associated with sunrise, birth, and renewal, and is often regarded the foremost of the five. 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<ref name=eb2010>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/580478/Mount-Tai|title=Mount Tai|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=31 January 2015|archive-date=2 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202174143/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/580478/Mount-Tai|url-status=live}}</ref> during large portions of this period. Because of its sacred importance and dramatic landscape, it was made a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 1987. It meets 7 of the 10 evaluation standards for World Heritage sites, and is listed as a World Heritage site that meets the most of the standards, along with the [[Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area]] in [[Australia]].

An [[earthquake]]<ref name="晁洪太">{{Cite journal|author=晁洪太|author2=王志才|author3=李家灵|author4=崔昭文|year=1999|title=山东泰安地区断层的最新活动与"泰山震"|url=http://www.ixueshu.com/document/d556f667d982f595318947a18e7f9386.html|journal=地震地质|volume=21|issue=2|pages=P105-114|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408100343/https://www.ixueshu.com/document/d556f667d982f595318947a18e7f9386.html|archive-date=2020-04-08|access-date=2020-04-28|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="刁颋">{{Cite journal|author=刁颋|year=2010|title=夏帝发七年"泰山震"的解读|url=https://max.book118.com/html/2014/0414/7670226.shtm|journal=国际地震动态|volume=32|issue=376|pages=P36-44|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528093437/https://max.book118.com/html/2014/0414/7670226.shtm|archive-date=2020-05-28|access-date=2020-04-28|url-status=live}}</ref> or thunderstorm<ref name="高继宗">{{Cite journal|author=高继宗|year=2008|title=夏发七年"泰山地震"考|url=http://www.cqvip.com/read/read.aspx?id=28790321|journal=国际地震动态|volume=30|issue=359|pages=P135|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528093440/http://www.cqvip.com/read/read.aspx?id=28790321|archive-date=2020-05-28|access-date=2020-04-28|url-status=live}}</ref> occurred around Mount Tai in 1831 BC<ref name="晁洪太"/> or 1652 BC,<ref name="刁颋"/> also known as the [[Mount Tai earthquake]]. This event was first recorded in the ''[[Bamboo Annals]]'', and at present, it is recognized by most scholars as the first recorded earthquake in [[History of China|Chinese history]].<ref>{{Cite news|author=雷册渊|date=2017-08-23 |time=17:24|title=中国最早的地震记录 距今4000多年|url=http://history.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0823/c372330-29490152.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626082934/http://history.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0823/c372330-29490152.html|archive-date=2018-06-26|publisher=[[:en:people.cn|人民网]]|language=zh-hans|accessdate=2018-06-12|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-05-23|time= 14:28|title=历史钩沉：泰山地震——历史上最早记载的地震|url=http://taian.dzwww.com/tcsb/201505/t20150523_12430268.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626110942/http://taian.dzwww.com/tcsb/201505/t20150523_12430268.html|archive-date=2018-06-26|publisher=泰安大众网|language=zh-hans|accessdate=2018-06-12|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Location==
[[File:Jade Emperor Peak 50477-Taishan (49055678751).jpg|thumb|''Jade Emperor Peak'', the summit of Mount Tai]]
[[File:Jade Emperor Peak 50346-Taishan (49055160718).jpg|thumb|Path to the summit]]

Mount Tai is located in western [[Shandong]], just north of the city of [[Tai'an]] and to the south of the provincial capital [[Jinan]]. It extends from {{convert|150|-|1545|m|ft|sp=us}} above sea level and covers an area of {{convert|426|km2|abbr=on}} at its base. The Jade Emperor Peak, which rises {{convert|1532.7|m|sp=us}} above sea level, is located at 36° 16′N and 117°&nbsp;6′E.

=== Geological origin speculation ===
Mount Tai was formed in the middle of the [[Cenozoic]] about 30 million years ago. The stratum of Mount Tai is ancient, mainly composed of several ancient rocks such as mixed rock, mixed [[granite]] and various [[gneiss]].
The government prevents exploration of the caves, for they are unassessed and potentially dangerous. 
The Luxi region (including Mount Tai) used to be a huge subsiding belt or sea canal. The [[orogeny]] made the rock layers on the subsidence zone [[Fold (geology)|folded]] and uplifted into ancient land, forming a huge mountain system, which has experienced 2 billion years of [[weathering]] and denudation, and the terrain has gradually become flat. About 600 million years ago, Mount Tai sank into the sea again. After more than 100 million years, the entire area rose to land again, and the ancient Mount Tai uplifted into a relatively low barren hill. In the late [[Mesozoic]] period about 100 million years ago, due to the extrusion and subduction of the [[Pacific Plate|Pacific plate]] to the [[Eurasian Plate]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Yang|first1=Changqing|last2=Han|first2=Baofu|last3=Yang|first3=Chuansheng|last4=Yang|first4=Yanqiu|last5=Sun|first5=Jin|last6=Yu|first6=Fusheng|date=2020|title=Mesozoic basin evolution of the East China Sea Shelf and tectonic system transition in Southeast China|journal=Geological Journal|language=en|volume=55|issue=1|pages=239–252|doi=10.1002/gj.3409|issn=1099-1034|doi-access=free}}</ref> the Taishan stratum experienced extensive folds and fractures under the influence of the [[Yanshanian]]. During the crustal movement above, Mount Tai was rapidly uplifted. In the mid-[[Cenozoic]] period about 30 million years ago, the outline of Mount Tai as it is known today was formed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=泰安市人民政府 地质公园知识 泰山的年龄|url=http://www.taian.gov.cn/art/2011/2/24/art_50729_4076390.html|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.taian.gov.cn}}</ref>

=== Climatic vegetation ===
Due to its height, Mount Tai has a vertical climate gradient. The lower part of the mountain is a warm temperate zone and the top of the mountain is a medium temperate zone. The mountain is cloudy and foggy, with an average annual [[precipitation]] of 1132mm, while the surrounding area receives only 750mm. Taishan scattering coverage rate reaches 80%.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=世界自然与文化遗产——泰山|url=http://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241131.htm|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.gov.cn|archive-date=2021-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504031018/http://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241131.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> On the foothills, [[deciduous]] [[forest]]s, broad-leaved coniferous mixed forests, [[Conifer]]ous forest, alpine [[shrub]]s and grass can be seen in sequence. The vertical boundaries of the forest belts are distinct and the vegetation landscapes are different. There are 989 species of seed plants in 144 families, including 433 species of [[woody plant]]s in 72 families, 556 species of [[herbaceous plant]]s in 72 families, and 462 species of medicinal plants in 111 families.<ref name=":1" />

==History==
Traces of human presence at Mount Tai date back to the [[Paleolithic]] period. Evidence of human settlement of the area can be proven from the [[Neolithic]] period onwards. During this time, two cultures had emerged near the mountain, the [[Dawenkou culture]] to the south and the [[Longshan culture]] to the north.

During the [[Xia dynasty]] (c. 2070&ndash;1600&nbsp;BC) the mountain was known as Mount Dai ({{zh|c=岱山|p=Dài Shān}}) and lay within the borders of [[Qingzhou (ancient China)|Qingzhou]], one of the [[Nine Provinces (China)|Nine Provinces of ancient China]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.qingzhou.gov.cn/QZ/mlqz/tzqz/zszc/n589_big5.html|title=Introduction to Qingzhou (青州城市概況)|language=zh|publisher=Qingzhou Government Website|access-date=January 13, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116112944/http://www.qingzhou.gov.cn/QZ/mlqz/tzqz/zszc/n589_big5.html|archive-date=January 16, 2014}}</ref>

Religious worship of Mount Tai has a tradition dating back 3,000 years, from the time of the [[Shang dynasty|Shang]] (c. 1600&ndash;1046&nbsp;BC) to the [[Qing dynasty]] (1644&ndash;1912). Over time, this worship evolved into the [[Feng and Shan sacrifices]] or Fengshan. The sacrifices were an official [[Chinese folk religion|imperial rite]] and Mount Tai became one of the principal places where the emperor would carry out the sacrifices to pay homage to [[Tian (god)|Heaven]] on the summit (Feng) and [[Houtu|Earth]] at the foot of the mountain (Shan). Carving of an inscription as part of the sacrifices marked the attainment of the "great peace".<ref name=lewis1999>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8k4xn8CyHAQC&pg=PA208|title=Writing and Authority in Early China|isbn=9780791441145|access-date=31 January 2015|last1=Lewis|first1=Mark Edward|date=18 March 1999}}</ref>

By the time of the [[Zhou dynasty]] (c.&nbsp;1046&ndash;256&nbsp;BC) sacrifices at Mount Tai had become highly ritualized ceremonies in which a local feudal lord would travel there to make sacrifices of food and jade ritual items. These would then be arranged in a ritually correct pattern before being buried on the mountain. In the [[Spring and Autumn period]] (771&ndash;476&nbsp;BC) the [[Ancient Chinese states|vassal states]] of [[Qi (state)|Qi]] and [[Lu (state)|Lu]] bordered Mount Tai to the north and south respectively, from where their feudal lords both made independent sacrifices on Mount Tai. According to Zhou ritual belief, the spirit of Mount Tai would only accept sacrifices offered by a feudal lord, leading [[Confucius]] (in his ''[[Analects]]'' 3.6) to criticize the ministers who offered state sacrifices here after usurping power.<ref>Slingerland, Edward G. (Trans. & Ed.). [https://books.google.com/books?id=6DseYHSfaagC ''Confucius Analects: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405055629/https://books.google.com/books?id=6DseYHSfaagC |date=2023-04-05 }}. [[Indianapolis]], IN: [[Hackett Publishing Company|Hackett]]. 2003. {{ISBN|978-087220-635-9}}. Retrieved November 17, 2012. p.19.</ref> In the ensuing [[Warring States period]] (475&ndash;221&nbsp;BC), to protect itself against invasion, the State of Qi erected a {{convert|500|km|adj=on|sp=us}}-long wall, the ruins of which are still present today. The name ''Tai'an'' of the neighboring city is attributed to the saying "If Mount Tai is stable, so is the entire country" (both characters of ''Tai'an'', "泰" and "安", have the independent meaning of "peace").

In 219&nbsp;BC, [[Qin Shi Huang]], the first [[emperor of China]], held a ceremony on the summit and proclaimed the unity of his empire in a well-known inscription. During the [[Han dynasty]] (206&nbsp;BC&ndash;220&nbsp;AD), the Feng and Shan sacrifices were considered the highest of all sacrifices.<ref name=lewis1999/>

Rituals and sacrifices were conducted by the Sui.<ref name="LagerweyLü2009">{{cite book|author1=John Lagerwey|author2=Pengzhi Lü|title=Early Chinese Religion: The Period of Division (220-589 Ad)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q2nWdWbN3MQC&pg=PA84|date=30 October 2009|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-17585-3|pages=84–}}</ref>

The emperors of past dynasties went to Mount Tai to worship the heavens and tell the earth. Confucian Buddhism, preaching, and experience, and cultural figures climbed the mountain, leaving behind a dazzling array of stone inscriptions, cliffs, and couplet stone carvings. The cliff carvings on Mount Tai are also the most famous mountains. There are more than 1,800 stone inscriptions in Mount Tai, including more than 800 steles and 1,000 cliff stone inscriptions, distributed in 157 at Daimiao, 215 at Dailu, 576 at Shantou East Road, 258 at Daiding, more than 80 at Daixi, 44 at Daiyin, more than 400 locations in Lingyan Temple, and more than 100 locations in Shentong Temple. It mainly includes 5 types of sacrificial ceremonies of the emperors of the past dynasties, the creation and restoration of temples, the tomb inscriptions of the stone scriptures, the poems of chants, the scenery and the couplets, most of which are natural stone inscriptions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=泰山："五岳之首"承载华夏至尊|url=http://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241157.htm|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.gov.cn|archive-date=2024-05-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524140357/https://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241157.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Asuka period|Japan]], India, the [[Peroz III|Persian court in exile]], [[Goguryeo]], [[Baekje]], [[Silla]], the [[Göktürks|Turks]], [[Kingdom of Khotan|Khotan]], the [[Chenla Kingdom|Khmer]], and the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] all had representatives attending the Feng and Shan sacrifices held by [[Emperor Gaozong of Tang]] in 666 at Mount Tai.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Jrv-6_U5gfwC&pg=PA146 Skaff 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112051428/https://books.google.com/books?id=Jrv-6_U5gfwC&pg=PA146 |date=2023-01-12 }}, pp. 146-7.</ref>

Also, Chinese worshippers of the mountain who were not nobles have also played an important role in the history of communities near the mountain and pilgrimage across China.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-04 |title=Mount Tai |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Tai |access-date=2023-11-10 |publisher=[[Encyclopedia Britannica]] |language=en |archive-date=2023-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109203008/https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Tai |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2003, Mount Tai attracted around six million visitors. A renovation project was completed in late October 2005, which was aimed at restoring cultural relics and renovating damaged buildings of cultural significance. Widely known for its special ceremonies and sacrifices, Mount Tai has seen visits by many poets and literary scholars who have traveled there seeking inspiration. There are grandiose temples, many stone inscriptions and stone tablets with the mountain playing an important role in the development of both [[Buddhism]] and [[Taoism]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chinakungfus.com/tai_mountain.html |title=tai mountain |access-date=2012-08-23 |archive-date=2013-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121071547/http://www.chinakungfus.com/tai_mountain.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Natural significance==
[[File:Immortal Bridge (capital edit).jpg|thumb|The Immortal Bridge ({{zh|c={{linktext|仙|人|桥}}|p=Xiānrén Qiáo}}), a natural rock formation]]

Mount Tai is a tilted [[fault-block mountain]] with height increasing from the north to the south. It is the oldest example of a paleo-metamorphic formation from the [[Cambrian Period]] in eastern China, and is known as the ''Taishan Complex''. The uplift of the region started in the [[Proterozoic]] Era; by the end of the Proterozoic, it had become part of the continent.<ref name=":0" />

Besides the Jade Emperor Peak, other distinctive rock formations are the ''Heaven Candle Peak'', the ''Fan Cliff'', and the ''Rear Rock Basin''.

Mount Tai lies in the zone of oriental deciduous forest; about 80% of its area is covered with vegetation. The flora is known to comprise almost 1,000 species. Some of the trees in the area are very old and have cultural significance, such as the ''Han Dynasty [[Cupressaceae|Cypress]]es'', which were planted by the [[Emperor Wu of Han|Emperor Wu Di]], the ''Tang [[Styphnolobium japonicum|Chinese Scholartree]]'' (about 1,300&nbsp;years old), the ''Welcoming-Guest Pine'' (500&nbsp;years old) and the ''Fifth-Rank Pine'', which was named originally by the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, but was replanted about 250 years ago.<ref name=":1" />

===Physical features===
[[File:50304-Taishan (49055660366).jpg|thumb|View of Mount Tai]]
Mount Tai rises abruptly from the vast plain of central Shandong, and is naturally endowed with many scenic sites. Geologically, it is a tilted fault-block mountain, higher to the south than north, and is the oldest and most important example of the paleo-metamorphic system representative of the Cambrian Period in eastern China. Referred to as the Taishan Complex, it comprises magnetized, metamorphic, sedimentary rock and an intrusive mass of various origins that were formed in the [[Archean]] Era 1700-2000 million years ago. Subsequently, in the [[Proterozoic]] Era, the Taishan region began to rise, becoming part of the continent by the end of the era. Uplift continued until the middle of the [[Cenozoic Era]]. The gneiss which emerged in the Taishan region is the foundation for all of North China. Cambrian strata, fully emerged in the north, are rich in fossils. Six streams flow from the summit, their water renowned for its extremely low mineral content, slight acidity (pH = 6.3) and relatively high oxygen content (6.4 milligrams per liter (mg/L)).

==Climate==
The area falls within the warm [[Continental climate|continental]] monsoon climate (Koppen ''Dwb''). The average annual temperature is 6.2°C, and it is relatively warm from July to August.<ref name=IBST>{{cite web 
|url = http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html 
|script-title = zh:中国地面气候标准值月值(1981-2010) 
|publisher = China Meteorological Data Service Center 
|language = zh-cn 
|access-date = December 15, 2022 
|archive-date = September 5, 2018 
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180905194950/http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html 
|url-status = live 
}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| width = auto
| location = Mount Tai, elevation {{convert|1534|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
| single line = Y
| metric first = Y
| collapsed = Y
| Jan record high C = 12.4
| Feb record high C = 15.9
| Mar record high C = 19.3
| Apr record high C = 26.9
| May record high C = 26.0
| Jun record high C = 27.6
| Jul record high C = 29.7
| Aug record high C = 26.7
| Sep record high C = 26.3
| Oct record high C = 23.5
| Nov record high C = 18.3
| Dec record high C = 14.2
| Jan record low C = -27.5
| Feb record low C = -24.1
| Mar record low C = -20.4
| Apr record low C = -13.9
| May record low C = -5.5
| Jun record low C = -0.9
| Jul record low C = 7.6
| Aug record low C = 4.0
| Sep record low C = -0.7
| Oct record low C = -9.1
| Nov record low C = -21.4
| Dec record low C = -24.1
| Jan high C = -3.8
| Feb high C = -1.3
| Mar high C = 4.0
| Apr high C = 10.5
| May high C = 15.9
| Jun high C = 19.7
| Jul high C = 20.9
| Aug high C = 19.9
| Sep high C = 16.3
| Oct high C = 10.9
| Nov high C = 4.2
| Dec high C = -2.1
| Jan mean C = -7.2
| Feb mean C = -4.9
| Mar mean C = 0.0
| Apr mean C = 6.5
| May mean C = 12.2
| Jun mean C = 16.2
| Jul mean C = 18.3
| Aug mean C = 17.3
| Sep mean C = 13.2
| Oct mean C = 7.6
| Nov mean C = 0.9
| Dec mean C = -5.4
| Jan low C = -10.0
| Feb low C = -7.8
| Mar low C = -3.2
| Apr low C = 3.1
| May low C = 8.9
| Jun low C = 13.1
| Jul low C = 15.8
| Aug low C = 15.0
| Sep low C = 10.6
| Oct low C = 4.9
| Nov low C = -2.0
| Dec low C = -8.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 10.6
| Feb precipitation mm = 20.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 19.4
| Apr precipitation mm = 51.1
| May precipitation mm = 87.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 130.5
| Jul precipitation mm = 283.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 250.9
| Sep precipitation mm = 89.5
| Oct precipitation mm = 52.1
| Nov precipitation mm = 39.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 15.6
| Jan humidity = 47
| Feb humidity = 53
| Mar humidity = 55
| Apr humidity = 59
| May humidity = 63
| Jun humidity = 72
| Jul humidity = 87
| Aug humidity = 87
| Sep humidity = 73
| Oct humidity = 61
| Nov humidity = 55
| Dec humidity = 49
| unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 4.1
| Feb precipitation days = 5.1
| Mar precipitation days = 5.5
| Apr precipitation days = 6.4
| May precipitation days = 8.3
| Jun precipitation days = 9.9
| Jul precipitation days = 15.2
| Aug precipitation days = 14.1
| Sep precipitation days = 8.4
| Oct precipitation days = 6.6
| Nov precipitation days = 5.7
| Dec precipitation days = 4.1
| year precipitation days = 
| Jan sun = 217.3
| Feb sun = 200.1
| Mar sun = 242.9
| Apr sun = 257.2
| May sun = 277.7
| Jun sun = 242.1
| Jul sun = 167.2
| Aug sun = 167.8
| Sep sun = 199.0
| Oct sun = 219.6
| Nov sun = 207.1
| Dec sun = 214.0
| year sun = 
| Jan percentsun = 70
| Feb percentsun = 65
| Mar percentsun = 65
| Apr percentsun = 65
| May percentsun = 63
| Jun percentsun = 55
| Jul percentsun = 38
| Aug percentsun = 40
| Sep percentsun = 54
| Oct percentsun = 64
| Nov percentsun = 68
| Dec percentsun = 71
| year percentsun = 
| Jan snow days = 5.4
| Feb snow days = 5.7
| Mar snow days = 5.6
| Apr snow days = 2.3
| May snow days = 0.2
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 0.2
| Nov snow days = 3.8
| Dec snow days = 4.9
| year snow days = 
| source 1 = [[China Meteorological Administration]]<ref name="cma graphical">{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |language=zh-hans |access-date=7 October 2023 |archive-date=5 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905194950/http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 |publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |language=zh-hans |access-date=7 October 2023 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404092524/https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |url-status=live }}</ref>all-time August record high<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1920136013/PEKAii0Va |script-title=zh: 【高温】今天新疆重庆山西湖北站点包揽高温榜前十，吐鲁番再次上榜。今天山东山西有13站打破8月上旬最高气温纪录，其中10站也打破了8月高温纪录。山西霍州、古县、文水、交城4天前的8月3日刚破纪录，今天再次刷新。而山东五莲、沂水、诸城、泰山把50-60年代的古早纪录刷新。今天有8个省会直辖市出现高温。西安距离榜首郑州只差1天。未来北方降雨频繁，使得高温会缩减。从城市预报表格看，明天北方多个城市气温偏低。今天立秋，可能有人觉得是不是天气就此转凉，不再热了？可惜不是。因为下周中后期副热带高压还会加强北上西进，所以炎热还会返场。而在江南华南一带，未来在副热带高压控制下，可能出现连续高温。比如长沙南昌福州，都是如此。|publisher=weatherman_信欣 on [[Weibo]] |language = zh-hans | access-date=23 August 2025 |title=Sina Visitor System }}</ref>
| source = 
}}

===Vegetation===
Vegetation covers 79.9% of the area, which is densely wooded, but information about its composition is lacking. The flora is diverse and known to comprise 989 species, of which 433 species are woody and the rest herbaceous. Medicinal plants total 462 species and include multiflower knotweed, Cannabis, Taishan ginseng, Chinese gromwell and [[sealwort]], which are renowned throughout the country. Some trees are very old and famous, notably the ''Han Dynasty [[Cupressaceae|Cypress]]es'' (planted 2,100 years ago by Emperor Wu Di of the Han dynasty), 'Welcoming Guest Pine' (500 years old) and 'Fifth Rank Pine' (named by Emperor [[Qin Shi Huang]] of the [[Qin dynasty]]).

===Fauna===
There are over 200 species of animals in addition to 122 species of birds, but precise details are lacking. Large-scaled fish ''[[Xenocypris|Varicorhinus macrolepis]]'' is found in running water at 300–800 m.

==Cultural significance==
[[File:50312-Taishan (49055146358).jpg|thumb|Temple complex at the top of Mount Tai]]
[[File:Sunrise viewed from Mount Tai.jpg|thumb|Sunrise viewed from Lu-Viewing Platform]]

Mount Tai is of key importance in [[Chinese folk religion|Chinese religion]], being the easternmost of the five [[Sacred Mountains of China]]. According to historical records, Mount Tai became a sacred place visited by emperors to offer sacrifices and meditate in the [[Zhou dynasty]] sometime before 1000 [[Before Christ|BC]]. A total of 72 emperors were recorded as visiting it.<ref name=":Chatwin">{{Cite book |last=Chatwin |first=Jonathan |title=The Southern Tour: Deng Xiaoping and the Fight for China's Future |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Academic]] |year=2024 |isbn=9781350435711}}</ref>{{Rp|page=30}} Legend holds that [[Emperor Shun]] began the tradition of imperial visits to Mount Tai.<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=30}}

Writers also came to acquire inspiration, to compose poems, write essays, paint and take pictures. Hence, a great many cultural relics were left on the mountain.

===Deities associated with Mount Tai===
====Great Deity of Mount Tai====
{{Main|Dongyue Emperor}}
The [[Dongyue Emperor]] ({{zh|c=東嶽大帝|p=Dōngyuè Dàdì}}) is the supreme god of Mount Tai. According to one mythological tradition, he is a descendant of Pangu. According to other theologies, he is the eastern one of the Five Manifestations of the Highest Deity (''Wufang Shangdi'').

====Bixia Yuanjun====
[[Bixia Yuanjun]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|碧|霞|元|君}}|p=Bìxiá Yuánjūn}}), literally the "Goddess of the Blue Dawn", also known as the "Heavenly Immortal Lady of Jade" ({{zh|c={{linktext|天|仙|玉|女}}|p=Tiānxian Yùnǚ}}) or the "Lady of Mount Tai" ({{zh|c={{linktext|泰|山|娘|娘}}|p=Tàishān Niangniang}}). According to some mythological accounts, she is the daughter or the consort of the Great Deity of Mount Tai. Statues of Bixia Yuanjun often depict her holding a tablet with the Big Dipper as a symbol of her authority.

====Yanguang Niangniang ====
[[Yanguang Niangniang]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|阳|光|娘|娘}}|p=Yǎnguāng Niangniang}}) is venerated as a goddess of eyesight and often portrayed as an attendant to Bixia Yuanjun.

====Songzi Niangniang====
[[Songzi Niangniang]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|送|子|娘|娘}}|p=Sòngzi Niangniang}}) is seen as a goddess of fertility; like Yanguang Nainai, she is often portrayed as an attendant to Bixia Yuanjun.

====Shi Gandang====
[[Shi Gandang]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|石|敢|当}}|p=Shígǎndāng}}) is a spirit sent down from Mount Tai by Bixia Yuanjun to protect ordinary people from evil spirits.  As part of cultural tradition, there will also often be Taishan Shi Gandang stones set up near buildings and other places, in order to protect those place from evil spirits. These are not to be confused with [[spirit tablets]].

===Dai Miao===
[[Image:Mount tai dai temple 2006 09.jpg|thumb|Dai Temple at Mount Tai]]
The Temple of the God of Mount Tai, known as the ''Dai Temple'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|岱|庙}}|p=Dàimiào}}), is the largest and most complete ancient building complex in the area.  It is located at the foot of Mount Tai in the city of Tai'an and covers an area of 96,000 square meters. The temple was first built during the [[Qin dynasty]]. Since the time of the [[Han dynasty]] (206 BC – 220 AD), its design has been a replica of the imperial palace, which makes it one out of three extant structures in China with the features of an imperial palace (the other two are the [[Forbidden City]] and the [[Temple of Confucius, Qufu|Confucius Temple]] in [[Qufu]]). The temple has five major halls and many small buildings. The centerpiece is the ''Palace of Heavenly Blessings'' (Tian Kuang), built in 1008, during the reign of the last [[Northern Song dynasty|Northern Song]] emperor, [[Emperor Huizong of Song|Huizong]]. The hall houses the mural painting "The God of Mount Tai Making a Journey", dated to the year 1009. The mural extends around the eastern, western and northern walls of the hall and is {{convert|3.3|m|sp=us}} high and {{convert|62|m|sp=us}} long. The theme of the painting is an inspection tour by the god. Next to the Palace of Heavenly Blessings stand the Yaocan Pavilion and the entrance archway as well as the Bronze Pavilion in the northeast corner. The Dai Temple is surrounded by 2,100‑year‑old cypresses that date back to the Han dynasty. The oldest surviving stair may be the 6,000 granite steps to the top of the mountain.

The site contains a number of well-preserved [[stele]]s from the [[Emperor Huizong of Song|Huizong]] reign, some of which are mounted on ''[[bixi (tortoise)|bixi]]'' tortoises. There is a much later, [[Qianlong Emperor|Qianlong era]] ''bixi''-mounted stele as well.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_408b1e700100g1j8.html|title=岱庙-------碑碣、唐槐、汉柏_迎春花_新浪博客|website=blog.sina.com.cn|access-date=2010-01-12|archive-date=2012-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405144136/http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_408b1e700100g1j8.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Image:Mount tai dong yu temple 2006 09.jpg|thumb|[[Dongyue Temple]] at Mount Tai]]
[[Image:Mount tai zeng fu temple 2006 09.jpg|thumb|Zengfu Temple at Mount Tai]]

===Shrine of the Blue Dawn===
The ''Shrine of the Blue Dawn'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|碧|霞|祠}}|p=Bìxiá Cí}}), near the top of the mountain is another grand building complex, a special combination of metal components, wood, and bricks and stone structures. It is dedicated to the goddess Bixia (Blue Dawn). From the Taishan Temple to the Blue Dawn Temple there are numerous stone tablets and inscriptions and ancient buildings on the way. Visitors derive much pleasure from climbing Mount Taishan. From the red gate at the foot of the mountain to the South Heaven Gate at the top are some 6,660 stone steps, which wind their way up the mountain slopes, each step offering a different view.

===Shibapan===
The "Shibapan" ({{lang|zh|十八盘}}) means 18 levels stairs, which is the most advantageous part of stairs in Mount Tai. A total of 1,827 stone steps, is one of the main signs Mount Tai. People always say: "Mount Tai of the majestic, all in Shibapan, Mount Tai of the sublime, all in the climb in!" Shibapan has three parts, the "Slow Eighteens"({{lang|zh|慢十八}}), the "Hard Eighteens"({{lang|zh|紧十八}}), and the "No slow no hard Eighteens" ({{lang|zh|不紧不慢又十八}}). The "Slow Eighteens" means this period is easier to climb, and the "Hard Eighteens" means it is harder to climb, which is interesting.

===Other monuments===
[[Image:Mount tai rock inscriptions.jpg|thumb|Rock inscriptions at Mount Tai]]
[[File:PRC E-Passport Page 26 under black light.jpg|thumb|Page 26 of [[Chinese passport]] under blacklight, showing {{linktext|五|嶽|獨|尊}}]]

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 four 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 a Temple of the Jade King ({{zh|c={{linktext|玉|皇|庙}}|p=Yùhuáng Miào}}), a Temple of the Blue Deity ({{zh|c={{linktext|青|帝|宫}}|p=Qīngdì Gōng}}), a Temple of Confucius ({{zh|c={{linktext|孔|子|庙}}|p=Kǒngzi Miào}}), a Temple of [[Doumu]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|斗|母|宫}}|p=Dòumǔ Gōng}}) and the Puzhao Buddhist Temple ({{zh|c={{linktext|普|照|寺}}|p=Pǔzhào Sì}}).

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" ({{zh|s={{linktext|五|岳|独|尊}}|t={{linktext|五|嶽|獨|尊}}|p=Wǔyuè Dúzūn}}) on the "Sun Viewing Peak" ({{zh|c={{linktext|日|观|峰}}|p=Rìguān Fēng}}) is of particular renown. It was written by a member of the [[Aisin Gioro|Aisin Gioro clan]] ({{zh|c={{linktext|爱|新|觉|罗|玉|构}}|p=Àixīn Juéluō Yùgòu}}) in 1907 and is featured on the reverse side of the five yuan bill of the [[Fifth series of the renminbi|5th series renminbi]] banknotes and page 26 of PRC biometric passport. Another inscription marks the "Lu-Viewing Platform" ({{zh|c={{linktext|瞻|鲁|台}}|p=Zhānlǔ tái}}) from which Confucius took in the view over his home state of Lu and then pronounced "The world is small".

The Wordless Stele ({{zh|c={{linktext|无|字|碑}}|p=Wúzì Bēi}}) stands in front of the Jade Emperor Temple.<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=|pages=142-143}} Legend has it that the emperor who commissioned the stele was dissatisfied with the inscription suggested by his scribes and decided to leave it blank instead to leave its meaning to be imagined by the viewer.<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=143}} Another theory is that weather eroded the original calligraphic inscription.<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=143}}

===Other significant places===
*''Suicide Cliff'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|舍|身|崖}}|p=Shěshēn Yá}}), renamed ''Loving Life Cliff'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|爱|身|崖}}|p=Àishēn Yá}}) in the Ming dynasty
*''Sun-Viewing Peak'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|日|观|峰}}|p=Rìguān Fēng}})
*''Moon-Viewing Peak'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|月|观|峰}}|p=Yuèguān Fēng}})
*''Platform of Gazing over [[Lu (state)|Lu]]'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|瞻|鲁|台}}|p=Zhānlǔ Tái}})
*''Rock of Exploring the Sea (of Clouds)'' ({{zh|c={{linktext|探|海|石}}|p=Tànhǎi Shí}})

==Infrastructure==

Visitors can reach the peak of Mount Tai via a bus which terminates at the ''Midway Gate to Heaven'', from there a cable car connects to the summit. Covering the same distance on foot takes from two and a half to six hours.  The supplies for the many vendors along the road to the summit are carried up by porters either from the Midway Gate to Heaven or all the way up from the foot of the mountain.

To climb up the mountain, one can take one of two routes. The more popular east route starts from Taishan Arch. On the way up the 7,200 stone steps, the climber first passes the Ten Thousand Immortals Tower (Wanxianlou), Arhat Cliff (Luohanya), and Palace to Goddess Dou Mu (Doumugong). The climbing from the ''First Gate to Heaven'' (yi1 tian1 men2), the main entrance bordering on Tai'an town, up the entire mountain can take two and a half hours for the sprinting hiker to six hours for the leisure pace.  Reaching the ''Midway Gate to Heaven'' from ''First Gate to Heaven'' is one hour at a sprint up to two and a half hours leisurely. To the northeast of the Palace to Goddess Dou Mu is Sutra Rock Valley in which the Buddhist [[Diamond Sutra]] was cut in characters measuring fifty centimeters across believed to be inscribed in the [[Northern Wei dynasty]]. The west route, taken by fewer tourists, is more scenic, but has less cultural heritage.

==Cultural references==
[[File:Mount Tai - Looking down.jpg|thumb|Climbing Mount Tai]]

* In the novel ''[[Jin Ping Mei]]'', the Moon Lady makes a pilgrimage to T'ai Shan, ..."they came to the Golden Palace of Niang-niang.  There was a red sign over the entrance with these words emblazoned in gold upon it: 'The Palace of Radiant Sunset.' They went inside and gazed upon the figure of Niang-niang."<ref>{{cite book |title=The Golden Lotus, Volume 4 |date=1979 |publisher=Graham Brash (PTE) Ltd |location=Singapore |page=149}}</ref>
* The Chinese idiom "Mount Tai & [[Big Dipper]]" ({{zh|c={{linktext|泰|山|北|斗}}|p=Tàishān Běidǒu}}) is an epithet for a person of great distinction. 
* The Chinese idiom "有眼不识泰山"  (literal translation ''Has eyes but doesn't recognize Mount Tai'') refers to an ignorant yet arrogant person. 
* The Chinese idiom "稳如泰山" (literal translation ''Stable as Mount Tai'') is used to describe an entity that is very safe or firm. 
* According to ancient historian [[Sima Qian]], he said "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Iqv4J-RSc7QC&pg=PA95 |title=中国万花筒|isbn=9787508509976|access-date=31 January 2015|author1=松本盛雄|year=2006}}</ref> [[Mao Zedong]] referred to this passage in his 1944 speech ''[[Serve the People]]'': "To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-3/mswv3_19.htm|title=SERVE THE PEOPLE|work=marxists.org|access-date=31 January 2015|archive-date=30 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230101705/http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-3/mswv3_19.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* [[Deng Xiaoping]] incorporated Mount Tai into his political rhetoric supporting [[Reform and Opening Up]].<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=141}} Deng told other top leadership, "We have to strengthen ideological and political work and stress the need for hard struggle, we cannot depend on those measures alone. No matter how the international situation changes, so long as we can ensure appropriate economic growth, we shall stand as firm as Mount Tai".<ref name=":Chatwin" />{{Rp|page=141}} 
*Taishan (Mount Tai) is the subject of a poem by the [[Tang dynasty]] poet [[Du Fu]], ''View of Taishan''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://100tangpoems.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/du-fu-view-of-taishan/|title=Du Fu – View of Taishan|date=October 28, 2019|access-date=October 28, 2019|archive-date=October 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028220752/https://100tangpoems.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/du-fu-view-of-taishan/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Taishan (Mount Tai) is referenced extensively in Ezra Pound's "The Cantos," especially the Pisan Cantos.
* Mount Tai is one of the three sacred mountains, along with Mount Meru and Mount Emei, that the Gold and Silver-Horned demons crush Sun Wukong under
* Mount Tai is shown on the reverse side of the five yuan bill of the [[Fifth series of the renminbi|5th series renminbi]] banknotes.
* The 1987 album ''[[Hold Your Fire]]'' by Canadian [[progressive rock]] band [[Rush (band)|Rush]] contained the song "Tai Shan", referencing drummer/lyricist [[Neil Peart]]'s journey to Mount Tai.
* The [[Dai Miao]] is featured in Sid Meier's [[Civilization IV]] as a religious complex that can be built by a Great Prophet, thus establishing a holy shrine dedicated to [[Taoism]] in the Taoist holy city.
* Tai Shan, some of its temples, and the Jade Emperor are referenced and visited in [[Dan Simmons]]' book [[The Rise of Endymion]].
* Mt. Tai is referenced as being the place of origin for the {{nihongo|''Taizan Tenrōken''|泰山天狼拳||"[[Mt. Tai]] Celestial Wolf Fist"}} martial art in ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'', used by [[List of Fist of the North Star characters#Yuria|Yuria]]'s elder brother, [[List of Fist of the North Star characters#Ryuga|Ryuga]].
* Mount Tai is the namesake of Mons Tai, located nearby an area on the [[far side of the Moon]] where [[Chang'e 4]] landed.<ref name="iau-ch4">{{cite web |title=IAU Names Landing Site of Chinese Chang'e-4 Probe on Far Side of the Moon |url=https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1901/ |publisher=International Astronomical Union |date=15 February 2019 |access-date=28 February 2019 |archive-date=28 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928182542/https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1901/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Significant scenes from the novel [[Ball Lightning (novel)|''Ball Lightning'']] by [[Liu Cixin|Cixin Liu]] take place on Mount Tai, which he depicts as a site of frequent thunderstorms and meteorological research.
*Cargo vessel [[MV Taishan]] (1986–2016) was named after Mount Tai.
*[[Zhang Zongchang]], Warlord-Era controller of Shandong province, wrote a poem referencing Mount Tai.
* Mount Tai is referenced in the lyrics of 'The Year of The Boomerang' released in 1995 by [[Rage Against the Machine]] it is referred in the passage: "So I'm goin' out heavy sorta like Mount Tai."<ref>[http://www.lyricstime.com/rage-against-the-machine-year-of-tha-boomerang-lyrics.html "Rage Against The Machine Year Of Tha Boomerang lyrics"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031035352/http://www.lyricstime.com/rage-against-the-machine-year-of-tha-boomerang-lyrics.html|date=2012-10-31}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of World Heritage Sites in China]]
* [[List of ultras of Tibet, East Asia and neighbouring areas]]
* [[Dongyue Emperor]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline}}
* {{Official website|http://www.mount-tai.com.cn/english/index.asp|Tai Shan official website}} {{in lang|en}}
* [https://archive.today/19970710090037/http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/taishan.html WCMC Description]
* [http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10698 "Tai Shan, China"] on Peakbagger

{{World Heritage Sites in China}}
{{Sacred Mountains of China}}
{{National parks of China}}
{{Shandong topics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mount Tai}}
[[Category:Mountains of Shandong|Taishan]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in China]]
[[Category:Sacred mountains of China|Taishan]]
[[Category:Sacred places in Taoism]]
[[Category:Taoist temples in China]]
[[Category:National parks of China|Taishan]]
[[Category:Highest points of Chinese provinces]]
[[Category:History of Shandong]]
[[Category:Global Geoparks Network members]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Shandong|Dai Miao]]
[[Category:AAAAA-rated tourist attractions]]
[[Category:Geoparks in China]]
[[Category:Ultra-prominent peaks of Asia]]