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| Mount Tai and Imperial Rituals |
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Known as the Mount of the East, the Mountain of the Gods, and the
Eastern Peak of Heaven, Taishan rises 1,545 meters above the city
of Tai'an in Shandong province, the tallest of a mountain range covering
426 square kilometers. According to myths, Mount Tai, the easternmost
of the five sacred Taoist mountains, is governed by the Grand Emperor
of the Eastern Peak who rules earth and men. During the first centuries
of the Christian era he became briefly associated with the world of
the dead. Temples house images of the Grand Emperor of the Eastern
Peak sitting in formal imperial costume. His daughter is the Princess
of Multi-Colored/Azure Clouds (Bixia), worshipped by peasant women
as their protectress.
The emperor's ascent of Taishan bonded the deities with the dynasties.
During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties 72 monarchs trekked to
Taishan to pray, only five reaching the top. All constructed temples,
erected stone calligraphy tablets, composed and commissioned poetry
and artwork. The Dai Temple, Wangmu Pool, Hongmen Palace, Zhongtianmen
- South Heavenly Gate, and the Bixia Temple evidence the traces
of these leaders. The feng and the shan, two sacrifices executed
by the Emperor on Taishan, symbolized the heavenly approval of the
Emperor's deeds and his dynasty. The Emperor prayed to Heaven in
the feng sacrifice and to Earth in the shan sacrifice. Heaven would
never allow an unworthy sovereign to ascend Taishan. Doubtful emperors
urged by their court to go to Taishan feared Heaven's wrath. The
legendary Emperor Shun had performed the feng and shan sacrifices
around 2255 - 2205 BC . Emperor Shih Huang Ti of the Qin Dynasty
had attempted the two sacrifices, but fled in violent storms. Wu
Ti of the Han Dynasty revived the forgotten rites, performing the
sacrifices in 110 BC, 106 BC, and 98 BC. The Late Han Dynasty Emperor
Kuang-wu reluctantly made the sacrifices in 56 AD. Wen Ti, Emperor
of the Sui Dynasty, begged pardon from his faults, performing smaller
sacrifices to Heaven at the foot of Taishan in 595. Tai-tsung, the
second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, failed in each of his three
efforts. On new year's day 666 Tai-tsung's son, Kao-tsung, completed
the feng and shan sacrifices for the first time in 610 years. His
wife, Empress Wu, set the precedent as a woman participant, aiming
for proof of her virtue. Eventually, rulers forgot the imperial
feng and shan sacrifices, but not Taishan itself.
The foot to the summit of Taishan measures 24 kilometers, traversed
by cablecars, minibuses, buses, and over 6,000 stone steps. Three
main gates mark the pathway - 1 Tianmen, Zhongtianmen, and Nantianmen
(First, Second, and Third Heaven Gates) with three guesthouses -
Taishan, Zhongtianmen, and Shenqi - welcoming travelers. Two main
paths lead up the mountain, converging at Zhongtianmen. The lesser
traveled western route boasts few structures. The central route
chronicles China's past through temples, calligraphy stones, and
historic memorials. Vendors crowd the mountain path, announcing
the new era of China. |
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