Introduction to Mount Taishan, Daimiao and Fengchan ceremonies in Shandong, China

Mount Taishan

Basic Overview:

Geographical location: Located in the central part of Tai'an City, Shandong Province, China, with geographic coordinates of 35 ° -37.5 ° N and 115.85 ° -118.35 ° E, between Tai'an, Jinan, and Zibo cities.

Formation process: Formed between 100 million and 30 million years ago, it underwent complex geological evolution and ultimately shaped its current basic shape. Its altitude is 1545 meters, with the main peak being Yuhuangding. The overall terrain is high in the north and low in the south, high in the west and low in the east.

Climate characteristics: It belongs to warm temperate monsoon climate with obvious seasonal changes. The average summer temperature at the mountaintop is 17 ℃, with a maximum temperature of 29 ℃; The average temperature at the foot of the mountain in January is -3 ℃, while at the top it is -9 ℃. The average temperature at the foot of the mountain in July is 26 ℃, while at the top it is 18 ℃. The annual precipitation increases with height, with an annual precipitation of 1132 millimeters at the mountaintop and only 722.6 millimeters below.

Landscape features:

Ancient buildings: There are many ancient buildings on Mount Taishan, such as the South Tianmen, Bixia Temple, Yuhuang Temple, etc. Located at the end of the 18th circle of Mount Taishan Mountain, the South Heaven Gate is the top of the climbing circle and the gateway to the top of Mount Taishan Mountain; The Bixia Temple is the ancestral home of the Taoist goddess Bixia Yuanjun, with strong incense offerings; The Jade Emperor Temple, which is dedicated to the Jade Emperor, is an important building at the top of Mount Taishan Mountain.

Stone Tablets: There are a large number of stone tablets on Mount Taishan. From the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, a large number of inscriptions and inscriptions have been left here by scholars and men of letters, emperors and generals, such as Tang Xuanzong's "Ji Mount Taishan Inscription", Emperor Qianlong's poems, etc. These stone tablets are not only treasures of calligraphy art, but also important materials for studying Mount Taishan's history and culture.

Magnificent mountain situation: Mount Taishan Mountain is magnificent, rolling, like a python occupying the earth, giving people a strong visual impact and spiritual shock. It has the reputation of "Five Mountains are the only", and is a symbol of the spirit of the Chinese nation.

Unique landforms: There are various types of landforms such as eroded mountains, eroded low mountains, eroded low mountains, eroded hills, eroded hills, and alluvial plateaus in front of mountains. For example, the eroded low mountains in areas such as Aolai Peak, Zhongtianmen, Jianding Mountain, and Waitou Mountain, as well as the eroded low mountains in the northeast direction of the main peak from Jiguan Mountain to Qingshan Mountain, have different shapes and exquisite craftsmanship.

Waterfall and pool water: Mount Taishan is rich in water resources, and the water system takes Yuhuangding as the watershed, forming many waterfall landscapes such as Heilongtan Waterfall, Santan Cascade Waterfall, Yunbuqiao Waterfall, as well as Wang Mu Spring, Moon Spring, Yuye Spring and other spring landscapes. The scenery is charming with alternating pools and waterfalls.

natural landscape:

Shibapan: It is the most dangerous part of the winding road of Mount Taishan. There are more than 1600 stone steps. Seen from afar, it is just like the Tianmen Cloud Ladder, which is very difficult to climb. The cliffs on both sides here are like cuts, which is one of the landmarks of Mount Taishan.

Yuhuangding: Located on the top of the main peak of Mount Taishan Mountain, it is the highest place of Mount Taishan Mountain. Here, you can overlook the magnificent scene of mountains stretching and sea of clouds billowing. When the weather is clear, you can overlook the cities and mountains in the distance. In ancient times, when emperors granted sacrifices to Mount Taishan Mountain, they held a ceremony to worship heaven here.

Black Dragon Pool Waterfall: Located in the north of White Dragon Pool of Mount Taishan Mountain, the pool water is deep, and the waterfall flies down from the high cliff, splashing water, making roaring sound and echoing in the valley. Surrounded by green trees, the scenery is beautiful

Cultural landscape:

Nantianmen: Located at the end of the 18th circle of Mount Taishan Mountain, it is the top of the climbing circle and the gateway to the top of Mount Taishan Mountain. Built on the cliff, it is magnificent, as if it is the gate to the heaven. When ancient scholars climbed Mount Taishan, they left poems and calligraphy here.

Bixia Temple: located in the south of the extreme top of Mount Taishan, it is the ancestral hall of the Taoist goddess Bixia Yuanjun. The temple has magnificent buildings and flourishing incense. Every year, a large number of believers come to worship. It is also one of the best places to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds of Mount Taishan.

Tablet stone carvings: There are more than 1800 stele stone carvings preserved on Mount Taishan. These stone carvings are rich in content, including the emperor's memorial tablet, the literati's poem inscription tablet, etc. For example, the cliff stone inscription Ji Mount Taishan Inscription by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty is the largest existing cliff stone inscription in China.

Historical Culture:

Fengchan culture: ancient emperors regarded Mount Taishan as a holy mountain connecting heaven and earth, and believed that Fengchan here could report their merits to heaven and pray for the prosperity of the country. From the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperors of all dynasties went to Mount Taishan for 27 times to seal their zen. The First Emperor of Qin, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han, Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Zhenzong of Song, etc. held a grand ceremony here.

Religious culture: Mount Taishan is an important birthplace and dissemination place of Taoism, Buddhism and other religions. Taoism has a long history of development in Mount Taishan, with many Taoist buildings, such as the Queen Mother Pool, Doumu Palace, etc; Since Buddhism was introduced into Mount Taishan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it has also developed continuously, leaving many Buddhist temples and relics.

Dai Temple

essential information:

Location and name: formerly known as "Dongyue Temple", also known as "Mount Taishan Temple", "Daizong Temple" and "Taimiao", it is located in the north of Tai'an City, Shandong Province, at the south foot of Mount Taishan Mountain, on the central axis of Tai'an City.

The founding time and changes: It was built in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (140-87 BC), and was built in Bo County by Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty. It was called Mount Taishan Temple at that time. During the Wu Zhou period (690-705 AD), it was relocated to its current location. In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1008), Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty built the Tianqi Temple. In the seventh year of Yongzheng's reign (1729), the Qing court rebuilt the Mount Taishan Temple, which was renamed Dai Temple. It has been over two thousand years since its construction, during which it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. Most of the current buildings were renovated between 1949 and 2004.

Building scale: The palace is rectangular in shape, with a length of 406 meters from north to south and a width of 237 meters from east to west, covering an area of 96222 square meters.

Architectural layout:

Central axis: The axis runs through major buildings such as Daimiao Fang, Zhengyang Gate, Beitian Gate, Ren'an Gate, Tiangong Hall, Houjing Palace, and Houzai Gate. Among them, Daimiao Fang is the entrance of Daimiao Temple, with exquisite design and ancient elegance; Zhengyang Gate is the main entrance of Dai Temple, with a majestic aura; Tianqiao Hall is the main hall of Dai Temple. It is one of the three palace style buildings in ancient China. Mount Taishan God is enshrined in the hall, and the architectural style is solemn and dignified.

Corner Tower: The four corners are equipped with Xun, Gen, Qian, and Kun corner towers, which serve as guardians and decorations.

Cultural relics and relics:

Inscriptions: Inside and outside the Dai Temple, there are exquisite inscriptions from multiple dynasties including Qin, Han, Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing. These inscriptions are rich in content and have extremely high artistic value in calligraphy. They are important materials for studying ancient Chinese history, culture, and calligraphy art.

Murals: The large-scale mural in the main hall, "The Painting of Mount Taishan Gods Leaving for Huiluan", is the top grade of the existing Taoist murals in China. The mural depicts the scene of Mount Taishan God's going on a tour and returning to the palace. The characters are lifelike and the pictures are colorful, which has high artistic value.

Fengshan Grand Ceremony:

Historical background: Fengchan is a ceremony held by ancient emperors in Mount Taishan to worship heaven and earth, and is regarded as a symbol of the prosperity of the country and the peace of the world. The Fengchan ceremony originated in the pre Qin period, when people believed that Mount Taishan was the nearest place to the heaven, where the sacrificial ceremony could be held to communicate with heaven. After unifying the six states, Emperor Qin Shi Huang officially established the Fengshan ceremony as the exclusive sacrificial ceremony for emperors.

Ritual process: The ceremony of Fengshan Grand Ceremony is very grand and complex, including sacrificial ceremonies to heaven, earth, and temple. The emperor should make preparations for fasting, bathing, etc. before offering sacrifices, and then lead all civil and military officials to mount Mount Taishan, build an altar on the top of the mountain to pay back the kindness of heaven; Build altars and offer sacrifices in places such as Liangfu Mountain or Sheshou Mountain at the foot of the mountain, praying to the land god to bless the country with abundant grain and the people to live and work in peace and contentment. After the end of the Fengshan period, the emperor also issued a decree declaring peace in the world and rewarding officials and the people.

Modern interpretation: Tai'an's "Mount Taishan • Chanting Ceremony of China" is a large-scale live performance, which vividly shows the grand scene of ancient emperors' Chanting in the background of Mount Taishan's history and culture through wonderful performances and high-tech means. The performance is divided into seven parts: prologue, Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Qing, and epilogue. Each part has a unique theme and form of expression, making the audience feel as if they have traveled back in time and space to the ancient site of Fengshan, experiencing the majesty of emperors and the sanctity of Fengshan.