Taian
“Home of the Holy Mountain”
Just a two-hour high-speed train ride south of Beijing lies Tai’an city in West Shandong that also borders with Shandong’s capital, Jinan. The first syllable, “Tai”, refers to Mount Tai and “an” simply means peace. A bustling city of nearly 5.64 million people, Tai’an is best known for hosting Mount Tai. Its soaring peaks, stunning sunrises, and sacred history will take your breath away.
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There is a belief in China that if you make a wish when standing closer to the sky – such as on a mountain – then it will reach the gods sooner.
There are five holy mountains in China, and Mount Tai tops the five because of how sacred the mountain is. Early worshippers at Mount Tai dates back to the 11th century BC. There are also documented activities that have been traced back to 3,000 years ago of the Shang Dynasty. Mount Tai is one of 19 UNESCO doubled-titled World Heritage Sites in both natural beauty and cultural history. Annually, 6 million climbers have successfully hopped to its top. An old local adage mentions, “If you climb Mount Tai, you will reach 100 years old.”
The city’s motto is officially interpreted as: Mt. Tai of China goes with a world of peace. What an ambition!
Top Attractions

South Heaven’s Gate
Tai’an is the gateway city to the sacred slopes of Mt. Tai. The mountain is 1,532m above sea level, with a walking distance of 7.5km from the base to the summit on the central route.

Mt. Tai
Has always been known as a sacred place to the Chinese people. 3 founding emperors of China, Emperors Yao, Shun and Yu are said to have reached the peak to worship the Heaven

The Dai Temple
Built in the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) and expanded subsequently in every dynasty onwards, the Dai Temple is the very spot where the grand ceremony of worshipping the Heaven takes place.

Baotailong Underground Rift Valley
The collision between Mt. Tai and an neighboring Mt. Culai ages ago formulated a huge underground valley. Those karst caverns were discovered in 2016 by accident. As of 2019, a corridor of 1,300m are open to public

Water Margin Glass Bridge
The Glass Bridge certainly gains popularity across Shandong. Creativity is manifested or emancipated. The Water Margin Glass Bridge cracks when you are least prepared.
Transportation Information
to Mount Tai
By train
Option 1: Take a train to Taishan Railway Station and then transfer to bus 3 to reach Red Palace Gate or Tianwai Village. The starting point of the hiking route is the Red Palace Gate and Tianwai Village. It is the location to get a sightseeing bus to the Mid Heaven Gate. If you arrive at Tai’an High Speed Railway Station, then you will need to transfer to bus 37 or a tourism bus to reach the recommended locations.
By bus
Option 1: Take buses #1, #4, #6, #13, #15 East Ring Road Line or #33 or #39 East Ring Road Line from Taishan Railway Station to Dai Temple. After you visit the temple, walk north for approximately 1.2 km to reach Red Gate Palace.
Option 2: Take bus #16 from Taishan Railway Station to Peach Blossom Ravine. The bus schedule stops after 5:00 PM every day.
Option 3: Take bus 2, 3, 32, 36 from Taishan Railway Station and get off at Daizongfang Station. After that transfer to bus 19 to the terminal station at Tianzhu Peak. This bus stops after 5:00 PM every day.
Option 4: Walk north about 823 m from Tai’an Bus Terminal at No 1 Longtan Road to Taishan Railway Station and choose one of the routes mentioned in Mt Tai.
Option 5: Take bus 9 or 15 East Ring Road Line, 16, 25, 33, 37 or 50 from Tai’an New Bus Station at No. 139 Dongyue Street to Taishan Railway Station.
Option 6: Take the 14th, 19th, 45th, K37, K3, and K49 roads at the Red Gate Station to reach the Red Gate Entrance at Taishan.
Option 7: Take the 19th, K37, K39, and K39 outer rings; then K3 or K49 road at Tianwaicun Station. Get off at Tianshan Tianwai Village entrance.
Option 8: Take the 19th road and get off at Tianchanfeng Scenic Spot Station to get to Tianzhufeng Entrance
Option 9: Take K16 and K49 Road at Peach Blossom Station. Then proceed by car to reach the Peach Blossom entrance.
Plan Your Trip
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Mount Tai has four routes that can be taken to reach the summit:
The first is the East Route. This is also considered to be the imperial route because emperors took this ascent to make sacrifices. Along the path there is natural scenery, stone inscriptions, palaces and temples. On this route you will start from the largest and most well preserved temple Dai Temple. From there you will see Dai Zong Archway, Red Gate Palace, Jing Shi Valley, Hu Tian Pavilion, Eighteen Bends and more. The most famous which, as stated above, is Dai Temple, is where emperors stayed and offered their sacrifices. Dai Temple was first built in the Han Dynasty and was renovated and expanded in the Tang and Song dynasties. Eventually it became the largest and most well preserved temple on Mount Tai. There are 6,666 steps on this route (all 6s mean good fortune in ancient Chinese numerology). On this route, it takes roughly four hours to reach the summit. The East Route is the ideal choice for most tourists who want to see cultural relics.
The second is the West Route. This route can be divided into two parts: the high road from the Heaven and Earth Square to Mid Heaven Gate (notice that the names signify the ascent to Heaven), and the second part is from Mid Heaven Gate to the summit. The West Route is considered to be the most fashionable way to reach the Jade Emperor Summit because it has modern facilities such as the cable car from Mid Heaven Gate to the top of the mountain. Some attractions include Heaven and Earth Square, Black Dragon Pool, the Tomb of General Feng Yuxiang as well as the Longevity Bridge.
The third and most convenient way is the Peach Blossom Ravine Route. This route can be reached by taking the No. 104 National Highway and then go directly from the parking lot to the cable car. By taking this route, it is possible to reach the summit in just a few minutes. There is also a ropeway that is designed for sightseeing from the air. This gives a clear view of the scenery. The best time to take this route is in Spring and Summer when the peach blossoms are out.
The fourth and final route is known as the Tianzhu Peak Route. The word, Tianzhu 天烛 is also known as heavenly candle). It was given this name because of its candle like shape and the pine tree standing on top of the peak which looks like a flame on a candle. This route is the most rugged and difficult of the four. On this route you may also enjoy General Peak, Eight Immortals Cave, Big Tianzhu Peak, Small Tianzhu Peak and more. This route also offers a beautiful view of pine trees at Hou Shi Wu.
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山东省文化和旅游厅 Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
美国友康科技有限公司 U-Combination Technology (USA) Inc.
Authorized agency for Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism in the U.S.
(山东省文化和旅游厅在美授权机构)
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Wayne, PA 19087
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