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Collaboration of the Month
Mount Taishan is situated just to north of the city of Tai'an and to the south of the provincial capital Jinan, in the middle of Shandong Province. The mountain range covers an area of 426 square kilometers. The main peak, Jade Emperor Peak (玉皇顶), rises 1,545 meters above sea level. The mountain contains 72 majestic peaks, numerous magnificent waterfalls, centuries-old pine and cypress trees, and distinctive rock formations.
Mount Taishan is one of the "Five Sacred Mountains", and has served a place of religious worship for at least 3,000 years. It was originally called Mt. Daishan, but was renamed to Taishan Mountain during the Spring and Autumn Period. The Mountain is of natural, historical and cultural significance. It is honored as the epitome of the spirit of Chinese culture because of its majestic and fascinating natural attractions, and countless thousand-year-old cultural heritages.
The mountain is divided into five tourist zones. Famous scenic spots include Longtan Reservoir, Zhongtian Gate, Five-Doctor Pine, Duansong Hill, 18 Turns, South Gate to Heaven, Bixia Temple, Zhanglu Terrace, Sun-Watching Peak and Moon-Watching Peak. The four wonders of the mountain are 1) Sun Rises from the East (旭日东升), 2) Golden Belt Along the Yellow River (黄河金带), 3) Beautiful Sunset (晚霞夕照) and 4) the Sea of Clouds (云海玉盘).
There are two routes to climb up to summit - one at the east side and one at the west. Most visitors take east route, which starts from Taishan Arch, and passes the Ten Thousand Immortals Tower (Wanxianlou), Arhat Cliff (Luohanya), and Goddess Dou Mu Palace (Doumugong). The whole climbing trip can take from two and a half to up to six hours. The less popular west route takes even longer time with more scenic wonders but less cultural heritage sites.
Alternatively, visitors can take a bus to the Midway Gate to Heaven, and from there hop on a cable car to the the top of the mountain. (more Mount Taishan...)
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