Mount Tai (Tai Shan)

In short: Mount Tai (Tai Shan): from Tai'an to Summit of Mount Tai (1,545 m). Length: around 9 km of steps, duration: 1 day. Best time: Spring and autumn.

Overview

Mount Tai in Shandong Province is regarded as the most important of China's five sacred mountains. For millennia emperors travelled here to make sacrifices to heaven and earth, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

From the foot in Tai'an, a staircase with around 6,600 steps leads to the summit at 1,545 metres, past gates, inscriptions and temples. The climb is tiring, and you can take the cable car back down if you like.

Many people climb at night to see the sunrise. The mountain is especially close to Daoism but is also visited by Buddhists. On public holidays, however, there is little quiet to be found here.

Who is this route for?

With some hiking experience this route is very manageable. Expect climbs and keep your days from getting too long.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Asia, Pilgrimage in China, sorted by religion under Buddhist pilgrimage routes.