Tai Shan (Mount Tai), pride of all Shandong province and standing at an imposing 1,545 m above sea level, is the most venerated of China's five sacred Taoist mountains. Some 6 million tourists a year come to follow in the footsteps of Confucius and other great leaders and thinkers of China.

There are a few different ways to get to the summit. Hiking from the base in Tai'an city should take the best part of a day (assuming you want to stop a while at some of the attractions) on either the central route or western route. The more popular of the two is the central route, which encompasses many of the mountain's pavilions, bridges, stone inscriptions and other cultural relics. 

On the first leg of the journey you can take in the Rock Valley Scripture, the North Prayer Rock and Guandi Temple, erected to enshrine the Taoist God of War. Continuing on, you'll pass through the First Gate of Heaven, where Confucius began his ascent to the summit, followed by Red Gate Palace, Wanxian Lou Gate and Doumu Hall.

The western route takes in fewer cultural attractions but offers much in the way of natural beauty. The trail often runs beside and crosses the main road to the Midway Gate to Heaven, where the western and central routes converge. You can take a cable car pretty close to the summit from here but you'll miss the God of Wealth Temple, Five Pine Pavilion, Opposing Pines Pavilion, and the Path of Eighteen Bends.

The South Gate to Heaven is final gateway to the summit. Places worth a look beyond the gate are Emperor Wu's Wordless Monument, Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Temple perched atop the mountain's highest peak. The panoramic views are undoubtedly the highlight of the trip up.

Public and tour buses to the mountain's three cable ways are available from various places in Tai'an city. Click the Tai Shan transportation tab for full details. All travelers, hikers or cable car riders are strongly advised to take warm clothing regardless of the season. Weather conditions on the mountain are changeable and can be very different from those at the base. 

History

Tai Shan has been a center of worship and enlightenment, destination of pilgrimages, and inspiration to the masses for no fewer than three thousand years. As one of the sacred Buddhist mountains in China, it attracts the attention of most Chinese people, both domestic and international. Those wishing to delve deeper into the history of Tai Shan will learn that it is considered on of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Two of China's original cultures, the Dawenkou and the Longshan, developed in the neighboring regions. 

During the Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC - 476 BC), Confucius, who resided in nearby town of Qufu, ascended the mountain and found inspiration to author the doctrines of Confucianism, still venerated now more than two millennia later. Other famous figures from Chinese history would later follow in the master's footsteps in search of inspiration—Libai and fellow poet Dufu, to name but a couple. 

Thousands of years of travelers, pilgrims and emperors have left their mark upon many of the rocks and landscape of the mountain. At least 70 different emperors have climbed Tai Shan, going as far back as Qin Shihuang, first emperor of China.

Climate

Irrespective of the weather and temperature elsewhere in the area, it is usually very cold (close to freezing) at the top of the mountain. Anyone attempting the hike should come prepared for all seasons, as the climate is very unpredictable.

Even in the peak of summer, temperatures here are cool and the pine and cypress trees provide a pleasant shade. Summer here is also the rainy season, so make sure you are equipped with umbrella and waterproofs, especially in May.

Spring and autumn are fairly pleasant, with temperatures averaging about 10 º C (50 º F). However, in spring, winds can be strong. In autumn, there is little wind or rain and the sky is clear and the air fresh. Winter is very cold, with snow covering the peaks, bringing climbing conditions to their worst, treacherous. A clear and crisp winter day however, usually means things are more quiet. Scenery and views can be very impressive under these conditions.

There's a few hotels atop Tai Shan, you will most certainly not be overburdened with choices, the winners are pretty evident from the get go. If you can do without a shower, or water in general, there's a few cheap options. For the more discerning, the choices become fewer. Be sure to book a room in advance as it can be quite difficult to find a room and after a long day's hike, you probably don't want to have to sleep in the cold.

There are various cheap and cheerful places to grab a bite to eat on the way up Tai Shan and on Heavenly Street, most serving local dishes and noodles. Prices rise with altitude so beware! It is also a good idea to take some of your own provisions with you, but you can also pick some up at the Global Bakery on Hongmen Lu. If you're a vegetarian, be sure to try the curd banquet or edible wild herb banquet.

Getting Around

Tai Shan is connected closely with Tai'an city, which is located at the southern foot of Tai the mountain. At present, there are four ways to climb the mountain. They are: Hongmen Entrance (Tai Shan Dong Lu), Tianwai Village Entrance (Tai Shan Xi Lu), Taohuayu Entrance and Tianzhu Peak Entrance.

Among them, Hongmen Entrance for hikers is about 2.5 km northeast of the train station; Tianwai Village Entrance for riders in a car is 2 km north to the train station; Taohuayuan Entrance is at the western foot of the mountain, about 12 km from the train station while Tianzhu Peak Entrance is at the eastern foot of the mountain, about 18 km from the train station.

Tai Shan Railway Station is Tai'an's transportation hub and a main stop for the public buses. Getting to all the four entrances to Tai Shan is very convenient from the train station. If you are not sure of your way, you can go to the train station first and then head to the entrances or the other scenic areas from there.

Taxi

The base rate for the taxis is RMB 5 for the first two kilometers, and then RMB 1.5 per additional kilometer. It's a little more expensive after 10:00 p.m. but you may bargain with the driver. It costs you about RMB 8 to Dengshan Xi Lu, Tianwai Village and RMB 10 to Hongmen Dengshan Dong Lu from the train station; about RMB 15 to train station and RMB 20 to Tianwai Village or Hongmen from the expressway Taixi Exit; around RMB 10 to the train station and RMB 15 to Tianwai Village or Hongmen from National Highway 104.

Bus

Although buses are usually not a very good choice for foreigners due to their Chinese signage, buses here, usually with terminals at different starting points for climbing the mountain, might still be helpful for some travelers.

Bus No. 3 runs between Tianwai Village (the starting point for climbing the mountain on Taishan Xi Lu) and Hongmen (the starting point for climbing the mountain on Taishan Zhong Lu) with a middle stop at the train station.

Bus No. 4 connects the western and eastern suburbs of Tai'an City and goes straight through the city with stops at the train station and North Gate of Daimiao Temple on its way. Daimiao Temple is the furthest southern starting point for climbing the mountain on Taishan Dong Lu.

Bus No. 16 is the special line running between the train station and Taohuayu Scenic Area (Peach Blossom Valley Scenic Area).

Tour Bus No. 1 runs between the train station and Zhongtian Men with a stop at Tianwai Village.

Tour Bus No. 2 runs between the train station and Taohuayuan Cableway with a stop at Taohuayu.

Cableway

There are three cableways starting from Zhongtian Men, Taohuayuan and Houshiwu respectively. People who buy tickets for Zhongtian Men or Taohuayuan cableway upwards can take Houshiwu cableway for free.

To and from Tai Shan

Air

Tai'an City is about 90 km from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport and there are no direct buses between them. Tourists to Tai Shan must transfer at Jinan.

There are airport buses from Yaoqiang Airport to downtown Jinan every hour from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You may take the airport bus at the Arrival Exit of the airport. After you arrive at the downtown area, take a taxi to Jinan Railway Station (around RMB 15) and then transfer to Tai'an City. If you take a taxi directly from the airport to Jinan Railway Station, it may take you about an hour (around RMB 130).

Train

The main railway line inside Tai'an City is Beijing-Shanghai line, connecting with Beijing-Kowloon line to the west. There are lots of trains making stopovers or starting from Tai Shan Railway Station and then going to the major cities in China like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Urumqi as well as major Shandong Province cities.

Bus

The Jinghu and Jingfu expressways meet in Tai'an City. The expressway network connects Tai'an with Shandong's seaside cities, like Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai and Rizhao.

It's only about 63 km from Tai'an to Jinan and 69 km to Qufu, taking you no more than one hour no matter if you go by train or by bus.  It's about 142 km from Tai'an to Zibo (two hours' drive).