Mount Tai (Chinese: 泰山) is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Taian (泰安), Shandong Province (山東省), China. Many emperors of the past dynasties and cultural figures had climbed Mount Tai, leaving behind many historical monuments.
Religious worship of Mount Tai has a tradition dating back 3,000 years, from the time of the Shang (c. 1600–1046 BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912).
Dedicated to Bixia Yuanjun (碧霞元君), Bixia Temple (碧霞祠) is the largest ancient building complex on Mount Tai. The Bixia Temple was built in the Song (宋) Dynasty, and was renovated during the Ming (明) and Qing (清) dynasties.
Bixia Yuanjun , literally the "Goddess of the Blue Dawn", also known as the "Heavenly Immortal Lady of Jade" (天仙玉女), is the Great Deity of Mount Tai.
According to historical records, Mount Tai became a sacred place visited by emperors to offer sacrifices and meditate in the Zhou (周) Dynasty (1000 BC).
The tallest peak of Mount Tai is the Jade Emperor Peak (玉皇頂), which is commonly reported as being 1,545 meters tall.
Mount Tai is known as the eastern mountain of the five sacred mountains of China. It is associated with sunrise, birth and renewal, and is often regarded as the foremost of the five.
Mount Tai became one of the principal places where the emperor would carry out the sacrifices to pay homage to heaven (on the summit) and earth (at the foot of the mountain).
