According to legend, Qin Shihuang took shelter under a pine tree when he was climbing Mount Tai. Then he felt that the pine tree served as a protector, so he named it the Five Doctors. An official title in the dynasty is equivalent to a ninth-level title. In addition to the Five Doctor Pines, Qin Shihuang also left a stone inscription when he went to Mount Tai, which is a stele called Li Si Xiao Chuan Stele. Qin Shihuang wanted to use Mount Tai to enshrine his virtues in order to promote his merits. After Qin Shihuang unified China, he believed that he was the king of all ages. He unified the written language, implemented the system of prefectures and counties, and also unified weights and measures, so he compared himself to the First Emperor, the first emperor. How could this achievement be recorded? Only by going to Mount Tai to enshrine the Zen can it be recorded, so the Qin inscriptions were left behind through the enshrinement. Today's Mount Tai rocks are 2.8 billion years old and were formed in the Cenozoic Era 30 million years ago. The Mount Tai Mountains stretch for more than 200 kilometers along the south bank of the Yellow River. The main peak stands majestically in the coastal city of Tai'an, Shandong Province. There are more than 200 inscriptions in the temple, including many inscriptions left by emperors of the past dynasties. There is a peculiar Tang stele with two stones standing side by side and covered with a stone cover. This is what Wu Zetian sent people to erect in 660 AD. "Double Beam Monument". Wu Zetian was a very accomplished woman in history. She was also very ambitious at the time, and she wanted to express her inner thoughts in various ways. So, how does this monument express Wu Zetian's will? It is made up of two stones standing side by side. The top is a stone cap and the bottom is a stone base. In other words, they stand side by side in the world and rule all directions. Although Wu Zetian was not yet the emperor at that time, she hoped that her status and rights would be the same as those of the emperor. In addition to the political implications, because Wu Zetian was Gaozong's queen, it was a husband-wife relationship, which this monument expresses. Because of the relationship between their husband and wife, the common people called this monument the Yuanyang Monument. This was the meaning of Wu Zetian who sent people to erect this monument at that time. Sure enough, after the monument was erected, about five years later, in 666 AD, she encouraged Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi to come to Mount Tai to enshrine Zen. On the top of Mount Taishan, the rocks are like walls and the cliffs are like cuts. There are dozens of cliff carvings carved on them. The most valuable and spectacular ones are the cliff carvings where the emperor granted the title of Zen. Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, personally wrote the stele "Ji Taishan Inscription" when he granted the Zen title in the 13th year of Kaiyuan. The inscription narrates the origin and scale of the Zen title, and records the process of the ceremony. The stele "Ji Taishan Inscription" is grand and tall in shape, with 1,000 large gilded characters. The entire stele is in eight-point official script. It has high calligraphy artistic value and has attracted many emotions from future generations. The Taishan Fengzen Stone engraving bears in mind the political, economic, and cultural achievements of a generation of monarchs. It is indeed a great invention of mankind to choose a rock with such long-lasting vitality to engrave the monument and commemorate the merits. However, in front of the Jade Emperor's Peak in Mount Tai stands a large, clumsy and solemn stele, without a word engraved on it. It is called the "Wordless Stele". It was erected by Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, when he enshrined Mount Tai. The ancients have different opinions on the wordless stele. Some people say that the lack of a word on the stele is a sign of Emperor Wu's humility, because he thought he was insignificant and was frightened when he became emperor. Others say that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty thought he had outstanding achievements. It is difficult to express in words, so there is no word on the top of the stele. Compared with the stele with words, this stele without words has a more valuable meaning. The most famous stone engraving for Zen is the Qin Taishan inscription. It is not only the earliest inscription on Mount Tai, but also the earliest inscription on the merits of an ancient Chinese emperor. Whether it is these rich inscriptions or stone tablets without words, everyone can truly touch the historical context of the Taishan emperor's enshrinement of Zen. The formal royal ceremony should be said to have started with Qin Shihuang, because it is recorded that 72 generations of kings worshiped Mount Tai before Qin Shihuang, but Qin Shihuang turned the past Chaiwang sacrifice into the country's official Zen ceremony. In order to consolidate his rule and maintain the unity of the country, Qin Shihuang had to turn to Mount Tai for help. He wanted to use the Feng Chan to achieve the purpose of consolidating his rule. Practice has proved that this purpose was indeed achieved through the Feng Chan on Mount Tai. Six people formally held the Zen ceremony on Mount Tai: Emperor Qin Shihuang, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty. What kind of ceremony is Feng Chan that so many emperors yearn for? The so-called sealing means that the emperor piled earth and set up an altar to offer sacrifices to heaven on the top of Mount Tai. Sacrifice to heaven is called sealing. The so-called Zen means that after the emperor was granted the title, he would go to a hill at the foot of Mount Tai, usually at Sheshou Mountain and Liangfu Mountain. They were both on small hills, and they would also pile earth and set up altars. It is said that Feng is aimed at heaven, while Zen is aimed at earth.
Why did these emperors choose Mount Tai as the place to hold such a grand royal ceremony among so many famous mountains and rivers in China? A long time ago, when the world was first formed and the heaven and earth were separated, there was a man named Pangu who grew up between the sky and the earth. The sky rose one foot higher every day, the earth became ten feet thicker every day, and Pangu also grew ten feet taller every day. , day after day, year after year, he lived upright like this. Later, when Pangu slowly aged and died, the giant fell to the ground in an instant, and his head became Mount Tai. Therefore, Mount Tai became the Five Mountains. head. It has the potential to reach up to the sky, and it also has the posture of holding up the sky and holding the sun. Therefore, since ancient times, people have admired it as a symbol of sublimity and greatness. From the seventy-two kings in ancient times to Emperor Qin and Han Wu, to Kangxi and Qianlong, the Mount Tai complex of emperors of all dynasties has endowed it with divine majesty and power, attracting countless heroes to bow to its knees. The sage Confucius "climbed Mount Tai and made the world small" is a legend passed down by literati and poets of all ages. Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty, said "heavier than Mount Tai but lighter than a feather" to measure people's social ethics and moral value. Du Fu's "Being at the top of the mountain and seeing all the small mountains at a glance" has become an eternal masterpiece. The common people of Li all turn their hearts towards Mount Tai, respecting and worshiping Mount Tai incomparably, in order to pray for blessings and peace. Therefore, Mount Tai is the mountain of the nation, the mountain of history, the mountain of culture, and the symbol of the unification of the Chinese nation. Supplementary answer: The formation of Mount Tai worship is a cultural phenomenon in history. The culture in the ancient Haidai area was relatively developed. With the development, expansion and spread of the developed culture in the Haidai area, as a place of cultural development, it is of course in people's minds. The status is high, this is one of the reasons. The second aspect is the location of Mount Tai. Mount Tai is located in the east of the motherland. It is the place where the sun rises. Generally, the rising sun brings warmth, light and the source of life to people. Not all emperors are qualified to be enshrined in Zen. The conditions are generally stipulated in this way. There are basically three conditions. The first condition is the change of dynasty and the unification of the country. The second condition is that when the emperor is in power, he must have political achievements and outstanding political achievements. He must have a peaceful and prosperous country and a strong and prosperous country. He must have political achievements that everyone is convinced of. This is the second condition. The third condition is both softer and harder, that is, auspiciousness must appear. Just have a mascot. For example, Duke Huan of Qi, during the Spring and Autumn Period, was one of the nine princes who controlled the world. He wanted to come to Mount Tai to enshrine Zen, but Guan Zhong at that time strongly opposed it. Why did he object? It means you are not qualified enough. At that time, Duke Huan of Qi said, "I have made great contributions to the nine princes who have unified the world. Isn't it enough?" He said no, you lack auspiciousness. In fact, it lacks any auspiciousness. In this way, Guan Zhong gave him several mascots, including the flounder from the East China Sea and the winged bird from the West Sea. These are simply impossible to obtain. Without these things, you cannot become a Zen. In fact, it means that your merits are not enough. In 219 BC, Qin Shihuang destroyed the six kingdoms and unified the world. In order to strengthen his rule, he conducted many nationwide inspections. During the inspections, he used the title of Zen as a banner and climbed Mount Tai to hold a Zen ceremony. Fengchan means a prosperous time in the world and outstanding achievements. After the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, and Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty also imitated the practice of Fengchan Taishan. By the time of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, social development had reached its peak, and the Zen ceremony was unprecedentedly grand. So in 725 AD, on a day at the turn of spring and summer, a huge Feng Chan army set off from the capital Chang'an. On this day, at the foot of Mount Tai in Tai'an City, Shandong Province, in the air with a radius of hundreds of miles, the relaxation and peace of the past changed. Randomly, between silence and solemnity, ancient music plays, cars rumble, and horses rustle, becoming more and more real from far to near. The majestic procession of royal princes, civil and military officials holding ceremonial weapons, thousands of horses, and numerous guards, cheering in front and behind, and surrounding each other, this majestic momentum eclipsed any expedition in China's history . Additional answer: The emperors of the past dynasties must not only have outstanding achievements, but also have the auspiciousness shown by the Emperor of Heaven. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Song Zhenzong suffered repeated defeats in the war with the Khitan people, but finally won the battle in Chanzhou. And a humiliating alliance was made. In order to realize his wish to grant Zen, Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty fabricated the auspiciousness of the Book of Heaven, so in 1008 AD, Song Zhenzong and his entourage set out from Kaifeng in a mighty manner and trekked for 17 days to reach Mount Tai. ** It took 47 days for Song Zhenzong to complete the last Zen ceremony in Chinese history. Since Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, the Fengchan ceremony has ended. Why has such a big Fengchan ceremony ended here? Song Zhenzong inherited the mantle of his father and uncle, but he was also afraid of soldiers and wars. It was not because he was timid, but because he was afraid of losing his power.
Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty did not fully qualify for the title of Zen. Chen Yaosou and Wang Qinruo persuaded him to escape. One advised him to go to Sichuan, and the other advised him to go to Nanjing. He said that was not possible and he had to find a way. The first way he came up with was to lead troops to Hebei to fight. He said no, he won’t fight. What if he doesn’t fight? He said that another way is to make a Zen, and the Zen should have auspiciousness. He said that I don't have auspiciousness, there is no such thing, auspiciousness means you make one for him, you just have to believe. The emperor thought it was OK and had a theoretical basis, but how should Wang Dan deal with it? He felt that Song Zhenzong's achievements did not reach the level of being granted Zen status, and he opposed it. The emperor invited Wang Dan to drink. The royal wine was royal wine and good wine. Wang Dan said, your wine is so delicious. He said yes, I will give you a jar of wine to take home with your wife and children. Drink it! This will make people feel that the emperor's favor is great, and Wang Dan will feel flattered. After I returned home, I opened the jar and saw that it was full of jewelry and pearls. Wang Dan is also a political veteran and knows these power tactics very well. He made it clear in his heart and stopped talking when he went to court the next day. After Song Zhenzong died, they thought that this thing was not a solution, so they changed it again. Since the Ming Dynasty, ministers have been sent to Mount Tai every year on behalf of the emperor to perform sacrifices, that is, to perform sacrifices. Carrying out sacrificial activities is actually a continuation of the original Feng Chan, but the content and form have changed. From the Ming Dynasty onwards, ministers came to perform sacrifices on behalf of the emperor, and the emperor came in person. This was not very convenient. In order to facilitate the emperor to worship Mount Tai, the Ming Dynasty built a Temple of Heaven in the capital starting from the Ming Dynasty. It is the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Several large stones were brought back and placed on one side of the Temple of Heaven. These stones symbolized Mount Tai. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is actually a continuation of the emperor's consecration activity, which ended with the demise of the Qing Dynasty. But the entire cultural phenomenon of Mount Tai worship has not ended among the people. Additional answer: Not all emperors are qualified to be granted Zen status. The conditions are generally stipulated in this way. There are basically three conditions. The first condition is to change the court. Reunification of the country. The second condition is that when the emperor is in power, he must have political achievements and outstanding political achievements. He must have a peaceful and prosperous country and a strong and prosperous country. He must have political achievements that everyone is convinced of. This is the second condition. The third condition is both softer and harder, that is, auspiciousness must appear. Just have a mascot. For example, Duke Huan of Qi, during the Spring and Autumn Period, was one of the nine princes who controlled the world. He wanted to come to Mount Tai to enshrine Zen, but Guan Zhong at that time strongly opposed it. Why did he object? It means you are not qualified enough. At that time, Duke Huan of Qi said, "I have made great contributions to the nine princes who have unified the world. Isn't it enough?" He said no, you lack auspiciousness. In fact, it lacks any auspiciousness. In this way, Guan Zhong gave him several mascots, including the flounder from the East China Sea and the winged bird from the West Sea. These are simply impossible to obtain. Without these things, you cannot become a Zen. In fact, it means that your merits are not enough. In 219 BC, Qin Shihuang destroyed the six kingdoms and unified the world. In order to strengthen his rule, he conducted many nationwide inspections. During the inspections, he used the title of Zen as a banner and climbed Mount Tai to hold a Zen ceremony. Fengchan means a prosperous time in the world and outstanding achievements. After the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, and Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty also imitated the practice of Fengchan Taishan. By the time of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, social development had reached its peak, and the Zen ceremony was unprecedentedly grand. So in 725 AD, on a day at the turn of spring and summer, a huge Feng Chan army set off from the capital Chang'an. On this day, at the foot of Mount Tai in Tai'an City, Shandong Province, in the air with a radius of hundreds of miles, the relaxation and peace of the past changed. Randomly, between silence and solemnity, ancient music plays, cars rumble, and horses rustle, becoming more and more real from far to near. The majestic team of royal princes, civil and military officials holding ceremonial weapons, thousands of horses, and numerous guards, cheering in front and behind, and surrounding each other, this majestic momentum eclipsed any expedition in China's history .