The Five Sacred Mountains are the collective name for the five famous mountains in China. They are centered on the Central Plains of China and belong to the five mountains in the east, south, west, north and middle. Since ancient times, its reputation has been very high, and there is a saying that "the five mountains come back without looking at the mountains".
It is said that the name of the Five Mountains can be traced back to the era of Yao and Shun. Yao ordered the four sons of Xihe to be in charge of the four mountains. At that time, "Four Mountains" was the title of the official in charge of Fang Yue. When the emperor was on a hunting tour, the officials in charge of Fang Yue would choose a high mountain at their residence and set fire to send a signal to summon the princes. As a result, the earliest signaling mountains became the capitals of Yue Guan. During the reign of Shun, the titles of Yue Guan began to be unified with the names of these famous mountains. As a system, it began in the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It was not until Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty that the five mountains were determined as: Dongyue - Mount Tai in Shandong, Xiyue - Huashan in Shaanxi, Zhongyue - Henan Mountain, Nanyue - Tianzhu Mountain in Anhui. Beiyue - Damao Mountain in Hebei Province. Later, in the Sui Dynasty, Nanyue was changed to Hunan Hengshan, and in Ming Dynasty, Beiyue was changed to Shanxi Hengshan, and finally it became today's Five Sacred Mountains.
(1) Dongyue Mount Tai - "The Five Most High Mountains"
In 1978, UNESCO commissioned Lucas, vice chairman of the Nature Reserve Association, to inspect Mount Tai in my country. Afterwards, he praised Mount Tai as "a model of the integration of natural and cultural heritage." In the same year, the organization's "Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage" included Mount Tai and other six scenic spots in the "World Heritage List" as one of the important cultural heritages of all mankind.
Mount Tai, located in Tai'an County, Shandong Province, is also called "Daizong", "Dai" means the mountain, and "Dai" means the elder, which means: Mount Tai is the elder of the mountains in China. Mount Tai is located in the central part of Shandong Province, with an altitude of 1,545 meters. It ranks third among the five mountains in height, but it is known as "the only one among the five mountains", "the most respected among the five mountains" and "the first mountain in the world". It has a high status among the famous mountains in China. It is said that as the legend of Confucius "climbing Dongshan and Xiaolu, climbing Taishan and Xiaotian" spread, its reputation has become higher and higher, and it has gradually become a symbol of "greatness" and "nobleness". Emperors of all ages regarded it as the incarnation of "god". According to historical records, 72 emperors in the past dynasties went to Mount Tai to pray for Zen. Many literati also enjoyed visiting Mount Tai, and they praised Mount Tai with poems, songs, and inscriptions. Therefore, there are many cultural relics and monuments left here. From the Dai Temple at the foot of the mountain to the Bixia Temple at the top of the mountain, there are countless inscriptions and ancient buildings along the way, which can be said to be a treasure house of cultural relics. The Dai Temple at the foot of the mountain is large in scale and is one of several major palace-style building complexes in China; the Bixia Temple is a special building that combines metal components with earthen wood and masonry; there are countless places of interest and historic sites. The best thing about Mount Tai is climbing. Mount Tai starts from Daizongfang at the foot of the mountain. From here to Nantianmen, there are more than 7,000 stone steps. Those who ascend enjoy themselves.
(2) Huashan Mountain in Xiyue - the most dangerous one
Huashan Mountain in Xiyue City is located in the south of Huayin County, 120 kilometers east of Xi'an City, with an altitude of 2,200 meters. It is famous for its steepness and beauty. It is known as "the most dangerous mountain in the world" and is also one of the famous Taoist holy places. Its main peaks, Luoyan (South Peak), Chaoyang (East Peak), and Lotus (South Peak), stand against the sky. Peaks such as Yunu, Wuyun, and Yuntai set off each other, and the peaks are stacked green like flowers. "Shui Jing Zhu" says it: "Looking from a distance, it looks like a flower." Hence the name Huashan. Most of the caves and towers are built along the mountains. The kites turn over in the air on three sides, and the long sky plank roads erected in the air, as well as Qianchi Gorge, Baichi Gorge, Erya, Shangtian Ladder, Canglong Ridge, Laojun Ligou and other dangerous roads are extremely dangerous. "Huashan Mountain has been one road since ancient times", with only one line from north to south, with a total length of about 10 kilometers. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the mountain roads were renovated many times, and safety measures such as iron ropes were strengthened to facilitate tourists to enjoy the wonders.
(3) The Four Wonders of Hengshan - "The Unique Beauty of Nanyue"
Hengshan, also known as Nanyue, is located in Hengshan County, Hunan Province. It is a majestic mountain that stretches for hundreds of kilometers. Among the seventy-two peaks, Zhurong, Tianzhu, Furong, Zigai and Shi are the most famous. The highest peak is Zhurong Peak, with an altitude of 1,290 meters.
The "Four Wonders of Nanyue" are the height of Zhurong Peak, the depth of Fangguang Temple, the beauty of Sutra Pavilion and the wonder of Shuiliandong. Because the climate conditions of Hengshan Mountain are better than those of the other four mountains, and there are lush forests and bamboos everywhere, the natural scenery is very beautiful, so it is also known as the "Unique South Mountain".
The smoke and clouds of Hengshan Mountain are comparable to those of Huangshan Mountain. There are many temples on the mountain, among which Fuyan Temple, Nantai Temple, Zangjing Pavilion, Fangguang Temple, etc. are the most famous. The Nanyue Temple at the foot of the mountain is large in scale, covering an area of ??98,500 square meters, and has nine temples. It is one of the largest temples in the south.
(4) Zhongyue Songshan - Scenic Spots Like Clouds
Zhongyue Songshan is located in Dengfeng County, Henan Province. Because it is located in the Central Plains, it was called "Zhongyue" in ancient times. Its main peak, Junji Peak, is 1,584 meters above sea level. There are many mountain peaks and many temples. There is a saying that "there are seventy-two peaks above and seventy temples below." There are many historic sites in the mountain. The most majestic and famous one is the Zhongyue Temple located at the southern foot of Songshan Mountain. The temple preserves more than 300 ancient cypresses and more than 100,000 square meters of ancient buildings. Near Songshan Mountain, there are famous monuments such as Songyue Temple Pagoda, Songyang Academy, Star Observation Deck, Shaolin Temple, and Pagoda Forest. There are six "best in China" used here: 1. Shaolin Temple, the earliest Zen temple in China, 2. The largest existing Shaolin ancient pagoda group in China, 3. The oldest existing Songyue Temple Pagoda in China, 4. The most well-preserved existing observatory in China (Gaocheng Observatory), 5. The oldest existing three Han Dynasty towers in China (Taishi Tower, Shaoshi Tower, and Qimu Tower), 6. Bai, the oldest and largest general of the Han Dynasty in China.
(5) Beiyue Hengshan - the highest altitude
Beiyue Hengshan is the highest among the five mountains. It is located four kilometers south of Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province and stretches for more than 150 kilometers. The main peak, Tianfengling, is 2017 meters above sea level. Towering into the clouds, it gives people a feeling of being upright.
The situation in Hengshan is dangerous and has always been a battleground for military strategists. Yang Jiye, a famous general in the Northern Song Dynasty, once placed a large number of troops here, built forts and fortresses on the cliffs, and built suspension bridges and stacks to invite the way. The remains still exist today. Enter the gorge from the entrance of Cixia at the foot of Mount Hengshan. The narrower the gorge, the higher the cliff. Going in is the famous attraction halfway up the wall - Xuankong Temple. This temple was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty. It has a majestic rock above and a deep valley below. It is cleverly inlaid on the cliff. It has a house on the rock and more than 40 wooden pavilions and halls. It is a group of ancient temples suspended in the middle of the mountain. The architecture is a wonder and spectacular. In addition, the Daziwan stone carvings in Hengshan have two large characters "Hengzong" written on the flat stone surface. The characters are about 7 feet high and 4 feet wide. They are the largest existing stone carvings in China. They have been over 500 years old and are well preserved. It can be called a miracle Mount Tai in Dongyue:
Mount Tai is located in the central part of Shandong Province. It is the first of the five mountains in China. It was called "Daizong" in ancient times. Its main peak, Yuhuangding, is 1,545 meters above sea level. It ranks third among the five mountains, but However, it has been called the "Five Sacred Mountains" in the past dynasties. The reason is firstly that Mount Tai rises from the ground and is majestic. More importantly, Mount Tai occupies a high position in China's political and cultural history. It is a place where rulers of all dynasties offer sacrifices to heaven. There are currently 22 ancient temples, 97 ancient ruins, 819 steles from past dynasties, and 1,018 cliff carvings on the mountain. The Dai Temple at the foothills of Mount Tai is the number one scenic spot in Mount Tai. Tiankuang Hall is the main hall of the Dai Temple. The east, west and north walls of the hall are painted with "Picture of the God of Mount Tai on Patrol". The agarwood lions, warm jade, and yellow-blue glazed porcelain gourd bottles displayed in the Dai Temple are known as the "Three Treasures" of Mount Tai.
Huashan Mountain in Xiyue:
Huashan Mountain is located in the south of Huayin County, Shaanxi Province. It is 2160 meters above sea level and is famous for its steepness. It is known as "the most dangerous mountain in the world". The five peaks of Huashan are Luoyan at the south peak, Chaoyang at the east peak, Lotus at the west peak, Jade Girl at the middle peak, and Yuntai at the north peak. Huixinshi, Qianchizhuang, Baichixia, Caerya and Canglong Ridge on the peak are all world-famous extremely dangerous roads. The Xiyue Temple at the foot of Mount Huashan is a temple where emperors of all dynasties worshiped. It was founded in the Western Han Dynasty and still preserves the ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Because its shape is similar to the Forbidden City in Beijing, it is known as the "Shaanxi Forbidden City".
Nanyue Hengshan:
Hengshan is located in Hengshan County in central Hunan, with an altitude of 1,290 meters. Nanyue is famous for its beautiful scenery with towering ancient trees, green all-year-round, exotic flowers and grasses, and fragrant fragrance all year round. Nanyue Temple is the largest temple in Hengshan. I wish that the height of Rongfeng Peak, the beauty of the Buddhist Scripture Tower, the depth of Fangguang Temple, and the wonder of Shuiliandong will be called the four wonders of Hengshan Mountain. In recent years, new attractions such as Magu Wonderland and Chuanyan Poetry Forest have been opened.
Beiyue Hengshan:
Hengshan is located in the east of Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province, with an altitude of 2,017 meters. It is said that 4,000 years ago, Emperor Shun visited all directions and saw the majesty of this mountain, so he granted it the title of Beiyue. Mount Hengshan is divided into two peaks, the east and west peaks. The two peaks face each other and the muddy water flows through them. The mountain is full of strange rocks, towering ancient trees, and there are towers and palaces scattered among the pines and cypresses. It is famous for its tranquility. The Hanging Temple is the most scenic spot in Hengshan Mountain. It is built on the west cliff of Jinlongkou in Hengshan Mountain. According to Hengshan Chronicles, it was first built in the late Northern Wei Dynasty (about the 6th century AD). The temple has 40 halls, cong pavilions, and cantilevered beams are dug into the cliff as the foundation. The pavilions are connected by plank roads. The scenery is beautiful and unique.
Zhongyue Songshan Mountain:
Songshan Mountain is located in Dengfeng County, Henan Province, with an altitude of 1,440 meters and is famous for its steepness. There is Junji Peak at the top of Songshan Mountain, which is the highest peak of Songshan Mountain. Zhongyue Temple at the east end of Songshan Mountain is the earliest Taoist temple in my country. The Songyue Temple Pagoda was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and is the oldest existing brick pagoda in my country. Songyang Academy is one of the four major academies in the Song Dynasty in my country. The Shaolin Temple at the northern foot of the western Songshan Mountain is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism in my country and the birthplace of Shaolin Boxing in my country.