Mount Tai (泰山)

Mount Tai (Taishan) rises above the city of Tai'an in Shandong, China, and is the first of the Five Great Mountains. It was inscribed as a UNESCO mixed World Heritage site in 1987 after more than two thousand years of imperial pilgrimage. The main route, roughly 6,600 stone steps, climbs from the Red Gate (Hongmen) through a corridor of temples, pavilions, pines and thousands of carved inscriptions to the South Gate to Heaven, then on to the summit area around the Jade Emperor Peak at 1,545 metres. Along the way visitors pass the Zhongtianmen midway point, the steep Eighteen Bends and the Azure Clouds Temple near the top. Walkers can expect five to seven hours to climb, while the cable car from Zhongtianmen to the upper station shortens a visit to about two to three hours. Most visitors come for sunrise. Those planning to see it usually start climbing in the small hours of the night or stay in a summit guesthouse, and clear mornings draw crowds to the viewing terraces near the peak. Weather is changeable, and mist, wind and cold at the top are common even in summer, so warm layers are worth carrying. Crowds are heaviest on weekends, in Golden Week in early October and in the May holiday period; weekdays in spring and autumn are calmer and give the clearest views. Photographers favour the sunrise line from the summit, the view down the stairway from the South Gate to Heaven, and the sea of clouds after rain. Tai'an is reached by high-speed rail, about one hour from Jinan West and about 1.5 hours from Qufu East, with a short bus or taxi ride to the Red Gate or Tianwaimen entrance. Visitors should carry identification for ticket purchase, wear sturdy shoes, and allow a full day.