The Sacred Mountains, China
The 9 Sacred Mountains of China
China has 9 sacred mountains, 5 important to Taoist belief and 4 sacred to Buddhist believe. These mountains represent pillars that hold up the firmament above the earth, they are the object of many pilgrimages and spirit journeys.
Bodhisatva, a mythical being dedicated to bringing elightenment to all sentient beings, is said by the Buddhists to dwell each of the buddhist sacred mountains.
Taoists believe the mountains to be a medium between mortals and immortals, places of retreat and contemplation. Many of the peaks were ancients places of shamanistic worship and the religious significance of them can be dated back over 5000 years.
Tai Shan is significant amongst the sacred mountains because it considered to be the son of the Emperor of Heaven. It is reputed to have cared for and nurtured the people living in the land that it dominated. Legends state that 72 emperors have made the pilgrimage to Tai Shan to speak with the gods. Temples and shrines litter the slopes of the sacred mountain. The 2 most important ones, the Temple of the Jade Emperor and the Temple of the Azzure Clouds, are situated on the peak.
As tourism places pressure on the local communities to make the climb more conveniant with cable cars and steps, many believe that ecological unity of the region is under threat. The ardious journey up any of the 9 sacred mountains is meant to be a challenge to the spirit and the body and the fear of loss of it integrity to pilgrims is quite understandable.
