508:. On the exact spot where one can today find the Tiejia Taoist Ecology Temple once stood the old Tiejiashu Temple, hidden amongst the foliage of age-old trees. The Tiejiashu Temple was built at the time of the Han dynasty and remained there until the Cultural Revolution. It was one of the oldest temples dedicated to the gods of Mount Taibai and the first temple on the route taken by pilgrims along the south side of the mountain. Next to the Tiejia Taoist Ecology Temple stand the Ecology Education Center. Respect for nature has always been deeply rooted in Taoist thought and is crucial to China in the present era of ecological crisis. Through the Ecology Education Center, the Taoist monks of the Tiejia Taoist Ecology Temple would be able to organize meetings and training programs designed to help people think in terms of sustainability, not only local visitors but also monks from other temples.
125:
171:
132:
164:
663:
671:
458:, there were three lakes on Taibai Shan. These lakes were revered for their water and cooling effect and were represented by the three Taibai gods, who were known as Ku Ji (Relieving the Suffering), Hui Min (Benefiting the People) and Ling Ying (Enlightening Answers). Local residents, however, called the three gods Da A Fu (The Great Fortune), Er A Fu (The Second Fortune) and San A Fu (The Third Fortune). But according to poet and politician
29:
428:: "You ask me why do I dwell in these green mountains / But I smile without a reply, only an easy mind / The river flows away silently / Bearing the fallen peach blossoms / Here is another world, but not the world of man." Peach blossoms refers to the legendary Peach Blossom Valley where deep in the mountains, in "a different world", happy people (immortals) live who know nothing of our existence.
435:, senior statesman of the Chinese Nationalist Party, poet and calligrapher, visited the Place of Charm and Beauty and wrote many poems there, including one carved into a rock which can still be seen today, right next to the grotto-heaven: "Sleeping Buddha is nice / Once asleep all troubles are gone / I want to come and sleep here / But who will look after the country."
450:, who are elevated to gods first through their popularity amongst ordinary folks and then by the ruling emperor. Stories about the origin of the three gods of Mount Taibai therefore go back a long way. The oldest tale is about a man from Li Yang by the name of Gu Chun, meaning âSpring Valleyâ, who lived deep inside the forests of Mount Taibai during the
454:. When he died, his family buried him but during the night his body got up and they saw him leave. Local residents thus believed that he was the god of Mount Taibai and built a temple for him, calling it Taibai (and sometimes Gu Chun) Temple. More recent stories talk of not just one but three Taibai gods because, during the
479:
overthrew the Shang dynasty, the two brothers believed it was not right for a vassal lord such as the duke of Zhou to snatch the kingdom from its lawful ruler. Having been told that "all under heaven now belongs to the Zhou king", they refused ever to eat again and so starved to death on Mount Taibai
559:
Flora from both the sub-tropical and warm temperate climates inhabit areas of Taibai. Due to the mountain's rapid rises in elevation, plants from the middle temperate climate and alpine climates are also found in the same areas. Within the Nature
Preserve's borders more than 1,700 different types of
474:
and Zhou Ben was a general. The king made Shu Qi the crown prince even though Shu Qi was only the third son and Bo Yi the eldest. After the old king died, Shu Qi asked Bo Yi to be the new king but Bo Yi said: "We shouldnât resist our fatherâs will," and ran away to Mount Taibai. Shu Qi did not think
416:
referring to heaven. Going back as far as the fourth century, grotto-heavens were places where heaven and earth touched. By entering a grotto-heaven you penetrate deep within the mountain and arrive in the world of immortals: you enter "the beyond within". Mount Taibai has dozens of grotto-heaven.
314:, a cosmological state of the universe and its affairs on all levels, involving the interaction of Yin and Yang, the Five Phases and finally, all the concrete things in the universe. It was Tai Ji who gave birth to everything and therefore occupies a prominent place in Taoism. The
480:. Zhou Ben, the general, chose the same fate. Learning of their deaths, the wise minister of the Zhou dynasty, Jiang Ziya, made the three men local gods of Mount Taibai for their great virtue and sense of righteousness. Others claim that the third god is not Zhou Ben but
475:
it was appropriate for him to succeed to the throne since tradition dictated that the throne should be inherited by the oldest son. He therefore gave the throne to the middle son, Ya Ping, and ran after Bo Yi to Mount Taibai. When the
358:'s main peak, and thus it was titled Taibai Mountain." Here, the spirit of the Golden Star metamorphosed into magnificent white jade. Ever since, the mountain has been known as Taibai Shan, literally Great (
539:
soil, while the middle elevations of the mountain are covered with hardy trees and spectacular rocky outcrops. The higher elevations of the mountain contain glacial remnants,
492:
requested approval from the emperor to incorporate the Taibai gods into official provincial celebrations. This did not come about immediately. In 1774, the 39th year of the
496:, Shaanxi province again asked for consent and this time it was granted. As a result, the Taibai godsâpreviously ranked as mere dukesâacquired the official title of king.
744:"Late Quaternary modeling and paleoclimate evolution of the Mount Taibai glacier (Qinling Mountains, China) constrained by cosmogenic radionuclide exposure dating"
532:
climate. The flora and fauna of Taibai are quite diverse, with species from both northern and southern
Chinese environments uniquely coexisting in the region.
521:
471:
638:
628:
462:, the three Taibai gods are Yao, Shun and Yu, or the three demi-gods Earth, Heaven and Water from Chinese legend. And according to the old master
80:
124:
800:
652:), and others. About 40 types of animals inhabit the area, as well as 230 species of birds and several species of amphibians.
446:
each have their own god or several gods and Mount Taibai is no exception. Chinese gods are often historical figures, such as
163:
266:
282:
742:
Liu, Liang; Zhang, Hongjie; Chai, Le; Harbor, Jonathan M.; Xu, Shan; Zhang, Wei; He, Zhen; Zhang, Junyu (2023-05-15).
374:. The name Mount Taibai also refers to the permanent snow covering the summit of what is the highest peak in the
316:
568:
Range. Among the flora are found many second- and third-tier protected
Chinese species, such as chuan-guo wine (
790:
390:
poem: "How vast is great Taibai / The Stars across its slopes arrayed / From Heaven it stands three hundred
73:
795:
404:
Taoists believe that the sacred mountains are interconnected via an underground network of dong tien, or
674:
A panorama in the heart of Taibai (with small hut in the center), taken from Doumu Palace, elev. 2900m.
743:
443:
594:
516:
In 1965 Mount Taibai became the center of a new Nature
Preserve covering the surrounding 56,325
308:
is a supreme deity and the mountain its physical representation. Furthermore, Taiyi symbolises
51:
424:). Bieyou also refers to a celebrated poem "Question and Answer in the Mountain" by the poet
600:
66:
8:
656:
588:
355:
305:
234:
310:
61:
763:
697:
328:
already existed on Mount Taibai that was dedicated to Gu Chun, a man recorded in the
321:
297:
262:
204:
755:
643:
611:
606:
493:
343:
325:
254:
246:
216:
144:
296:(c. 2070â1600 BC) it was known as Mount Taiyi, referring to the brightest star in
759:
633:
622:
418:
286:
718:
261:), rises to a height of 3,767 m (12,359 ft) and is the tallest in the
648:
570:
529:
504:
Halfway Mount Taibai, at approximately 1500 m (6,000 ft), stands the
405:
242:
197:
784:
767:
655:
Mount Taibai
National Forest Park is located within the borders of Tanggu in
561:
525:
505:
467:
375:
330:
238:
95:
82:
616:
485:
476:
455:
335:
451:
293:
662:
463:
670:
582:
544:
459:
432:
392:
270:
551:, all of which have proven of great use toward geological research.
576:
517:
285:(c. 2852â2070 BC) Mount Taibai was called Mountain of Rich Goods (
565:
548:
489:
535:
The base of the mountain is composed of stone covered by yellow
466:, the three Taibai gods are Bo Yi, Shu Qi and Zhou Ben from the
28:
666:
Birds-eye panorama, taken from the
Bodhisattva Temple at 2300m.
540:
481:
425:
417:
One of the grotto-heavens is called Place of Charm and Beauty (
379:
301:
224:
41:
273:. Mount Taibai is also the highest mountain in Eastern China.
536:
447:
371:
351:
250:
148:
564:
are found, comprising approximately 60% of the flora in the
370:) and Taibai being an ancient Chinese name for the planet
698:"China IV - Central and Eastern China, Taiwan and Korea"
281:During the reign of the legendary, morally perfect
741:
748:Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
782:
233:) is a mountain located on the border between
438:
384:
524:ecosystem. Mount Taibai has warm temperate,
300:with all other stars orbiting around it. In
470:. Bo Yi and Shu Qi were two princes of the
253:. The mount's highest point, Baxian Tower (
692:
690:
688:
711:
669:
661:
685:
265:, as well as the watershed between the
783:
520:, with the purpose of protecting its
488:of the 18th century, the province of
412:meaning "to penetrate something" and
170:
131:
801:Highest points of Chinese provinces
16:Mountain in Shaanxi Province, China
13:
396:/ From Mortal Earth so far away."
14:
812:
511:
499:
399:
169:
162:
130:
123:
27:
317:Commentary on the Water Classic
735:
554:
484:, the famous poet. During the
245:counties in the south west of
229:
1:
678:
646:, and purple-speckled peony (
320:records: "During the time of
46:3,767 m (12,359 ft)
760:10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111529
506:Tiejia Taoist Ecology Temple
350:) says: "The Essence of the
56:2,232 m (7,323 ft)
7:
10:
817:
439:Three gods of Mount Taibai
276:
153:Show map of Northern China
347:
258:
220:
196:
116:
111:
72:
60:
50:
40:
35:
26:
21:
626:), Qinling crow's head (
595:Cercidiphyllum japonicum
675:
667:
528:, cool temperate, and
385:
354:fell upon the west of
96:33.95500°N 107.76333°E
673:
665:
791:Mountains of Shaanxi
719:"Taibai Shan, China"
601:Euptelea pleiosperma
183:Mount Taibai (China)
657:Mei County, Shaanxi
589:Dipteronia sinensis
562:seed-bearing plants
522:warm temperate zone
101:33.95500; 107.76333
92: /
796:History of Shaanxi
676:
668:
620:, Taibai rainbow (
36:Highest point
472:Kingdom of Gu Zhu
322:Emperor Wu of Han
298:Chinese astrology
210:
209:
186:Show map of China
808:
772:
771:
739:
733:
732:
730:
729:
715:
709:
708:
706:
705:
694:
644:Circaeasteraceae
639:Populus purdomii
612:Trochodendraceae
607:Acer miaotaiense
494:Qianlong Emperor
444:Sacred Mountains
422:Bieyou Dong Tien
388:
349:
283:Three Sovereigns
260:
247:Shaanxi Province
231:
222:
200:
187:
173:
172:
166:
154:
134:
133:
127:
107:
106:
104:
103:
102:
97:
93:
90:
89:
88:
85:
31:
19:
18:
816:
815:
811:
810:
809:
807:
806:
805:
781:
780:
778:
776:
775:
740:
736:
727:
725:
717:
716:
712:
703:
701:
696:
695:
686:
681:
634:Chinese hemlock
623:Larix chinensis
557:
514:
502:
441:
402:
279:
198:
192:
191:
190:
189:
188:
185:
184:
181:
180:
179:
178:
174:
157:
156:
155:
152:
151:
142:
141:
140:
139:
135:
100:
98:
94:
91:
86:
83:
81:
79:
78:
17:
12:
11:
5:
814:
804:
803:
798:
793:
774:
773:
734:
723:Peakbagger.com
710:
700:. Peaklist.org
683:
682:
680:
677:
649:Paeonia rockii
629:Aconitum lioui
571:Sinofranchetia
556:
553:
513:
512:Nature reserve
510:
501:
498:
440:
437:
406:grotto-heavens
401:
398:
292:). During the
278:
275:
208:
207:
202:
194:
193:
182:
176:
175:
168:
167:
161:
160:
159:
158:
143:
137:
136:
129:
128:
122:
121:
120:
119:
118:
117:
114:
113:
109:
108:
76:
70:
69:
64:
58:
57:
54:
48:
47:
44:
38:
37:
33:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
813:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
786:
779:
769:
765:
761:
757:
753:
749:
745:
738:
724:
720:
714:
699:
693:
691:
689:
684:
672:
664:
660:
658:
653:
651:
650:
645:
641:
640:
635:
631:
630:
625:
624:
619:
618:
613:
609:
608:
603:
602:
597:
596:
591:
590:
585:
584:
579:
578:
573:
572:
567:
563:
552:
550:
546:
542:
538:
533:
531:
527:
523:
519:
509:
507:
500:Tiejia Temple
497:
495:
491:
487:
483:
478:
473:
469:
468:Shang dynasty
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
436:
434:
429:
427:
423:
420:
415:
411:
407:
400:Grotto-Heaven
397:
395:
394:
389:
387:
382:wrote in his
381:
377:
376:Qinling range
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
345:
341:
337:
333:
332:
331:Liexian Zhuan
327:
326:Taoist temple
323:
319:
318:
313:
312:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
288:
284:
274:
272:
268:
264:
263:Qinling Range
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
226:
218:
214:
206:
205:Qinling Range
203:
201:
195:
165:
150:
146:
126:
115:
110:
105:
77:
75:
71:
68:
65:
63:
59:
55:
53:
49:
45:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
20:
777:
751:
747:
737:
726:. Retrieved
722:
713:
702:. Retrieved
654:
647:
637:
627:
621:
617:Sinowilsonia
615:
605:
599:
593:
587:
581:
575:
569:
558:
534:
515:
503:
486:Qing dynasty
477:Zhou dynasty
456:Yuan dynasty
442:
430:
421:
413:
409:
403:
391:
383:
367:
366:) Mountain (
363:
359:
339:
336:Tang dynasty
329:
315:
309:
289:
280:
228:
213:Mount Taibai
212:
211:
199:Parent range
177:Mount Taibai
138:Mount Taibai
22:Mount Taibai
555:Environment
452:Han dynasty
378:. The poet
352:Golden Star
294:Xia dynasty
290:Dun Wu ShÄn
230:TĂ ibĂĄi ShÄn
99: /
87:107°45â˛48âłE
74:Coordinates
785:Categories
754:: 111529.
728:2014-08-27
704:2014-08-27
679:References
464:Ren Farong
84:33°57â˛18âłN
52:Prominence
768:0031-0182
583:Kingdonia
545:aulacogen
543:, peaks,
526:temperate
460:Yu Youren
433:Yu Youren
362:) White (
271:Wei River
267:Han River
112:Geography
42:Elevation
577:Eucommia
518:hectares
431:In 1933
356:Zhongnan
340:Lu Yi Ji
566:Qinling
549:moraine
490:Shaanxi
419:pinyin:
408:, with
344:Chinese
334:." The
287:pinyin:
277:History
255:Chinese
243:Zhouzhi
217:Chinese
145:Shaanxi
62:Listing
766:
547:, and
541:cirque
530:alpine
482:Li Bai
426:Li Bai
386:gufeng
380:Li Bai
346::
302:Taoism
257::
239:Taibai
227::
225:pinyin
219::
537:loess
448:Laozi
372:Venus
338:work
311:taiji
306:Taiyi
251:China
149:China
67:Ultra
764:ISSN
414:tien
410:dong
368:ShÄn
324:, a
269:and
241:and
756:doi
752:618
632:),
574:),
364:BĂĄi
360:TĂ i
348:éç°č¨
259:ćäťĺ°
235:Mei
221:太ç˝ĺąą
787::
762:.
750:.
746:.
721:.
687:^
659:.
642:,
636:,
614:,
610:,
604:,
598:,
592:,
586:,
580:,
393:li
304:,
249:,
237:,
223:;
147:,
770:.
758::
731:.
707:.
342:(
215:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
