Mount Tai (Eastern and Western Route - slideshow)

[long_way]

Mount Tai (泰山; Tài Shān) is one of the "Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism". It is associated with sunrise, birth, and renewal, and is often regarded the foremost of the five. The temples on its slopes have been a destination for pilgrims for 3,000 years. Tai Shan is for Chinese what is "Holy Land" for Judeo-Christian civilization.

(More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tai )

Tai'an, the city at the foot of the mountain is connected by railway to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai so you will have to go to Tai'an first and start your ascent from there. LEAVE YOUR LUGGAGE AT THE TRAIN STATION, the hike is far more enjoyable if you carry only a small backpack with some food and water.

Also keep in mind that you may not be able to buy a train ticket out of Tai'an for the following day.

The following link will take you to the slide-show made of pictures taken in September of 2005:

http://picasaweb.google.com/yilongwei.c ... 0181169394


if you want to see the same pictures but with more comments attached to each picture please go to: http://www.yilongwei.com/show/taishan_up/taishan_up.htm
and
http://www.yilongwei.com/show/taishan_d ... n_down.htm