中国英语学习网 www.24en.com. Situated in the middle of Shandong province, Mt. Taishan rises above the mountains in the middle and south parts of the province. Peak Yuhuangding, the summit of Mt. Taishan is at 117©b -east longitude and 36©b16¡ä-north latitude. The scenic area covers parts of Tai’an and Jinan cities. 60 kilometers to its north is Jinan, a spring city, and 70 kilometers to its south is Qufu, Confucius hometown and capital of ancient Lu Kingdom. Tianjin-Pukou railway passes the mountain by the southwest side. Crossing in the south of the mountain is railways and highways such as Tai’an-Feicheng, Tai’an-Xintai, Tai’an-Ningjin and Tai’an-Jinan highways.

Mt. Taishan is noted for its majesty and loftiness, which has been enhanced by thousand years of cultural enrichment and historic sites of mankind creation. It is a miniature of Chinese culture and spirits as well as precious heritage of the world. The mixed rocks that constitute the body of the mountain were Archeozoic stratums formed 20 to 25 hundred million years ago. Search into the cause of formation is representatively important for clarifying the division, contrast and development of the Archeozoic stratum in East China. Climate at Mt. Taishan is semi-wet monsoon of warm Temperate Zone. The vertical change is obvious, for it is warm Temperate Zone at the foot but middle Temperate Zone at the summit. The history of the mountain area is as old as that of the Chinese people, which finds evidence in the Dawenkou cultural relics at the south foot and the Longshan relics at the north foot. Even 50000-year-old relics of Xintai man were found here in the mountain. More important is the fact that Mt.

Taishan became famous during the Warring Period, and was regarded as number one of the five famous mountains in China. Since then, it has been a place where emperors of each dynasty held grand ceremony of worship of heaven to pray and say thanks for peace and prosperity. This historical fact threads through the whole period of feudalism in China, placing the mountain at the highest position incomparable by any other mountain. From the Xianqin period to the end of feudalism in China, the successive 4000 years witnessed hundreds of emperors and their representative officials paid homage to Mt. Taishan. Their pilgrimage and folks to burn joss sticks to pray for happiness all followed the same route: starting at Haolishan where to offer sacrifice, to Dai Temple where the emperors resided, to Yuhuang summit, which forms a ten-kilometer long axes of the hell to the human world to the heaven. Of the thousand-year long civilized history of Mt. Taishan, in addition to that of pilgrimage, there are historic records and relics of religion, aesthetics, scientific research and farmers’ campaigns. The esthetical history is of particular value. The lofty mountain impresses people with its majestical beauty. In a word, Mt. Taishan embodies very rich connotations: the natural magnificent body, the amazingly great landscape, the sublime spirit, the colorful culture and the long history. Whether in front of the emperors or in the minds of the ordinary people, Mt. Taishan is equally supreme.

As number one of the five famous mountains in China, the majestic and beautiful peak is 1545 meters above sea level. It is a key state spot of interest and a world natural and cultural treasure. Because the mountain just borders the urban part of Tai’an, it is convenient for sightseeing all year round. Each season has its unique feature: spring morning, summer daytime, fall color, winter charm. The midseason