China’s system of its 9 Most Sacred Mountains is a well-known system that is honored throughout China, but what you may not know is that there are dozens of more mountains that are regarded as highly sacred by the Chinese. Note, however, that despite being regarded as the Great 9, the sacred mountains are actually the 5 sacred mountains that are ancient to the Daoist religion, as well as the four mountains that are sacred to Buddhism. These sacred mountains’ formulations are important to Daoism, and Buddhism. And Neo-Confucianism.
That said, these are the top 5 sacred Mountains of China are listed below.
Bei-Heng-Shan
Bei-Heng-Shan is The North Great Mountain, a cluster of mountains also referred to as the Stable or Permanent Mountain. It sits in the Northern Shanxi province and boasts a 2017-meter summit. It is the tallest mountain summit of the 5, with a dozen of its main shrines and temples rebuilt. There is a medium-sized Daoist temple that features an imperial shrine designed for the veneration of spirits – this has been rebuilt at the Southern foot of the mountain as a tourist attraction. It also features the amazing Hanging Temple, which is a complex Buddhist complex boasting elegant Daoist architecture.
Tai-Shan
This is the East Great Mountain, and it is also referred to as the Tranquil Eminent Mountain. Tai Shan summits at 1,545 meters, and it is regarded as the holiest and the greatest of them all. It is also believed to be the leader of the system of the nine sacred mountains, primarily because of its association and link to the rising sun – birth and renewal. This mountain was among the first mountains established by China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi-Huangdi, in the late century BCE after he visited the mountain personally and performed a number of rituals, which included Mao Ze-dong in the 1960s.
This mountain has a large number of monuments, carvings, and shrines, with the main mountain cluster in the Tai-an City in Shandong Province. The mountain also features the palatial temple that’s dedicated to the male deity, Shanshan, and it remains the largest mountain spirit shrine worldwide. There’s also another temple dedicated to the female Shanshan, ‘Bixia the Princes of the Azure Clouds.’
Song-Shan
Song-Shan or The Great Central Mountain is the third highest sacred mountain and its summits at 1512 meters. Also known as the Lofty Mountain, Song Shan towers over the Henan Province. The mountain features a huge Daoist temple with an imperial shrine for spirits’ veneration. It’s also famous for the Shaolin Temple, which is easily one of China’s most famous and important monasteries, and home for Zen, Chan, and Seon Buddhists, as well as the Kung-Fu and Wushu martial arts. This temple is located on the Northern side of the ancient capital city towards Loyang. Song Shan is also regarded as a supremely holy mountain.
Hua-Shan
The West Great Mountain Hua Shan stands for Illustrious, Splendid, or Flowery. It summits at 1997 meters, and it sits at the southwestern corner of the Shanxi Province. It’s the last prominent sacred mountains of the sacred Qinling Range, and it is only one of the five mountains that were a major teaching, residential, practice, and hermitage center in Chinese Daoism. Today, the mountain still hosts shrines and temples, and it’s a popular pilgrimage and tourism destination.
Nan-Heng-shan
The South Nan-Heng-shan is The South Great Mountain, also referred to as the Balancing Mountain. It sits in Hunan Province and reaches a high summit of 1290meters. This mountain is home to the Grand Daoist-Buddhist Temple with an imperial shrine for the veneration of the spirits. It’s also a tourist destination and a pilgrimage destination.
These are the 5 top sacred mountains. The other 4 sacred mountains are Emei-Shan, Putuo-Shan, Jiuhua-Shan, and Wutai-Shan.
References
The Five Great Mountains in China . Retrieved from https://www.chinadiscovery.com/articles/five-great-mountains-in-china.html
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