Sacred Mountains of China

Sacred Mountains of China

The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into two groups associated with Taoism and Buddhism. The group associated with Taoism is known as the "Five Great Mountains" (五嶽/五岳 Wǔyuè), whereas the group associated with Buddhism is referred to as the "Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism" (四大佛教名山/四大佛教名山 Sìdà Fójiào Míngshān).

The sacred mountains of both groups have been important destinations for pilgrimage, the Chinese expression for pilgrimage (朝聖/朝圣 cháoshèng) is a shortened version of an expression which means literally "paying respect to a holy mountain" (朝拜聖山/朝拜圣山 cháobài shèng shān).

The Five Great Mountains

The Taoist "Five Great Mountains" are arranged according to the five cardinal directions of Chinese geomancy, which includes the center as a direction:
* east: Tài Shān (泰山/泰山, literally "Leading Peaceful Mountain"), Shāndōng, 1,545 m
* west: Huà Shān (華山/华山, literally "Splendid Mountain"), Shănxī, 1,997 m
* south: (Nán) Héng Shān (衡山/衡山, literally "Balancing Mountain"), Húnán, 1,290 m
* north: (Běi) Héng Shān (恆山/恒山, literally "Permanent Mountain"), Shānxī, 2,017 m
* center: Sōng Shān (嵩山/嵩山, literally "Lofty Mountain"), Hénán, 1,494 m

Alternatively, these mountains are sometimes referred to by the respective directions, i.e., as the "Northern Great Mountain" (北嶽/北岳 Běi Yuè), "Southern Great Mountain" (南嶽/南岳 Nán Yuè), "Eastern Great Mountain" (東嶽/东岳 Dōng Yuè), "Western Great Mountain" (西嶽/西岳 Xī Yuè), and "Central Great Mountain" (中嶽/中岳 Zhōng Yuè).

According to Chinese mythology, the "Five Great Mountains" originated from the limbs and the head of Pangu (盤古/盘古 Pángǔ), the first being and creator of the world. Because of its eastern location, Mount Tài is associated with the rising sun which signifies birth and renewal. Due to this interpretation, it is often regarded as the most sacred of the "Five Great Mountains". In accordance with its special position, Mount Tài is believed to have been formed out of Pangu's head.

The Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism in China

The Buddhist "Four Sacred Mountains" are:
* Wǔtái Shān (五臺山/五台山，literally "Five-Terrace (Plateau) Mountain"), Shānxī, 3,058 m
* Éméi Shān (峨眉山/峨眉山，literally "Delicate-Eyebrow Mountain"), Sìchuān, 3,099 m
* Jiǔhuá Shān (九華山/九华山, literally "Nine-Glories Mountain"), Ānhuī, 1,341 m
* Pǔtuó Shān (普陀山/普陀山, literally "Potalaka (Potala) Mountain"), Zhèjiāng, 284 m

ee also

Other mountains with spiritual/religious significance in China are:
*Wudang Mountains (Wǔdāng Shān)
*Laoshan

External links

* [http://siecpage.3322.net/chmounts.htm China's famous mountains] - (Chinese website)
* [http://www.chinaonyourmind.com/chinatravel/chinainfo/mountains.html chinaonyourmind.com]
* [http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/china/sacred_mountains.html sacredsites.com]
* [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=448567 Google Earth Map of both Five and Four Sacred Mountains KMZ File]
* [http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/485-Religion-and-the-environment-in-China Religion and the environment in China, 中国的宗教与环境 - chinadialogue article, why the five sacred mountains survive in a good ecological state]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • sacred mountains — Though it is often said that all mountains in China are sacred, certain mountains have taken on a particularly sacred significance if numbers of pilgrims and temples are considered. The latter include the sets of mountains known as the ‘Five… …   Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture

  • china — /chuy neuh/, n. 1. a translucent ceramic material, biscuit fired at a high temperature, its glaze fired at a low temperature. 2. any porcelain ware. 3. plates, cups, saucers, etc., collectively. 4. figurines made of porcelain or ceramic material …   Universalium

  • China — /chuy neuh/, n. 1. People s Republic of, a country in E Asia. 1,221,591,778; 3,691,502 sq. mi. (9,560,990 sq. km). Cap.: Beijing. 2. Republic of. Also called Nationalist China. a republic consisting mainly of the island of Taiwan off the SE coast …   Universalium

  • sacred — sacredly, adv. sacredness, n. /say krid/, adj. 1. devoted or dedicated to a deity or to some religious purpose; consecrated. 2. entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things; holy. 3. pertaining to or… …   Universalium

  • China — • Includes history, government, education, and religion Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. China     China     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Berge des Daoismus in China — Lage der neun Heiligen Berge Die chinesische Kultur blickt auf eine jahrtausende alte Tradition zurück, Heilige Berge (chin. 聖山 / 圣山, Shèngshān) zu beschreiben. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Heilige Berge in China — Lage der neun Heiligen Berge Die chinesische Kultur blickt auf eine jahrtausendealte Tradition zurück, Heilige Berge (chinesisch 聖山 / 圣山 Shèngshān) zu beschreiben …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Religion in China — Three laughs at Tiger Brook , Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are one, a litang style painting portraying three men laughing by a river stream, 12th century, Song Dynasty …   Wikipedia

  • Tourism in China — An example of cultural site: the Terracotta Army in Xian. Tourism in China has greatly expanded over the last few decades since the beginning of reform and opening. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on… …   Wikipedia

  • Wuyi Mountains — Mount Wuyi * UNESCO World Heritage Site Country …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”