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Sacred Mountains of China
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{{Short description|Famous mountains in Chinese history}}(File:China Sacred Mountains.png|thumb|500px|Mapping of the sacred mountains of China)The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into several groups. The Five Great Mountains ({{zh|s=|t=|p=WÇyuè}}) refers to five of the most renowned mountains in Chinese history, which have been the subjects of imperial pilgrimage by emperors throughout ages. They are associated with the supreme God of Heaven and the five main cosmic deities of Chinese traditional religion. The group associated with Buddhism is referred to as the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism ({{zh|labels=no|c=å大ä½æåå±±|p=Sì dà fójià o mÃngshÄn}}), and the group associated with Taoism is referred to as the Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism ({{zh|labels=no|c=å大éæåå±±|p=Sì dà dà ojià o mÃngshÄn}}).The sacred mountains have all been important destinations for pilgrimage, the Chinese expression for pilgrimage ({{zh|labels=no|s=|t=|p=cháoshèng}}) being a shortened version of an expression which means “paying respect to a holy mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|s=|t=|p=cháobà i shèng shÄn}}).- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
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The Five Great Mountains
File:Wufang Shangdi â Five Forms of the Supreme Deity color.svg|thumb|300px|The five elements, cosmic deities, historical incarnations, chthonic and dragon gods, and planets, associated to the five sacred mountains. This Chinese religious cosmology shows the Yellow Emperor, god of the earth and the year, as the centre of the cosmos, and the four gods of the directions and the seasons as his emanations. The diagram is based on the Sun|Kistemaker|1997|p=121}}File:Five cardinal directions, a pottery tile of the Han Dynasty, Cernuschi Museum, 2006-08-12.jpg|thumb|A Han dynastyHan dynastyThe Five Great Mountains or Wuyue are arranged according to the five cardinal directions of Chinese geomancy, which includes the center as a direction. The grouping of the five mountains appeared during the Warring States period (475 BC â 221 BC),BOOK, Taoism and the Arts of China,archive.org/details/bub_gb_5ame4Rl1RXMC, Little, Stephen, Shawn, Eichman, University of California Press, 2000, 148, 9780520227859, and the term Wuyue (“Five Summits“) was made popular during the reign of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han dynasty 140-87 BC.BOOK, Mountain names, Robert Hixson, Julyan, Mountaineers Books, 1984, 9780898860917, 199,archive.org/details/mountainnames0000july/page/199, In Chinese traditional religion they have cosmological and theological significance as the representation, on the physical plane of earth, of the ordered world emanating from the God of Heaven (TianâShangdi), inscribing the Chinese territory as a tán ({{zh|labels=no|c=å£|l=altar}}), the Chinese concept equivalent of the Indian mandala.The five mountains are among the best-known natural landmarks in Chinese history, and since the early periods in Chinese history, they have been the ritual sites of imperial worship and sacrifice by various emperors.BOOK, A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols: Hidden Symbols in Chinese Life and Thought, Eberhard, Wolfram, Psychology Press, 1986, 9780415002288, 236,archive.org/details/dictionaryofchin00wolf/page/236, The first legendary sovereigns of China went on excursions or formed processions to the summits of the Five Great Mountains. Every visit took place at the same time of the year. The excursions were hunting trips and ended in ritual offerings to the reigning god.The emperors, starting with the First Emperor of Qin, formalized these expeditions and incorporated them into state ritual as prescribed by Confucianism. With every new dynasty, the new emperor hurried to the Five Great Mountains in order to lay claim to his newly acquired domains. Barring a number of interruptions, this imperial custom was preserved until the end of the last dynasty, when, after the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911, Yuan Shikai had himself crowned as emperor at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. But just to be safe, he also made an offer to the god of the northern Mount Heng.In the 2000s formal sacrifices both in Confucian and Taoist styles have been resumed. The Five Great Mountains have become places of pilgrimage where hundreds of pilgrims gather in temples and caves. Although the Five Great Mountains are not traditionally canonized as having any exclusive religious affiliations, many of them have a strong Taoist presence, thus the five mountains are also grouped by some as part of “Sacred Taoist Mountains”.BOOK, The Encyclopedia of Taoism, Volume 1, Pregadio, Fabrizio, Psychology Press, 2008, 9780700712007, 1075, There are also various Buddhist temples and Confucian academies built on these mountains.Alternatively, these mountains are sometimes referred to by the respective directions: the “Northern Great Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=å嶽|s=åå²³|p=BÄi Yuè}}), “Southern Great Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=å嶽|s=åå²³|p=Nán Yuè}}), “Eastern Great Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=æ±å¶½|s=ä¸å²³|p=DÅng Yuè}}), “Western Great Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=西嶽|s=西岳|p=XÄ« Yuè}}), and “Central Great Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=ä¸å¶½|s=ä¸å²³|p=ZhÅng Yuè}}).According to Chinese mythology, the Five Great Mountains originated from the body of Pangu ({{zh|labels=no|t=ç¤å¤|s=çå¤|p=PángÇ}}), the first being and the creator of the world. Because of its eastern location, Mount Tà i 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 Tà i is believed to have been formed out of Pangu’s head. Mount Heng in Hunan is believed to be a remainder of Pangu’s right arm, Mount Heng in Shanxi of his left arm, Mount Song of his belly, and Mount Hua of his feet.BOOK, Geo-Architecture and Landscape in China’s Geographic and Historic Context, Fang, Wang,books.google.com/books?id=oFUWDAAAQBAJ&q=mount+heng+%22right+arm%22&pg=PA173, Springer, 2016, 173, 9789811004834, BOOK, Joan Qionglin, Tan, 2009, Han Shan, Chan Buddhism and Gary Snyder’s Ecopoetic Way, Sussex Academic Press, 9781845193416, {{page needed|date= November 2017}}Nature conservation
In ancient times mountains were places of authority and fear, ruled by dark forces and faithfully worshipped. One reason for such worship was the value of the mountains to human existence as a spring of welfare and fertility, as the birthplace of rivers, as a place where herbs and medicinal plants grew and as a source of materials to build houses and tools. A basic element of Taoist thought was, and still is, an intuitive feeling of connectedness with nature. As early as the fourth century, the Taoists presented the high priests with the 180 precepts of Lord Lao for how to live a good and honest life. Twenty of these precepts focused explicitly on the conservation of nature, while many other precepts were indirectly aimed at preventing the destruction of nature. Respect for nature has been a key component of Taoism from the very outset and, in its own right, explains why the Five Great Mountains are considered sacred. In addition, Taoists consider mountains as a means of communication between heaven and earth and as the place where immortality can be found. The sanctity of the Five Great Mountains is the reason why even today these mountains still host an exceptional diversity of plants, trees and animal species.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}East Great Mountain: TÃ i ShÄn
{{see also|Feng Shan|Dongyue Emperor}}“Tranquil Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=æ³°å±±|s=æ³°å±±}}) ShÄndÅng Province, {{cvt|1,545|m}} {{coord|36|15|N|117|06|E|region:CN_type:mountain|display=inline}}This mountain is associated with Feng Shan and by extension the Mandate of Heaven and life or death, being the most important of all the mountainsWest Great Mountain: Huà ShÄn
“Splendid Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=è¯å±±|s=åå±±}})Shaanxi Province (ShÄnxÄ«), {{cvt|2,154|m}} {{coord|34|29|N|110|05|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}(File:1 mount hua shan china 2011.jpg|thumb|250px|Huà ShÄn)South Great Mountain: Héng ShÄn (Hunan)
“Balancing Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=è¡¡å±±|s=è¡¡å±±}}), Húnán Province, {{cvt|1,290|m}} {{coord|27.254798|N|112.655743|E|region:CN_type:mountain|display=inline}}North Great Mountain: Héng ShÄn (Shanxi)
“Permanent Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=æå±±|s=æå±±}}), ShÄnxÄ« Province, {{cvt|2,017|m}} {{coord|39|40|26|N|113|44|08|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}In the course of history, there had been more than one location with the designation for Mount Heng, the North Great Mountain.The Great Northern Mountain was designated on the original Mount Heng with the main peak known as Mount Damao () today, located at the intersection of present-day Fuping County, Laiyuan County and Tang County in Hebei province.Mount Heng was renamed Mount Chang () to avoid the taboo of sharing the same personal name as Emperor Wen of Han. The appellations Heng and Chang were used extensively in the past to name various districts in the region, such as Changshan Prefecture (), Hengshan Prefecture (), and Hengzhou ().While it was customary of the ethnic Han emperors to order rites to be performed regularly to honour the Five Great Mountains, the location of the original Mount Heng meant that for much of the eras of fragmentation, the region was either under non-Han rulers or a contested area. The shrines built to perform the rites were neglected and damaged from time and natural disasters. The decline was especially acute after the overthrow of the Yuan dynasty when the local population fell sharply after the wars.This created opportunities for Ming dynasty officials who were natives of Shanxi to spread rumours that the spirit of Mount Heng had abandoned the original location and settled on Xuanwu Mountain in Hunyuan County in Shanxi. Between the reigns of Emperor Hongzhi and Emperor Wanli, they kept petitioning the emperors to declare the change and decree for the rites for the Northern Great Mountain to be shifted there. In 1586, Emperor Wanli opted a compromise by re-designating the Xuanwu Mountain as Mount Heng, but ordered the relevant rites to continue to be performed in the historic Beiyue Temple.The movement for the change persisted after the demise of the Ming dynasty and into the Qing dynasty. Finally, Emperor Shunzhi consented to have the rites to be moved to Shanxi as well.Center Great Mountain: SÅng ShÄn
“Lofty Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=嵩山|s=嵩山}}), Hénán Province, {{cvt|1,494|m}} {{coord|34|29|5|N|112|57|37|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}{{anchor|Buddhism}}Sacred Mountains of Buddhism
Four Sacred Mountains of China
File:A view of the 99-meter statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at Jiuhuashan.jpg|thumb|A view of the 99-meter statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at Jiuhuashan ]](File:Mount Emei - Sunrise above the clouds.jpg|thumb|Mount Emei panorama with statue of Samantabhadra)File:è¿çºåæµ·è§é³å.jpg|thumb|GuanyinGuanyinIn Chinese Buddhism, the Four “Sacred Mountains of China” are:Welter, Albert (2022). A Tale of Two StÅ«pas: Diverging Paths in the Revival of Buddhism in China, pp. 124-125. Oxford University Press.WEB,www.arcworld.org/projects.asp?projectID=109, Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China, Alliance of Religions and Conversation, The four sacred Buddhist mountains of China are believed to be the homes of Boddhisattvas (enlightened beings who have delayed their Nirvana to remain on earth and help others find enlightenment)., MAGAZINE,www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/se/txt/2009-06/19/content_203321.htm, A Visit to the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism, China Today, Xi Wen,WÇtái ShÄn
“Five-Platform Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|c=äºå°å±±}}), ShÄnxÄ« Province, {{cvt|3058|m}}, {{coord|39|04|45|N|113|33|53|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}Wutai is the home of the Bodhisattva of wisdom, Manjusri or Wenshu (Traditional: ) in Chinese.Ãméi ShÄn
“High and Lofty Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=峨åµå±±|s=峨åµå±±}}), SìchuÄn Province, {{cvt|3099|m}}The patron bodhisattva of Emei is Samantabhadra, known in Chinese as Puxian ().JÇuhuá ShÄn
“Nine Glories Mountain” ({{zh|labels=no|t=ä¹è¯å±±|s=ä¹åå±±}}), ÄnhuÄ« Province, {{cvt|1341|m}}, {{coord|30|28|56|N|117|48|16|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}Many of the mountain’s shrines and temples are dedicated to Ksitigarbha (known in Chinese as Dìzà ng, , in Japanese as JizÅ), who is a bodhisattva and protector of beings in hell realms.WEB, 2021-07-26, JIUHUASHAN UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK (China),en.unesco.org/global-geoparks/jiuhuashan, 2023-11-07, UNESCO, en,PÇtuó ShÄn
“Mount Potalaka (Sanskrit)” ({{zh|labels=no|t=æ®éå±±|s=æ®éå±±}}), ZhèjiÄng Province, {{cvt|284|m}}{{coord|30|00|35|N|122|23|06|E|region:CN_type:mountain|display=inline}}This mountain is considered the bodhimanda of Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin), bodhisattva of compassion. It became a popular pilgrimage site and received imperial support in the Song dynasty.BOOK, Bingenheimer, Marcus, Island of Guanyin - Mount Putuo and its Gazetteers, 2016, Oxford University Press, London, New York, 16â19,Other sacred mountains
File:Xuedou_Buddha.jpeg|thumb|Statue of Maitreya - BudaiBudaiMount Xuedou (éªç«å±±) has been recently promoted as a fifth sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism. This was first advocated by Changxing (1896-1939), an associate of the famous reformer Taixu.Ritzinger, Justin (2017). Anarchy in the Pure Land: Reinventing the Cult of Maitreya in Modern Chinese Buddhism, p. 144. Oxford University Press. Xuedou mountain is seen as the sacred place of bodhisattva Maitreya. It is located 8 kilometers north-west of Xikou Town, Fenghua City, Zhejiang. Xuedou Mountain is at 29°41’3.1“N, 121°7’12.0“E. Mount Xuedou is home to the newly expanded Xuedou monastery, which was originally founded in the Jin dynasty and is connected with the eccentric monk named Budai, who is considered to have been an emanation of Maitreya. Fanjing shan ({{zh|c=梵åå±±|p=Fà njìngshÄn}}) part of the Wuling Mountains in Tongren, Guizhou, is another sacred mountain associated with Maitreya. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.WEB, August 2019, Fanjingshan Biosphere Reserve, China,en.unesco.org/biosphere/aspac/fanjingshan, 30 July 2021, UNESCO, Fanjing shan is also often claimed to be the fifth sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism.Courtney Bruntz, Brooke Schedneck (2020). Buddhist Tourism in Asia, p. 90. University of Hawaii Press.Lu shan is also an important sacred mountain in Chinese Buddhism, especially for Pure Land Buddhism. It is the site Donglin Temple, founded by the Pure Land patriarch Huiyuan.WEB, Lushan National Park,whc.unesco.org/en/list/778, 4 Apr 2021, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, There are also sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism, which are considered holy sites of Tibetan Buddhism.Five Mountains of Chan Buddhism
Chan Buddhism developed the Five Mountains and Ten Temples System (äºå±±åå¹, wushan shicha) during the late Southern Song (1127â1279).Johnston, W. (2000). Encyclopedia of Monasticism, p. 271. Routledge. {{ISBN|1-57958-090-4}}The five mountains where the top Chan monasteries in the empire were located were:Walsh, Michael J. (2010). Sacred Economies: Buddhist Monasticism and Territoriality in Medieval China, p. 87. Columbia University Press. {{ISBN|9780231519939}}- Lingyin Temple (çµé寺, Lingyin si) on Lingyin mountain, Hang prefecture, Qiantang county
- Jingci Temple (åæ 寺, Jingci si) on Nanping mountain, Hang prefecture, Qiantang county
- Jingshan Temple (å¾å±±å¯º, Jingshan si) on Jing mountain, Hang prefecture, Lin’an county
- Tiantong Temple (天童寺, Tiantong si) on Tiantong mountain, Ming prefecture, Yin county
- Ayuwang Temple (é¿è²ç寺, Ayuwang si) on Ayuwang mountain, Ming prefecture, Yin county
Four Holy Mountains of Tibetan Buddhism
The Four Holy Mountains of Tibetan Buddhism, located in Yunnan, Qinghai, and the Tibet Autonomous Region, are:WEB,www.tibettravel.org/blog/holy-mountains-in-tibetan-buddhism/, Top Four Holy Mountains in Tibetan Buddhism, April 2, 2024,- Amne Machin
- Kailash
- Ghado Jobo
- Kawagarbo
The Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism
(File:ç´«éå®®.JPG|thumb|The Wudang Mountains)The “Four Sacred Mountains” of Taoism are:BOOK, Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Festivals Management: An International Perspective, Raj, Razaq and Nigel D. Morpeth, CABI, 2007, 9781845932251, 108, Sacred Buddhist sites especially evidence this kind of environment, such as Mount Wutai, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Putuo and Mount Emei. The four biggest Taoist mountains â Mount Longhu, Mount Qiyun, Mount Qingcheng and Mount Wudang â are also beautiful and tranquil.,WÇdÄng ShÄn
Literally “Military Wherewithal” ({{zh|labels=no|t=æ¦ç¶å±±|s=æ¦å½å±±}}); northwestern part of Hubei. Main peak: {{cvt|1612|m}}. {{coord|32|40|0|N|111|00|4|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}.It is the home to a complex of Taoist temples and monasteries associated with the Lord of the North, Xuantian Shangdi. It is also renowned as being the place of origin for Tai chi.LónghÅ ShÄn
Literally “Dragon and Tiger” ({{zh|labels=no|s=é¾èå±±|t=é¾èå±±}}), Jiangxi. Main peak: {{cvt|247.4|m}}. {{coord|28|06|48.999|N|116|57|29.998|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}It is famous for being one of the birthplaces of Taoism and particularly important to the Zhengyi Dao, with many Taoist temples built upon the mountainside.QÃyún ShÄn
Literally “Neat Clouds” ({{zh|labels=no|t=é½é²å±±|s=é½äºå±±}}), Anhui. Main peak: {{cvt|585|m}}.{{coord|29|48|29.9988|N|118|01|56.9994|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}QÄ«ngchéng ShÄn
Literally “Misty Green City Wall” ({{zh|labels=no|t=éåå±±|s=éåå±±}}); (Nearby city: Dujiangyan, Sichuan. Main peak: {{cvt|1260|m}} (surveyed in 2007). In ancient Chinese history, Mount Qingcheng area was famous for being for “The most secluded place in China”. {{coord|30|58|35.73|N|103|30|59.90|E|type:mountain_region:CN|display=inline}}.Three Mountains
The term “Three Mountains” () has varied meanings.Three Sacred Mountains
The Three Sacred Mountains commonly refer to:BOOK, ä¸è¯ææ第ä¸èª², é夢ç¤æ½ä»²è¬, ååå°æ¸é¤¨ï¼é¦æ¸¯ï¼æéå ¬å¸, 2023, 9789620775536, 9,www.google.com/books/edition/%E4%B8%AD%E8%8F%AF%E6%96%87%E6%98%8E%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E8%AA%B2/LjTbEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA9&printsec=frontcover,- Mount Tian - “Mountains of God/Heaven”; sacred in Tengrism
- Mount Changbai - tallest mountain in Northeast China, also regarded by Manchus of the Qing dynasty as Holy Mountain
- Kunlun Mountains - nicknamed the “Forefather of Mountains” in China;WEB,www.foreignercn.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8400:kunlun-mountains&catid=121:travel-in-qinghai&Itemid=278, Kunlun Mountains, April 1, 2024, WEB,www.hkywa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Non-fiction.pdf, Kunlun Mountain Range - A Forever Legend, April 1, 2024, it is also the location of the peach tree of immortality wardened by Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West
Three Famous Mountains
The Three Famous Mountains are:Three Holy Mountains in Yading
The Three Holy Mountain Peaks at Yading, Daocheng County:- Chanodug
- Chenresig
- Jambeyang
See also
- Sacred mountains
- Grotto-heavens, Sacred grottoes, sometimes associated with sacred mountains
- Hills and mountains in Meitei culture
- Five Mountains of Korea
Other mountains with spiritual/religious significance in China
- Five Garrison Mountains (Five Zhen, )
- Mount Lao
- Mount Mian
- Mount Sanqing
- Gongga
References
{{reflist}}Bibliography
- BOOK, Robson, James, 2009, Power of Place: The Religious Landscape of the Southern Sacred Peak (Nanyue) in Medieval China, Harvard University Asia Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
- BOOK, Sun, Xiaochun, Kistemaker, Jacob, 1997, The Chinese Sky During the Han: Constellating Stars and Society, Brill,books.google.com/books?id=87lvBoFi8A0C, 9004107371,
External links
{{commons category|Five Great Mountains}}{{GeoGroup}}- Google Maps Pro of 15 Sacred Mountains in China
- Google Earth Map of both Five and Four Sacred Mountains KMZ File
- WEB,www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/485-Religion-and-the-environment-in-China, Religion and the environment in China, zh:ä¸å½çå®æä¸ç¯å¢, chinadialogue, Religion and the environment in China, 26 October 2006, âWhy the five sacred mountains survive in a good ecological state
- A Report on the Nine Sacred Mountains
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