On the fourth of October, my wife, Lily, and I determined to make a tour to mountain Tai. So we arrived in Tai’an city(still like a county) by train at about 6 P.M. After supper, we registered at a hotel and slept early.
The next day, at about 4 A.M, we started out from Red Gate. It was rather chilly, to be frank. All was shrouded in darkness and I couldn’t see even beyond the length of my nose, so we had to grope forward cautiously, hand in hand, along the rugged stone-step path. Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long, because soon we found several climbers, flashlight in hand, rambling before us. We just followed them to continue our journey. After traveling about one kilometer we came to the entrance to Mount Tai, namely, it is a booking-office, surrounded with iron railings. The price of a ticket is 60 Yuan per adult. Lily stood in a queue for buying tickets and I, with the help of dim light lit in booking-office, was attracted by an inscribed board, on which was written: Ten Thousand Immortals Tower. The board was hung four meters high on a citadel-like building. I couldn’t help but wonder this interesting name, ten thousand immortals, were there so many Gods or Immortals or Saints once crowded in this building? How they behaved themselves on Mt. Tai?... Lily nudged me out of my entrance, and we went on.
One and half an hour later, we arrived at the Midway Gate. It was said a milestone for your climbing Mt. Tai. At that time, day was dawning, and we began to enjoy the charming scenic spots. From here, we could clearly see jutting peaks, dense forest, queer monoliths. The path was becoming somewhat smooth. Lily was rather tired, with a bit hungry, so we had to take a good rest. Meanwhile, a pedlar, enthusiastically canvass us to buy her “delicacy” food---Tai shan pancake. I called it “ scallion roll”, which had a distinguish smack of pungency. Lily eat some with much unction.
We continued our trip, soon we found a strange stone situated on a platform. The stone’s name was really funny---Cloud Cutting Sword. According to the explanation in a tablet beside this stone, this odd name vividly described it’s powerfulness. It stands upright there, two meters high, and seems to be chopping clouds to sow rain. But I suspected its potency and chuckled at the superstitious ridiculousness. Leaving sword stone, we came by some major sights, including Fifth Rank Pine, Greeting Guest Pine, The Becoming Immortal to Heaven, etc. Among these sights, Fifth Rank Pine has given me a deep impression--- Nestled among magnificent peaks, situated above an enormous rock, it has fought storms, droughts, lightings for more than two thousand years and is still so sturdy. Just imagine its longevity and vitality!
Strolling along the path, we suddenly found a stone bridge, named “ Walking on Cloud Bridge”. Behind it, a narrow but deep little river, running along the mountainside. Meeting a small cliff, it fell down two or three feet with drops splashing, forming a thin water curtain.
Then we caught sight of an stele, with an interesting name---Imperial Tent Pitching Spot. It was said that during Song dynasty once an emperor set his tent here, and pitch holes remains up to this day. It was one of the site of ancient ceremonial sites. Out of great curiosity, I started to seek those holes, but found nothing. As we ascended, it was getting rainy and fog generated from the valley, with the blowing of wind, it wafted here and there, until, all the mountain was shrouded in a hazy mist. The more higher we ascended, the more chilly we felt. At that time, the most strategic scene was before our eyes. It was The Eighteen Bends, which consisted innumerable steep stone-steps. We could see the step path stretched to distance like a floating belt, and vanished into the fog. Lily was reluctant to go forward due to her horrible tiredness. While I encouraged her gently yet perseveringly. Lily returned me an arch smile and submitted. The step was so steep, and it required our painstaking efforts to ascend, even I felt heavy gasping. Lily, though in an exhausted state, just tried her best to move her legs on. Actually, we had to stop to take a breath after every one score of steps. We trudged about eight hundred meters, and finally conquered the Eighteen Bends! Then the South Gate To Heaven appeared. Behind it was a building with the shape of rostrum. Lily got a bit excited and let me take several photos there to mark the occasion. Along some step ladders, we came to the top of that rostrum and found so many people crowded there. Standing there, we couldn’t see far for the sake of fog, which was getting thicker and thicker.
Then we walked through the Heaven Street, which consisted of several grocery and restaurants at both sides, with 30 meters in total length, wonderfully built on 1100 meters high above sea level.
Half an hour later, we came to Grand View Peak. In fact, this peak means a number of inscriptions on the cliff in successive dynasties. In ancient times, when emperors conferred titles or offered sacrifices to Mt. Tai, their activities were recorded and carved on cliff. Hence the site of Grand View. Standing before some inscriptions, we enjoyed the exquisite calligraphy for a while.
Ultimately, at about 11 A.M, we arrived at the top of Mt. Tai---Azure Cloud Temple. At that time, fog was still thick and wet our clothes. However, Lily was rather proud for her achievement in conquering Mt. Tai. She smiled sweetly, sometimes giggled like a romp ---her lassitude unconsciously disappeared. We stayed in that temple for half an hour, and after chatting with other travelers, we knew it’s distinctive features, i.e. its main hall covered by copper tilts while side halls with iron tilts.
We felt at ease when descended Mt. Tai, because we took cable-car from Azure Cloud Temple until Midway Gate. At last we went to station by bus to catch the returned train at 2. P.M.
Mounting Mt. Tai, it was really an unforgettable travel!
