Almost 500 km south of Beijing, the city of Tai’an in Shandong province is home to one of the “Five Sacred Mountains” of China.
At its tallest point, the Jade Emperor peak tops out at 1545 meters. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tai Shan is loaded with historical, cultural, and natural significance — pilgrims have been making the trek up the mountain for over 3,000 years to pay religious homage.
There are a total of 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets, and 1018 inscriptions. That should keep you busy for a few minutes.
Almost 80% of the mountain is covered in vegetation, including medicinal plants and ancient flora such as the Han Dynasty Cypresses — planted 2100 years ago — and the Tang Chinese Scholartree, growing now for 1300 years.