The Ten Thousand Zhang Stele on Mount Tai

The Ten Thousand Zhang Stele on Mount Tai

The Ten Thousand Zhang Stele stands atop steep cliffs, resembling a canvas dropped from the heavens or a seal stamped on the belly of Mount Tai. The inscription is “Ode to the Chaoyang Cave,” composed by Emperor Qianlong during his ascent of Mount Tai, and it is the largest cliff carving on the mountain. About 50 meters up from the Chaoyang Cave, on the Yufeng Cliff east of the stream, you can find this massive stone carving known as the “Ten Thousand Zhang Stele.” It stands approximately 30 meters high, 12 meters wide, with characters about 1 meter in size, inscribed by Emperor Qianlong himself.

Emperor Qianlong had a special fondness for Mount Tai. He visited the mountain 11 times in his lifetime, composed over 170 poems about it, and left behind numerous historical traces. It is said that during one of his rests at the Chaoyang Cave, he looked northward and saw clouds swirling around the mountain peaks, with celestial pavilions faintly visible. The Eighteen Bends resembled a heavenly ladder descending to the mortal world, flanked by lush green mountains, while a gentle stream flowed at the bottom of the valley—altogether forming an exquisite landscape painting. Moved by the scene, Qianlong sighed: “How majestic is Mount Tai, what a splendid painting—yet it lacks a seal.”

So he composed a poem titled “Chaoyang Cave Poem” and ordered it to be carved into the huge rock, turning it into the “seal” for his “painting.”

Transportation

Accessible on foot

Admission Fee

Included in the entrance ticket for Mount Tai Scenic Area

Location

Yufeng Cliff, Mount Tai Scenic Area, Tai’an City, Shandong Province