Sister Pines

Sister Pines

The Sister Pines are located under the Fanzi Cliff of Aolai Peak on Mount Tai. These two lush, flourishing pine trees have a history of over 600 years. Having weathered the trials of time and stood proudly through the ages, they are known as the “Sister Pines” because they grow closely together, resembling either a devoted couple or inseparable sisters.

In 1988, the former General Secretary of the Central Committee, who came to inspect Mount Tai, was so moved that he picked up his brush and inscribed the five large characters “Sister Pines of Mount Tai” on rice paper. Since then, the Sister Pines of Mount Tai have gained even greater fame. Today, they feature in touching legends of Mount Tai; their elegant silhouette can also be found on the back of the reverse side of the fifth edition of the RMB 5 banknote, standing proudly atop the steep cliffs of Mount Tai. It’s no exaggeration to say their fame has spread far and wide.

This name is said to come from a legend:

Long ago, in Majia Village behind Mount Tai, there lived a local tyrant named Ma, who conspired with corrupt officials to seize control of the surrounding famous mountains and rivers. Wealthy and powerful, he bullied the common people at will, forcibly taking young women and committing all kinds of evils, tyrannizing the village. Everyone in the village despised him. Because he bore the surname Ma and was so vicious, people called him “Big Hornet.”

Big Hornet had a tenant farmer named Ma Lao Da, who had two unmarried daughters, both around sixteen — in the prime of their youth. Though born into poverty and having lost their mother at a young age, the sisters were blessed with striking features and breathtaking beauty. Everyone in the village praised Ma Lao Da’s two “golden phoenixes.”

Although Big Hornet was over sixty, he had long set his sights on the Ma sisters, delighting in the thought of possessing them. He wished he could just snatch them away. One day, Big Hornet summoned Ma Lao Da to his hall and said, “Lao Da, your two daughters are no longer children. It’s time they got married. I’ve already found them a good match — the man looks just like me, is enormously wealthy, and they’ll live a life of endless feasts, fine clothes, and luxury. What do you think, Lao Da?”

Ma Lao Da had long seen through his ill intentions — it was like a weasel paying New Year’s respects to a chicken, with nothing good intended — and quickly replied, “Thank you for your kind offer, but I’ve already promised my daughters to other families.”

Big Hornet was furious at being rejected. He roared at Ma Lao Da, “Let me make this clear: I want those two girls, and I’ll have them — whether you give them to me willingly or not. Unless they die tonight, they will be married tomorrow morning!”

Hearing this, Ma Lao Da was thunderstruck. His daughters were his life; how could he send them into the hands of such a vicious man? He pleaded with Big Hornet, “Sir, we’re poor, and my daughters are plain — they’re not worthy of you. Please spare us.”

“Hmph, don’t you dare refuse my kindness. Here’s the betrothal gift. Go home and get ready,” he said, then drove Ma Lao Da out.

When Ma Lao Da returned home, he felt as though he had lost his soul. Big Hornet was thoroughly evil — capable of any atrocity. Desperate and feeling he had no way out, Ma Lao Da had no choice but to tell his daughters what had happened. The three of them hugged and wept bitterly. The sisters declared they would rather die than submit. Ma Lao Da tried to console them: “Your mother died early. I raised you both — if you die, what’s left for this old man to live for?” After a moment of thought, he said, “Heaven never cuts off all paths. It seems our only option is to become nuns at Qingyun Nunnery in Qingshiwu. Don’t blame me for being harsh — it’s the only way I can think of. The sisters knew well the hardships of monastic life, but seeing their father’s worried face and feeble state, they realized that if they died, no one would take care of him. So, they agreed. That night, the three of them headed straight for Qingyun Nunnery.

Upon arriving at the nunnery, they paid their respects to the abbess and explained their situation. The abbess replied calmly, “The Buddhist gate is open to the virtuous. This is a sacred place governed by the Buddha himself. Amitabha!” Ma Lao Da settled his daughters, thanked the abbess, and hurried back home overnight.

Early the next morning, just as Ma Lao Da was about to go to the fields, Big Hornet summoned him again. With a sneer, Big Hornet said, “Lao Da, Qingyun Nunnery is quite the place. Hmph — even Sun Wukong couldn’t leap out of the Buddha’s palm. Every blade of grass and tree here is my spy. You won’t escape me. I want you to watch me marry your daughters.” He then climbed into a sedan chair, took Ma Lao Da along, and led a group toward Qingyun Nunnery.

It turned out the abbess had been secretly colluding with Big Hornet. The moment she learned of the Ma sisters’ decision to become nuns, she sent word to Big Hornet that very night. Now, upon hearing of his arrival, the abbess went out to greet him warmly and treated him lavishly. After the formalities, Big Hornet said, “Abbess, I’d like to borrow your sacred grounds to hold the wedding here. What do you think?” The abbess flattered him, saying, “Thanks to your great fortune, it would be an honor to host your wedding here. I’ve already instructed them to prepare the Ma sisters. Please wait a moment, sir.” Then she exchanged sly smiles with Big Hornet.

Just as Big Hornet and the abbess were basking in their schemes, a young nun rushed in shouting, “Disaster, Abbess — the Ma sisters have escaped and jumped off the cliff!” The abbess panicked, and Big Hornet was stunned.

Ma Lao Da, who had already suspected collusion between the abbess and Big Hornet, was heartbroken. Hearing that his daughters had jumped off the cliff, he was devastated and burst into bitter laughter: “Hahaha, sacred Buddhist ground, protection of the Buddha — nonsense. There’s no place for the poor to live in this world. Daughters, I’ll be with you.” He then dashed into the incense table and died, knocking his head against the statue of the bodhisattva.

As for the Ma sisters, the nuns helping them dress had taken pity on them after learning their story and secretly let them escape through the back door. But unfortunately, they were spotted by Big Hornet’s servants, who chased after them. Lost in the vast forest with nowhere to run, the sisters sprinted until they came to a sheer cliff. Seeing their pursuers closing in, the Ma sisters exchanged a glance, held hands, and leapt off the cliff.

Later, at the spot where they jumped, two pine trees grew side by side. Their branches intertwined and leaves touched, as if holding hands. People gave them a fitting name: the “Sister Pines.”