The Yaocan Pavilion

Yaocan Pavilion

The “Yaocan Pavilion” is the first set of structures along the north-south axis of the Dai Temple complex, effectively serving as the entrance to the temple. From here, the axis extends northward straight to the “South Heaven Gate” at the summit of Mount Tai. In ancient times, emperors who had official business with Mount Tai would first perform a preliminary worship here before entering the temple for formal ceremonies. The Yaocan Pavilion faces the Imperial Street, and in the 35th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, a stone memorial archway was erected in front of it, with the inscription “Yaocan Pavilion.”

In the 6th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, a double-dragon pool constructed from square stones was added in front of the archway. The stone steles in front of the pool — the “Double-Dragon Pool Stele” and the “Everlasting Glory Stele” — are both commemorative tablets built around the same time. This site is the first scenic highlight of the Dai Temple. The stone steles, dragon pool, stone archway, along with the three-gate-style hip-and-gable roofed South Gate behind them, complemented by iron lions, flagpoles, and ancient locust trees, create a majestic atmosphere. From here, one can gaze into the distance and clearly see the summit of Mount Tai.

The “Yaocan Pavilion” is an independent structure, yet conceptually unified with the Dai Temple. Its presence enhances the mysterious and solemn atmosphere of the temple even further. This architectural style, which is both independent and unified, is unique among the Five Great Mountains and is also quite rare among surviving ancient Chinese architecture. In the Tang Dynasty, the Yaocan Pavilion was once called the “Yaocan Gate,” and there was a folk saying: “To worship the God of Mount Tai, first pay homage at the Yaocan Gate.” When visiting the Dai Temple, you should also begin your journey here at the Yaocan Pavilion.

The Yaocan Pavilion serves as the front courtyard of the Dai Temple and was formerly known as the Cao Can Gate or Cao Can Pavilion. In ancient times, anyone who had business with Mount Tai would first come here to perform a simple worship before proceeding into the temple to offer prayers to the deities. The pavilion consists of a two-courtyard layout. The main hall of the front courtyard was dedicated to the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun during the Ming and Qing dynasties; on either side are the east and west auxiliary halls. In the courtyard stands the “Prohibition of Self-Sacrifice Stele,” erected in the 59th year of the Kangxi reign (1720) by Zhang Qifeng, the prefect of Tai’an Prefecture. The rear courtyard houses a four-cornered pavilion, rebuilt in 1983; inside the back gate on the eastern side is a poetry stele inscribed with Li Bai’s “Six Poems on Ascending Mount Tai,” written by Japanese calligrapher Tairyū Yanagida in 1990.

Scenic AreaIn front of the pavilion stands a stone archway inscribed with the words “Yaocan Pavilion.” On either side stand facing iron lions, with tall flagpoles erected. In front of the archway is the Double-Dragon Pool, built in the 6th year of the Guangxu reign (1880) to divert water from the Queen Mother’s Pool. To the south of the pool lies Tongtian Street, to the west grows an ancient Tang Dynasty locust tree, and to the north stands the “Jinan May 3rd Massacre Memorial Stele,” erected in 1929.

Behind the pavilion lies the Dai Temple Archway, also known as the Exquisite Archway. It was constructed during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty when Shandong Provincial Governor Shi Tianyi renovated the Dai Temple, and he also composed and inscribed the couplet: “Lofty to the heavens, praising creation and nurturing all things; the Emperor emerges from the east, resplendent and divine, guarding the east.” To the north of the Dai Temple Archway is the Dai Temple itself, with the central north-south axis featuring the Zhengyang Gate, Peitian Gate, Ren’an Gate, Tiankuang Hall, Rear Sleeping Palace, and Houzai Gate. On the east side are the Hanbai Courtyard and the Eastern Imperial Seat, while on the west are the Tang Locust Courtyard and the Yuhua Taoist Courtyard.