South Heaven Gate of Mount Tai

South Heaven Gate of Mount Tai

At the end of the Eighteen Bends on Mount Tai in Tai'an City, Shandong Province, formerly known as the Three Heavens Gate or Heaven Gate Pass, it sits at an altitude of 1,460 meters. This is the most precipitous part of the mountain, with the summit just above. It was built in a low depression between Flying Dragon Rock and Soaring Phoenix Ridge, flanked by two peaks as if the heavenly gate had opened naturally. Constructed in the fifth year of the Zhongtong era of the Yuan Dynasty (1264) by the Taoist priest Zhang Zhichun of Pushan. The gate is a 0-style structure, featuring a stone-arched entrance with the inscription "South Heaven Gate" on the lintel. It is adorned with red walls and topped with yellow glazed tiles, presenting a majestic presence. On the sides of the gate are couplets that read: "The gate opens to the ninth heaven, where one ascends to trace the relics of the three celestial realms; the steps climb ten thousand levels, from which one looks down upon a myriad of spectacular peaks."

Du Renjie of the Yuan Dynasty once composed and inscribed the "Inscription of the Heaven Gate" to document this, which reads: "The Heaven Gate of Mount Tai had long lacked any structure. The Taoist priest Zhang of Pushan undertook its construction, which took many years to complete, and can truly be said to have achieved the unprecedented." The engraved stone remains well-preserved in the stone chamber on the west side of the gate. The "Minor History of Mount Tai" also praises the South Heaven Gate: "Located above the Eighteen Bends, it towers high into the sky, with two mountains standing opposite each other, a perilous path winding through the clouds with thousands of steps. The sounds of pines and the mists of clouds blur the senses amidst clothes and surroundings. Looking down, the mountains below seem like hills, and the rivers wind like ribbons, the world vast and boundless, beyond all description." The South Heaven Gate is the pride of Mount Tai. The area surrounding the summit of Mount Tai above the South Heaven Gate is called the Dai Summit Scenic Area, covering an area of approximately 1.6 square kilometers.

The elevation of the Dai Summit is already high, and due to factors such as air pressure and temperature, the landscape is distinctly different from that at the foot of the mountain, making it quite marvelous. As a result, people also refer to the Dai Summit as the "Wonderful Area." Standing atop the Dai Summit, one feels the sun close and the clouds low. The "heavenly paradise" constructed by human society over thousands of years and the wondrous natural scenery complement each other, creating an ethereal and dreamlike feeling, making it hard to tell whether one is in the human world or the heavens, or the heavens within the human world.

Address: Inside Mount Tai Scenic Area, No. 54 Hongmen Road, Taishan District, Tai'an City

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

All day

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Mount Tai Scenic Area ticket.