The Five Lords Pine

The Five Lords Pine

The Five Lords Pine is located beside the Wusong Pavilion, north of the Yunbu Bridge on Mount Tai. As you ascend the mountain path here, a stone memorial archway stands prominently, inscribed with the words “Five Lords Pine.” The ancient pine to the west of the archway is the Five Lords Pine, also known as the “Qin Pine.” “The Graceful Qin Pine” is one of the Eight Scenic Views of Tai’an. From here, you can gaze at the Eighteen Bends and the South Heaven Gate, where two mountains stand opposite each other, with birds navigating through sheer cliffs amidst rising clouds and mist that blur the senses and clothes. The rustling of the pine waves echoes through countless valleys and ravines without end. From this spot, you can also look down at the Yunbu Bridge, where the stream flows briskly, plunging suddenly into the gorge, with cascading water spraying like flowers and beads, accompanied by the sound of wind and water, in a scene of serene beauty beyond words.

After King Zheng of Qin conquered the six states and unified the realm, he proclaimed himself the First Emperor. He heard from some Confucian scholars that ancient emperors had to personally perform the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Tai to be considered virtuous rulers. Mencius had also said that a newly enthroned emperor must receive recognition of his virtue and acceptance of his sacrifices from Heaven to be regarded as the true Son of Heaven. Thus, the First Emperor led his civil and military officials, along with a large retinue of idle Confucian scholars, to Mount Tai. They first stopped at the foot of the mountain to discuss how to conduct the Fengshan ceremony. According to the scholars, the so-called “Fengshan” meant worshipping Heaven at the top of Mount Tai and worshipping Earth at its foot. The former was called Feng, and the latter, Shan. However, they also said that when the emperor ascended to the top of Mount Tai to worship Heaven, it was best not to ride in a chariot. If he had to, the wheels should be wrapped in reeds to avoid crushing any plants or trees on the mountain, as a sign of respect for Mount Tai. Hearing these conditions, the tyrant flew into a rage and forbade the Confucian scholars from participating in the ceremony. Instead, he went up the mountain with his trusted ministers. Where the road was difficult to traverse, he ordered trees to be cut down and grass to be cleared, and rocks to be chiseled away. He thought to himself, “I’d like to see what the deity of Mount Tai can do to me.”

The procession of the First Emperor grandly ascended Mount Tai, worshipped Heaven, and erected a large stone stele at the summit. Soon after, the weather suddenly turned grim, with dark clouds gathering and a heavy rainstorm imminent. Some said that when the deity of Mount Tai was angry, there would be dark clouds, black rain, and flash floods that could sweep away people and animals. Feeling guilty, the First Emperor thought he had offended the mountain god, so he fled down the mountain in a panic, with his entourage closely following. Just as they reached the area of the Wusong Pavilion, a thunderclap sounded, and a torrential downpour poured down on them. The First Emperor, accustomed to luxury, couldn’t even withstand the rain, let alone a flash flood, and was nearly swept down the mountain. At this critical moment, he suddenly spotted a large pine tree by the roadside. The once-arrogant emperor quickly knelt before the tree, tightly hugging its trunk while murmuring prayers, begging the tree spirit for protection. The rain stopped as abruptly as it had started. The First Emperor truly believed the tree spirit had shielded him, so he conferred the title of “Five Lords Pine” upon the pine tree that had saved him.

According to Records of the Grand Historian, when the First Emperor of Qin ascended Mount Tai, he encountered rain midway and took shelter under a large tree. Because the tree protected him, he granted it the noble title of “Five Lords.” Later generations mistakenly believed it referred to five trees. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, the ancient pine was destroyed by thunder and rain. In the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty, when imperial envoy Ding Zhaobao was ordered to renovate Mount Tai, he replanted five pine trees. Two of them still survive today, with twisted branches and an ancient, vigorous appearance. Since ancient times, they have been praised as “The Graceful Qin Pine,” and are one of the Eight Scenic Views of Tai’an. Beside the Wusong Pavilion, there is an imperial inscription by Emperor Qianlong titled “Ode to the Five Lords Pine.”

To the west of the Five Lords Pine lies Lan Zhu Shan (Blocking Mountain). On its slope stands the Wang Ren Song (Looking-at-People Pine), whose gnarled branches extend downward as if bowing and waving to invite guests. Also known as the Welcoming Pine, it is one of the iconic symbols of Mount Tai. To the northwest is the Chaoyang Cave, a natural stone chamber as spacious as a room, facing south toward the sun. It was formerly called Yingyang or Yunyang. On the back wall of the cave is a line-engraved image of the Yuanjun (Jade Maiden).

Location

Beside the Wusong Pavilion, north of the Yunbu Bridge, within the Mount Tai scenic area, Tai’an District, Tai’an City, Shandong Province