Confucius' Ascension Site

Confucius' Ascension Site

Confucius' Ascension Site, located north of Yitianmen Gate, is a four-pillar, three-bay stone memorial archway spanning the road, shaded by ancient vines, elegant and dignified in style. It was first built in the 39th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1560). On either side of the archway stand two steles: on the east is the “Ascend High Only Through Oneself” stele inscribed by Zhai Tao, the Tongzhi (deputy prefect) of Jinan Prefecture during the Jiajing reign; on the west is the “First Mountain” stele inscribed by Li Fuchu, the imperial censor inspecting Shandong. To the north stands the two-pillar, single-bay “Heavenly Stairs” archway. The plaque above Confucius' Ascension Site bears the five large characters “Confucius’ Ascension Site,” and the pillar couplet reads: “The Sage of Sages walks alone, his teachings passed down through the ages; the Holy Ruler descends from afar, his presence celebrated for ten thousand years.”

Legend has it that Confucius climbed Mount Tai when he was in his thirties, during a trip from the State of Lu to the State of Qi. On another occasion, Confucius climbed Mount Tai together with his student Yan Hui. Looking southeast, Confucius spotted the Changmen Gate beneath Suzhou City, and even saw a white horse beneath the gate. He asked Yan Hui, “Do you see the Changmen Gate?” Yan Hui replied, “Yes.” Confucius then asked, “What do you see beneath the gate?” Yan Hui couldn’t see clearly and thought it was a ball of white silk. Confucius corrected him, saying it was a white horse. Not long after they descended the mountain, Yan Hui’s health deteriorated drastically — his hair turned white, his teeth fell out, and he aged severely.

This legend shows two things: first, that Confucius climbed Mount Tai more than once; second, that it was extremely difficult to ascend the mountain at the time. Perhaps Yan Hui could not endure such hardship, which led to his illness, while Confucius, in excellent health, not only saw farther than Yan Hui but also felt no discomfort after descending.

In Confucius’ eyes, Mount Tai was immensely revered, and he even likened himself to the Mount Tai among people. In his final days, he sang: “If Mount Tai collapses, if the beams break, if the wise perish…” And history has indeed proven that Confucius is the Mount Tai among men, the Mount Tai of Chinese culture, hasn’t it?

Transportation

On Foot

Admission Fee

Included in the scenic area ticket

Opening Hours

All day

Location

North of Yitianmen Gate on the Hongmen Route, Mount Tai Scenic Area, Shandong

Confucius (551–479 BC), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong), Changping County, the State of Lu. He was a thinker, educator, and statesman in the late Spring and Autumn Period, the founder of Confucianism, and one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and culture. He also had a profound impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, and is recognized as one of the world’s cultural luminaries.

Confucius’ ancestors were from the royal family of the Yin-Shang dynasty. His earliest known ancestor was Weizi Qi, the half-brother of King Zhou of Shang, who upheld the Shang rituals and was enfeoffed in the State of Song. His sixth-generation ancestor, Kong Fu Jia, was the first to adopt “Kong” as the family surname. His fifth-generation ancestor, Mu Jin Fu, fled to the State of Lu to escape turmoil and later settled in Zou, Lu... More details about Confucius ++

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