Sacred Mountains of China

The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into two groups, one associated with Taoism and the other with Buddhism. The group associated with Taoism is known as the Five Great Mountains (), whereas the group associated with Buddhism is referred to as the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism (). 
The sacred mountains of both groups have been important destinations for pilgrimage, the Chinese expression for pilgrimage () is a shortened version of an expression which means literally "paying respect to a holy mountain" ().
==The Five Great Mountains==
The Taoist Five Great Mountains are arranged according to the five cardinal directions of Chinese geomancy, which includes the center as a direction:
===East: Tài Shān===
, Shāndōng Province, 1,545 m, 
===West: Huà Shān===
, 
Shănxī Province, 1,997 m 
===South: (Nán) Héng Shān===
, Húnán Province, 1,290 m, 
===North: (Běi) Héng Shān===
, Shānxī Province, 2,017 m, 
===Center: Sōng Shān===
, Hénán Province, 1,494 m, 
Alternatively, these mountains are sometimes referred to by the respective directions, i.e., as the "Northern Great Mountain" (北嶽/北岳 Běi Yuè), "Southern Great Mountain" (南嶽/南岳 Nán Yuè), "Eastern Great Mountain" (東嶽/东岳 Dōng Yuè), "Western Great Mountain" (西嶽/西岳 Xī Yuè), and "Central Great Mountain" (中嶽/中岳 Zhōng Yuè). 
According to Chinese mythology, the Five Great Mountains originated from the limbs and the head of Pangu (盤古/盘古 Pángǔ), the first being and creator of the world. Because of its eastern location, Mount Tài is associated with the rising sun which signifies birth and renewal. Due to this interpretation, it is often regarded as the most sacred of the Five Great Mountains. In accordance with its special position, Mount Tài is believed to have been formed out of Pangu's head.
==The Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism== 
The Buddhist Four Sacred Mountains in China are:
===Wǔtái Shān===
, Shānxī Province, 3,058 m, 
===Éméi Shān===
, Sìchuān Province, 3,099 m, 
===Jiǔhuá Shān===
, Ānhuī Province, 1,341 m, 
===Pǔtuó Shān===
), Zhèjiāng Province, 284 m
==See also==
Other mountains with spiritual/religious significance in China are:
*Wudang Mountains (Wǔdāng Shān)
*Laoshan
==External links== 
*China's famous mountains - (Chinese website)
*chinaonyourmind.com 
*sacredsites.com
*Google Earth Map of both Five and Four Sacred Mountains KMZ File
*Religion and the environment in China, 中国的宗教与环境 - chinadialogue article, why the five sacred mountains survive in a good ecological state
 
Category:Mountains of China
China
cs:Čtyři posvátné hory buddhismu
fr:Les cinq montagnes sacrées
ja:五岳
ko:오악
no:Kinas fem hellige fjell
pl:Święte góry chińskie
ru:Священные горы Китая
sv:Kinas heliga berg
vi:Các núi linh thiêng của Trung Quốc
zh:五嶽