Yuhuangding, formerly known as Taipingding and also named Tianzhufeng, is the summit of the main peak of Mount Tai, which is the premier of the Five Great Mountains. It gets its name from the Yuhuang Hall on the peak, where the Jade Emperor is enshrined and worshiped.
The exact year of its initial construction is unknown. It was renovated during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. The plaque on the shrine is inscribed with "The Legacy of Fire - Offering and Worshiping", indicating that ancient emperors once burned firewood here to worship Heaven and paid homage to the gods of mountains and rivers. It is said that Emperor Qin Shi Huang was the first to come here to offer sacrifices to Heaven.
From Emperor Qin Shi Huang to the Qing Dynasty, a total of 13 generations of emperors personally climbed Taishan to perform the Fengshan ceremony (a grand sacrifice to Heaven and Earth) or offer sacrifices. Additionally, 24 generations of emperors dispatched officials to offer sacrifices 72 times.
Taishan has accompanied the inheritance of Chinese civilization over the past five thousand years. It symbolizes the prosperity of the country and the survival of the nation. It is the spiritual home of the Chinese nation, a microcosm of Eastern culture, and a place where the idea of "harmony between man and nature" is entrusted. It carries rich geographical, historical, and cultural connotations. The ancients regarded it as a paradise "leading directly to the imperial throne", making it a sacred mountain worshipped by the common people and sacrificed to by emperors.
