Attitudes toward Mountains - Mountain Geography: Physical and Human Dimensions - page 466

was the most holy and famous (Mathieu 2011). These mountains are usually associated
with Taoist and Confucian thought, but were worshipped as far back as the Hsia Dyn-
asty (2205-1176 B.C.) (Sowerby 1940). The ancient annals say that the legendary first
emperors of China would go on ritual tours of inspection of the empire every five years
and would climb these mountains and perform sacrifices on them to establish their sov-
ereignty over the princes of the realm. Later historical emperors would climb T'ai Shan
if they felt that they had brought their dynasties to the heights of glory and would per-
form sacrifices thanking Heaven and Earth for their successes (Chavannes 1910; Bern-
baum 1997).
There are, in addition, four mountains of special significance to Buddhism, also situ-
ated in the four directions, of which Omei Shan in the west is probably the most famous
(Shields 1913; Mullikin and Hotchkis 1973). Omei Shan was reputed to have over 50
pagodas and temples. Pilgrims still climb the mountain to see the Buddha's Glory from
its summit: a Spectre of Brocken effect of a figure projected in mist surrounded by a
rainbow halo. Another such effect was viewed, in a contrasting manner, as demonic in
the Harz Mountains of Germany (Bernbaum 1997).
Many other mountains have local religious significance. One such peak is Dragon
Mountain near the ancient city of Anking, celebrated in this poem:
There is a dragon mountain in Hsu
With a spring which waters the fields
On the mountain is the spring
And upon the hill sides are tilled fields
From the earliest ages the men of Hsu have received this help,
In time of trouble all heads are turned toward the mountain.
High above the hills float the clouds,
And within them is a spirit who changes their shapes continually.
The people wondered who the spirit was
Until they found that it was the Lung Wang.
Hence they rebuilt the temple,
So that sacrifices might be made for a thousand years.
These sacrifices are still continued
And the people reap the reward.
(SHRYOCK 1931:118)
The mountain as a source of water is a religious motif found in many cultures: It
was central to the Israelites of the Old Testament and to the Babylonians, as well as
throughout Asia and Latin America (Van Buren 1943; Quaritch-Wales 1953; Reinhard
and Constanza 2010). Clouds have a special fascination for the Chinese, and appear in
their earliest art. Mountains are frequently shown rising out of clouds or enshrouded
by them, not as a symbol of gloom or dreariness, but of beauty. Sometimes clouds are
shown as dragons. To the Asian mind, dragons do not generally have an evil connotation