Adventures in CHINA

Trip to Tai Shan

Our most adventurous journey took us to Tai Shan (Tai Mountain) which is the most sacred of China's mountains. We went by train from Tianjin with our friends David and Jessica.

Camille and I dressed for warmth.

The train ride was a trip in itself. We boarded the train in the evening and settled in to our seats for the five hour ride to the city of Tai An. The train was headed towards Shanghai from Beijing and was full. We proceeded to play some cards, drinks some self provided cocktails and eat some snacks - things like soy sauced pumpkin seeds and squid jerky that we had brought along to enjoy.

I had a great time trying out our trusty Mandarin Phrasebook on the folks sitting next to us. It is amazing how much better one's Chinese gets with a little Scotch to help it along. David, always gregarious, joined in a game of cards with the locals and I think did quite well. His Chinese was no better than mine was (virtually non-existent), but his knack for Scotch-aided cards was exemplary.

Upon reaching Tai An, we checked into the International Hotel and rested up for our assault on Tai Shan the following day.

The next morning we arose, rested and reluctant and headed off towards the base of the mountain in a taxi. Unfortunately for me, The taxi took us only to where the stairs started up the mountain, not at the top where they ended! We started our spiritual journey up the mountain, following the footsteps of the likes of Confucius and Mao Tse Tung, both of whom ascended Tai Shan in the past.

There are stone stairs 10 to 15 feet wide that go the entire 7 kilometers up the mountain. They are, at times, quite steep. Along the way are numerous capitalist locals selling everything from Coca-Cola to instant noodle bowls to rides up in a chair mounted on two poles (sedan chair style). I will have to admit that I considered the sedan chair but as I outweighed the two would-be porters combined, I felt that this would not in the best interest of East-West relations.

Tai Shan looking over the city of Tai An - the shining spot is the cable car!

Fortunately for me, there is a cable car at the halfway point that will whisk you to the top for only 49 Yuan (US$5). Camille was gracious enough to ride up with me but David, being the picture of health that he is, walked the whole way up with Jessica.

Upon reaching the top, the view is spectacular. There are numerous temples at the top as well as hotels, restaurants, a whole village really. We met up with David and Jessica and toasted our adventure with a couple of Qing-Dao's (beer) and some cha-shui (tea). We found Chinese PLA (people's Liberation Army) greatcoats in the closet of our hotel room so we naturally donned them and went out for a stroll around the village at the summit of Tai Shan. Needless to say, this brought a lot of smile from the locals.

Our good friends David & Jessica.

Dinner that evening was a feeding frenzy I believe none of us will ever forget. We ate at the restaurant in the hotel (no english spoken) and the meal was a flat rate buffet-style affair. The Chinese kept coming in until the room was filled with conversation and the sound of chopsticks. The diners seemed to come in waves, each time more food was added to the buffet, it was quickly descended on by people as if we all were on the edge of starvation. As the only foreigners there, the locals kept an eye on us to see how well we handled the food. Naturally, we held our own quite well.

The main purpose of ascending Tai Shan is to guarantee longevity for yourself. Allegedly, ascending Tai Shan adds years to one's life although I'm not sure how a cable car ride diminishes the effect. Another purpose is to witness the sunrise from the peak, something seldom witnessed due to the virtually ever-present cloudcover.

Camille among the morning crowd.

The next morning we awoke before sunrise and joined thousands of Chinese on the rocky summit to witness the sunrise. Due to the fog, the scene awaiting us looked more like something out of Dante's inferno. Periodically, the swirling mists revealed people clustered onto rocks like so many walruses. It was truly an incredible scene. Unfortunately, the sun didn't show its face until about an hour after sunrise when, as the mist burned off, we were treated to spectacular views from the summit.

The other purpose of trip to the summit of Tai Shan is to make a profound proclamation. Confucius was quoted as stating "The world is small." Chairman Mao observation from the top was "The East is red." My own observation was "Which way to the cable car"? I believe David remarked "How about another scotch"?

A view from the summit.

After our trip to the top of Tai Shan, we returned to Tai An and got a taxi to the nearby city of Qufu - home of Kong Fu Ji (Confucius). We walked through the streets, again, with no other westerners in sight. Apparently the westerners who go to China go to Beijing and Xian, and NOWHERE else. We walked for a couple of hours through the family compound and temples of the Kong clan, and then retired to a restaurant for another lunch. Shandong province, home of Qufu and Tai Shan is known for its green onions. The preferred method of eating them is to roll them up in a paper-thin bit of bread-like stuff with some brown sauce. Not bad at all - especially good with a Qing-Dao!

A temple in the Kong (Confucius) Family compound.

Our trip home by train to Tianjin was uneventful but enjoyable. We went all out and spent about 110 Yuan (US$12) each for a private room and had a wonderful look at the rural countryside for the 6-hour trip home.

Our friend David, on the train back to Tianjin.