Tai Shan
/ˌtaɪ ˈʃæn/noun
A sacred mountain in Shandong Province, China, traditionally regarded as the foremost of China’s Five Great Mountains.
Did you know?Chinese emperors traditionally performed封禪 fēngshàn rites at Tai Shan, claiming Heaven’s approval through rituals of sacrifice and proclamation.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
泰山
“A sacred mountain name, literally “great” or “exalted” mountain”
2nd–1st Century BCE
Classical Chinese
泰山
“Mount Tai, associated with Heaven, imperial legitimacy, and ancestor or deity worship”
1st Century BCE
Chinese
封禪
“Fēngshàn rites: imperial sacrifices and ceremonies performed at Tai Shan”
17th–19th Century
European transcription
T’ai Shan
“Older Western romanization of the Chinese mountain name”
20th Century
Mandarin pinyin
Tài Shān
“Standard pinyin form, literally “Great Mountain””
Modern English
English
Tai Shan
“The internationally known English form of Mount Tai”