泰山胜迹

文／刁艳杰

图／侯贺良

时光深处，茫茫自然之间，一座雄伟苍健的大山，在齐鲁大地上拔地而起，影照东方。泰山，一个闻名世界的中国符号，于天地造化中，一览众山小。

历经时间雕琢，泰山自成一派景象：每日拂晓时分，万籁俱寂，一轮红日从东方晨曦中喷薄而出，为世间披上红妆；待到雨后初晴，水汽上升，山间涌出平铺万里的浩瀚云海，岿然如仙境；南天门下，十八盘尽显雄伟壮美，险要陡峭的盘路如天门云梯，似要连接天上与人间。

作为华夏文明的象征，泰山既是自然遗产，也是文化遗产。1987年12月，泰山被联合国教科文组织世界遗产委员会列入《世界遗产名录》，成为中国第一个世界文化与自然双遗产。东方、苍天、红日、高山，一系列的特质，让泰山成为古代帝王祭拜天地、宣誓皇权正统的主场。

相较于帝王对泰山的热爱，华夏名士与泰山之间的情感联系则更为密切。“孔子登东山而小鲁，登泰山而小天下。”孔子与泰山的奇妙缘分，成为后世文人无限追捧的对象。故自孔子以来，受儒家文化的影响，历代文人墨客、才子佳人亦登泰山作诗，快慰平生，成就千古佳话。

图／曲业芝

图／侯立峰

图／王立军

In the depths of time,amid nature,a mighty,towering mountain rises straight from the land of Shandong,facing the east.Mount Tai,a world-famous symbol of China,dwarfs all peaks between heaven and earth.

Over time,Mount Tai has formed its unique scenes:at dawn every morning,when all things are still,a red sun comes out from the east,adding red to the earth;when the sky is clear after rain,with the condensation of water vapor,a vast sea of clouds spread over the mountain,like a fairyland;under the Southern Heavenly Gate,the Eighteen Bends showcases its majestic splendor,and the steep and dangerous winding path seems like a sky ladder connecting heaven and earth.

As a symbol of the Chinese civilization,Mount Tai is not only a natural heritage site,but also a cultural heritage site.In December 1987,Mount Tai was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee,becoming China’s first double heritage of world culture and nature.With a series of characteristics,e.g.the east,the sky,the red sun and the high mountain,Mount Tai became a place where ancient emperors offered sacrifices to heaven and earth,and announced the legitimacy of imperial power.

Compared with the emperors’fondness for Mount Tai,the emotional connection between Chinese celebrities and Mount Tai is closer.“Confucius ascended the eastern hill,and Lu appeared small.He ascended Mount Tai,and all beneath the heavens appeared small.” The marvelous connection between Confucius and Mount Tai has been popular among later generations of men of letters.Thus,influenced by the Confucian culture,following Confucius,the men of letters,gifted scholars and beautiful ladies of past ages also ascended the mountain to write poems and seek relief and pleasure,creating much-told stories.