Mount Taibai
| Mount Taibai | |
|---|---|
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,750 m (12,300 ft) |
| Prominence | 2,232 m (7,323 ft) |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Coordinates | 33°57′18″N 107°45′48″E / 33.95500°N 107.76333°ECoordinates: 33°57′18″N 107°45′48″E / 33.95500°N 107.76333°E |
| Geography | |
 Mount Taibai
China
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| Location | Shaanxi, China |
| Parent range | Qinling Range |
Mount Taibai (Chinese: 太白山; pinyin: Tàibái Shān) is a mountain located on the border between Mei, Taibai and Zhouzhi counties in the south west of Shaanxi Province, China. The mount's highest point, Baxian Tower (Chinese: 拔仙台), rises to a height of 3,750 m (12,300 ft) and is the tallest in the Qinling Range, as well as the watershed between the Han River and Wei River. Mount Taibai is also the highest mountain in Eastern China.
During the reign of the legendary, morally perfect Three Sovereigns (c. 2852–2070 BC) Mount Taibai was called Mountain of Rich Goods (pinyin: Dun Wu Shān). During the Xia Dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BC) it was known as Mount Tai Yi, referring to the brightest star in Chinese astrology with all other stars orbiting around it. In Taoism, Tai Yi is a supreme deity and the mountain its physical representation. Furthermore, Tai Yi symbolises Tai Ji, the god who stands for balance and harmony. It was Tai Ji who gave birth to everything and therefore occupies a prominent place in Taoism. The Shui Jing Zhu records: "During the time of Emperor Wu of Han, a Daoist temple already existed on Mount Taibai that was dedicated to Gu Chun, a man recorded in the Lie Xian Zhuan (Chinese: 列仙传)." The Tang Dynasty work Lu Yi Ji (Chinese: 錄異記) says: "The Essence of the Golden Star fell upon the west of Zhongnan's main peak, and thus it was titled Taibai Mountain." Here, the spirit of the Golden Star metamorphosed into magnificent white jade. Ever since, the mountain has been known as Taibai Shan, literally Great (Tài) White (Bái) Mountain (Shān) and Taibai being an ancient Chinese name for the planet Venus. The name Mount Taibai also refers to the permanent snow covering the summit of what is the highest peak in the Qinling range.The great poet Li Bai wrote in his gufeng poem: "How vast is great Taibai / The Stars across its slopes arrayed / From Heaven it stands three hundred li / From Mortal Earth so far away."
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Wikipedia