Taishan Legends

Taishan legends are a body of oral literature collectively created by the people around Mount Tai over many centuries, arising from primal nature worship and gradually absorbing the imperial rites of Mount Tai, the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism, and popular belief. They entered the second Shandong provincial ICH list in 2009 and the third national ICH list by State Council decree in 2011, project number I-105, under folk literature.

Taishan legends are passed on chiefly by word of mouth in lively, vivid language, told at no fixed time or place; their content ranges from the origin of peaks and rivers to gods and immortals, imperial rites and local customs, an oral encyclopaedia of Mount Tai culture.

Taishan legends are a vital oral heritage for the study of Mount Tai culture and Chinese mountain worship, carrying the people's awe, imagination and feeling for the mountain and holding real literary and folkloric value.