Tai'an

Tai'an in central Shandong exists in the shadow of Mount Tai, the foremost of China's Five Great Mountains and a UNESCO World and Cultural Heritage site. For over two thousand years emperors climbed Taishan to perform the sacred fengshan rites, making the mountain a symbol of the Chinese nation. At its foot the grand Dai Temple was the imperial base for these ceremonies. Pilgrims and hikers still ascend the stone stairway past Heaven's Gate to watch sunrise from the summit. The city's cuisine centers on its famous tofu banquet and hand-made pancakes. High-speed rail on the Beijing-Shanghai line stops here, an hour from Jinan.