On the sides of the steps north of the Halfway Gate to Heaven, the double peaks stand facing each other, covered by ten thousand pine trees. This is “the Opposing Pines Mountain” and also called “the Ten Thousand Pine Mountain”. Because of the difference of altitude, the types of vegetation on Mountain Taishan are also different. Lower than 800 meters above sea level, the vegetation is mainly pagoda trees and cypresses; but higher than 800 meters above sea level, the vegetation remains the world of pine trees.
On the mountain, thousands of pines form various shapes in emerald green. The rustling pines and musical springs make a pleasant sound for the ear. Whennever the mountain breeze rise, the soughing of the wind in the pines blows like billows beating the shore, but when cloud and mist appears, the pines seem to be flying like the flood dragons. It is a very grand sight.
About the Opposing Pines Mountain, the ancients had many descriptive phrases. Li Bai said that “the pines might be as high as Heaven, but at a distance they seem to be shorter than a foot”. Qianlong, an emperor of the Qing Dynasty wrote about it in this way, “The most charming scene of Mountain Taishan lies by the extremely marvelous Opposing Pines Mountain”.
Although the two poets used different techniques, both pointed out the features of the Opposing Pines Mountain. In order to let visitors take a short rest at this place, appreciating the pines and listening to the sound, a pavilion called “the Pavilion for Watching the Opposing Pines Mountain” has been built on the western side of the path on the side of the pavilion, the ancients, the sight striking a chord in their hearts, left multitudinous inscriptions to express themselves. |
Asia Travel 
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