China (2,017 m) – One of the Five Sacred Mountains of China (north) The Mount Heng located in Shanxi province is also known as the Northern Mount Heng in order to distinguish it from its southerly counterpart in Hunan. It is the second highest of China’s Five Sacred Mountains and, not surprisingly, the most northerly. Because of its distance from the more populous areas of … [Read more...]
MOUNT HUA
China (2,155 m) – One of the Five Sacred Mountains of China (west) Mount Hua is the tallest and arguably the most awesome of China’s Five Sacred Mountains. Located in Shaanxi Province, it is the westernmost of the five, and its name literally means “Western Great Mountain”. It has numerous summits and peaks, with the highest point being located on the southern … [Read more...]
BURKHAN KHALDUN
Mongolia (N/A) – Birthplace and Burial Place of Genghis Khan Burkhan Khaldun is the most sacred mountain in Mongolia, and one of the most revered in East Asia that doesn’t have to do with one of the major eastern religions. According to tradition, Burkhan Khaldun was the birthplace of the founder of the Mongol Empire, Ghengis Khan. It also believed to be the site of his … [Read more...]
MOUNT WUDANG & MOUNT QINGCHEN
China (1,612 m and N/A) – Two of the Four Sacred Taoist Mountains of China Mount Wudang and Mount Qingchen are two of the Four Sacred Taoist Mountains of China. Though not part of the list of the Five Sacred Mountains, these two are no less important, and possibly even more interesting historically. The latter of the two, Qingchen is one of the most important sites of Taoism … [Read more...]
MOUNT SANQING
China (1,817 m) – Three Summits of the Taoist Trinity Mount Sanqing is one of the most beautiful and most visited mountains in eastern China. Crowned with three peaks, Sanqing means “Three Pure Ones”, and it is one of the most important mountains in Taoism. The peaks represent the Taoist Trinity, which consists of The Jade Pure One, The Supreme Pure One and The Grand Pure … [Read more...]
MOUNT KAILASH
China (6,638 m) – Home to Shiva in Hinduism and Demchok in Tantric Buddhism Mount Kailash in southwestern China is one of the great peaks of the Tibetan plateau, and one of the holiest mountains in all of Asia. Located near the borders of India and Nepal, the region of the mountain is the source of the Indus River as well as a major tributary of the Ganges River. The exact … [Read more...]
MOUNT WUTAI
China (3,058 m) – One of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China Mount Wutai is another of China’s Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, and considered by some to be the most prominent and important of these. According to tradition, Wutai is the home of Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. The mountain’s name means the “Five Mountain Plateau”, and the north peak of Wutai is … [Read more...]
MOUNT EMEI
China (3,099 m) – One of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China Mount Emei is one of the most beautiful and popular mountains in central China. Although not one of the Five Sacred Mountains, it is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage destinations north of the Himalayas, being counted among the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains. Its name rougly translates to … [Read more...]
HUANGSHAN
China (1,864 m) – China’s Most Iconic Mountain Huangshan is not one of China’s great mountains of the Himalayas, or listed among its most sacred peaks. However, it is without peer China’s most iconic and beloved mountain. Technically a chain of mountains, the jagged peaks of Huangshan are world famous as the most depicted natural feature in centuries of Chinese art. Rising … [Read more...]
K2
China/Pakistan (8,611 m) – 2nd Tallest Mountain in the World/Asia The uninspiringly named K2 is the second highest mountain in the world after Everest. It is the highest peak of the Karakorum Mountains, which is adjacent to the Himalayas where China, India and Pakistan meet. Part of a mountain group that had the designations K1 through K5, the other peaks were later … [Read more...]
