《岱史》Vol. 5

Mount Tai (Dai Zong), as the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains, has undergone numerous administrative jurisdiction changes throughout history. This passage details the evolution of administrative divisions surrounding Mount Tai from ancient times to the Ming dynasty.

In antiquity, the "Tribute of Yu" (Yu Gong) records Mount Tai as belonging to Qingzhou territory. During the Zhou dynasty, the "Rites of Zhou" (Zhou Li) assigned it to Yanzhou, specifically designating Mount Tai as Yanzhou's "guardian mountain" (a mountain of strategic importance). During the Warring States period, it fell under Boyi in the Qi state, and in the Qin dynasty, it was administered by Qi Commandery. The Han dynasty established Mount Tai Commandery, with its seat at Fenggao County (northeast of present-day Tai'an), where Emperor Wu of Han frequently conducted sacrificial ceremonies to Mount Tai.

Notably, the Ming dynasty elevated Mount Tai's administrative status from county-level to prefecture-level, naming it "Tai'an Prefecture" (meaning "When Mount Tai is at peace, all under heaven is secure"). This prefecture directly managed imperial sacrifices to Mount Tai. This elevation reflected both Mount Tai's strategic position as "majestically guarding the eastern approach to the capital" and its economic significance as a crucial hub for the Grand Canal water transport system, earning it the description as "the cornerstone of national stability."

The text concludes with a comparative table of historical administrative divisions: During the reigns of Yao and Shun, it belonged to Qingzhou, continuing through the Xia and Shang dynasties; in the Zhou dynasty, it was part of Yanzhou while simultaneously being territory of the Lu state (as depicted in the "Book of Songs" line "lofty stands Mount Tai"); during the Warring States period it returned to Qi's Boyi; Qin dynasty saw it under Qi Commandery; Han dynasty established Mount Tai Commandery with Fenggao County as its seat; Jin dynasty maintained it under Yanzhou's Mount Tai Commandery. These changes reflect Mount Tai's enduring political and geographical significance.

This passage primarily documents the changes in administrative divisions of Mount Tai (Dai Shan) across different dynasties, along with the imperial Fengshan sacrificial rituals performed by successive emperors.

From the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty, the administrative jurisdiction of Mount Tai underwent multiple changes: during the Liu Song Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, it belonged to Fenggao County within Taishan Commandery of Yanzhou; the Northern Wei Dynasty maintained the same designation under Yanzhou's Taishan Commandery; the Sui Dynasty renamed it Daishan County; the Tang Dynasty changed it to Qianfeng County; the Song Dynasty redesignated it as Fengfu County; during the Jin and Yuan periods, it was elevated to Tai'an Prefecture; and finally incorporated into Jinan Prefecture during the Ming Dynasty.

Imperial veneration for Mount Tai progressively intensified: Emperor Gaozong of Tang renamed Daishan County as Qianfeng County; Emperor Xuanzong of Tang conferred upon the mountain deity the title "Heavenly Equal King" (Tianqi Wang); Emperor Zhenzong of Song elevated it further to "Benevolent Sage King of Great Qi" (Taishan Daqi Rensheng Wang), later honoring it as "Benevolent Sage Emperor" (Rensheng Di); the Yuan Dynasty bestowed the title "Great Life-Giving Benevolent Sage Emperor of Heavenly Equal Mount Tai" (Taishan Tianqi Dasheng Rensheng Di); and during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the standardized designation "Divine Lord of the Eastern Peak" (Dongyue Zhi Shen) was established.

The text also references the table of contents from the second volume of Dai Shi (Records of Mount Tai), which chronicles Fengshan rituals from ancient times through the Ming Dynasty, including accounts from: the Xia Hou clan, Zhou Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang (with Li Si's seal-script Fengshan inscriptions), Emperor Wu of Han (documented in Sima Qian's Fengshan Treatise and Ban Gu's White Tiger Discussions), Emperor Guangwu of Han's edict declining the ritual, Emperor Zhang of Han, Emperor An of Han, Emperor Ming of Wei, Emperor Wen of Sui's memorial abstaining from Fengshan, and Emperor Taizong of Tang's discourse on refusing the ceremony.

The Fengshan ritual represented the highest ceremonial form where ancient emperors worshipped heaven and earth at Mount Tai, symbolizing the Mandate of Heaven. As the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains, successive dynasties employed Fengshan ceremonies and progressive divine titles to manifest their legitimate sovereignty.

This passage presents the table of contents from The History of Mount Tai (Daishi) concerning the historical records of the Fengshan sacrifices (ancient imperial heaven-worship ceremonies performed on Mount Tai). The main contents include:

Documents related to Fengshan ceremonies performed by successive emperors, such as the jade tablet inscriptions (imperial prayer texts carved on jade slabs) of Emperor Gaozong and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and Emperor Zhenzong of Song, along with memorials from officials like Luo Binwang's petition requesting Qizhou elders to accompany the Fengshan rites, and Sun Shi's admonition to Emperor Zhenzong of Song.

Attitudes toward Fengshan across dynasties from Tang to Ming are recorded, such as Emperor Taizong of Song's refusal to perform the ceremony and the Yongle Emperor (Zhu Di) of Ming's abandonment of the practice. Also included are Confucian scholars' discourses on Fengshan, featuring perspectives from figures like Sima Hu of Han, Xu Mao of Liang, and Hu Zhitang of Song.

A detailed chronological listing of imperial sacrifices at Mount Tai from the legendary era of Tang Yu to the Wanli period of Ming, covering rulers from Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Wen of Wei, Emperor Cheng of Jin, and particularly Ming emperors including Hongwu, Yongle, Xuande through Wanli—nearly every Ming emperor conducted sacrificial rites at Mount Tai.

The final section catalogues officials who participated in these ceremonies, such as Gao Yun of Wei, Ouyang Xiu and Zeng Gong of Song, along with numerous Ming officials including Chen Fengwu and Xu Yingyuan. Parenthetical notes clarify that these names follow chronological rather than hierarchical order, preserving complete surnames and given names for historical transmission.