Facts
Phone Code: 0538
Postal Code: 271000
Area: 7,761 square kilometers (2,997 square miles)
Population: 5,560,000 (2010 statistics)
Nationality: Han, Hui, Manchu, Mongolian, Chaoxian
Location: Tai’an City is located in the center of the Shangdong Province. It neighbours Jinan in the North, Qufu in the South, Zibo in the East and the Yellow River in the West. The longitude is between 116°20′ E and 117°59′ E, while the latitude is 35°38′ N to 36°28′ N.
Physical Features: Lies within the Luzhong Mountains, Tai’an consists of mountains, hills, plains, swales and lakes. The well-know Mt. Tai is located in the North of the city and stretches all the way eastward to Laiwu City. The Dongping Lake in the Dongping County is the largest fresh water lake in the city, around which many swales lies.
History: Evidence of humans dating back to 500,000 years ago has been discovered in the city. The Taixin People of 50,000 years ago was also excavated in Tai’an. The Dawenkou Cultural Site of 5,000 years ago was an important milestone of the Chinese civilization. Mt. Tai has long been a divine mountain for the emperors to worship the God of Heave.
Attractions: Tai’an City is known for Mount Tai. Of the top five mountains in China Mount Tai is number one and is also considered as the number one mountain under Heaven for its long history, profound cultural background, majesty and rich geologic resources. The Taishan Mountain International Climbing Festival is held from September 6 to 9 every year. The Culai Mountain, which is considered the sister mountain of Mount Tai is located in the Cuilai Town Daiyu District. The Cuilai Mountain is famous for its tall steep peaks, verdant forests and cultural relics such as old temples, steles, inscriptions and ancient trees. Mountains would not exist without water. The Dongping Lake accompanies the mountains in Tai’an City. Dongping Lake is believed to be the Liangshan Marsh in the famous classical Chinese novel Water Margin written by Shi Nai’an (1296 - 1371), a Ming-dynasty novelist.
Transportation:
Air: There is no airport in Tai’an. Visitors can fly to Jinan and take the airport shuttle bus to Tai’an City. The bus leaves from the airport at 08:40, 10:30, 15:30 and 16:40 and arrives at the Taishan Hotel. The bus trip takes about 90 minutes and the bus fare is CNY 60.
Train: There are two railway stations in the city, the Tai’an and Taishan railway stations. Visitors wishing to reach Mount Tai directly can take the train to Taishan Station. Most major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu have trains to Taishan. The Tai’an Railway Station operates bullet trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Xuzhou, Qufu, Jinan, Tianjin, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Fuzhou and Zhengzhou.
Bus: Over 200 bus routes operate from Tai’an Bus Terminal and connect the city with counties and towns in Tai’an and other cities. Direct buses leave from the bus station to Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jingsu, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi and Shaanxi. The bus terminal is not far from the Tai’an Railway Station and can be reached by in-city buses No. 2, 5 and 11.
Tai’an Hub of Tourist Dispatch provides short term tour packages in and around Tai’an City, which include tourist bus, guides and entrance fee for attractions.
Weather: The city has a temperate semi-humid monsoon climate with four distinct seasons – a dry and windy spring, a hot but rainy summer, a cool and sunny autumn, and a cold but dry winter. The average annual temperature is 12.9°C (55.2°F). July is the hottest month with the highest temperature averages 26.4°C (79.5°F), while January is the coldest month with lowest temperature averages -2.6°C (27.3°F). It rains a lot in summer, especially in July.
The best time to visit Tai’an is between April and November.
Dining and Shopping
Fried Taishan red squama fish is one of the most famous dishes in Tai’an. Taishan Tofu and wild vegetable meal are also very popular. As for snacks, baked wheat cake, pancakes, Tai’an white sesame cake and Taishan barbeque are all famous snacks available in the city. Visitors can find many local food and snacks on the Qingnian Road.
Tea pots, porcelain tea wares and pen containers made of jujube wood are local products in Tai’an, which you can find in many supermarkets and shops around tourists attractions.
