Pilgrims' progress

It was while watching the sunrise on Taishan Mountain that Confucius declared "The world is small" and Mao Zedong added his own nugget, "The East is red". In fact, emperors have been visiting the sacred spot for more than 2,000 years to pay homage and offer sacrifices to the gods. Ancient literary figures have also made regular pilgrimages, leaving innumerable poems and inscriptions.