For nearly 3,000 years, people have been making the pilgrimage to the top of Taishan in East China's Shandong Province. The mountain is the most revered of China's five sacred mountains, which legend has it were formed by the limbs and head of Pan Gu.

Pan Gu had the job of separating the earth and the sea and when he had finished, the strain of his endeavors caused him to disintegrate. His head became Taishan.

Climbing the 7.5km to the top of Taishan up 6,600 steps to reach its summit (which stands 1,545m above sea level) is certainly strenuous, but I don't remember seeing anyone disintegrating on the way up! Everyone seemed to have all their limbs and heads intact when they reached the top.

If you are seeking a solitary experience on a mountaintop, watching the sun rise and communing with nature, Taishan is not the place. Every day, hundreds of people climb the mountain in order to experience the sunrise the following morning. It was once believed that the sun began its westward journey from Taishan and also that reaching the top of Taishan would mean you lived to be 100. In imperial days, successfully climbing Taishan was seen as divine approval for an emperor.

Fortunately I had seen pictures and read enough about Taishan to be aware that I was not going to be experiencing beautiful solitude. Not only are there several hotels and restaurants on the summit, but there are people selling food, souvenirs and hiring out People's Liberation Army great coats to protect against the biting cold.

There are also two cable cars running up to the top for those not up to tackling the 6,600 steps.

But as long as you are prepared for all that, the experience is a breathtaking one.

The central route

Tai'an is in Shandong Province, about an hour south of the provincial capital Ji'nan by train. It's about seven hours from Beijing and nine and a half from Shanghai. The ideal way to tackle the mountain is to arrive in time to start climbing the more interesting of the two routes up, the Central Route, so that you arrive at the summit as the sun sets.

Then you can spend the night at one of the hotels on the summit and watch the sunrise the following morning (assuming that you haven't frozen to death in the meantime!).

The Central route is littered with a fascinating array of interesting sights. From the first step, when you pass through the Red Palace Gate, the way is lined with rocks bearing calligraphic inscriptions, temples such as the one dedicated to the Princess of the Azure Clouds, gnarled trees (the Welcoming Pine) and a number of celestial gateways.

Each point of interest is well signed in English and Chinese, explaining its significance. The sights are so numerous that there is never a dull moment. The route is also thick with stalls, restaurants, people trying to sell you souvenirs and even people offering sedan chair rides, all adding to the entertainment.

On arrival at the summit, there are a number of hotel options. We had booked a room at the Shenqi Binguan, a three star hotel that includes the complimentary loan of army great coats, a dawn wake-up call and breakfast after the sunrise in its price. (It also had a beauty parlour, sauna and karaoke!).

It is well worth booking in advance, so that you have the reassurance of knowing you have a room to greet you when you stumble onto the summit, although you will also be greeted by a crowd of people offering you "a good deal" on a hotel room, if you haven't!

In mid-October, despite beautiful autumn weather, the night time temperature on the summit still dipped below zero. It has to be said that the hotel room was also freezing and the army great coats proved invaluable as extra bed clothes. Extra layers of warm clothes are essential!

The wake up call came at 5:30am. The temperature in the room had yet to climb into positive numbers and I had trouble persuading myself that I really wanted to get up, put on yet more clothes and go and watch something that actually takes place every day. Could it really be that special, I asked myself?

Yes. Definitely.

First glimpse

Standing by the Northern Prayer Rock, wearing six layers of clothes, surrounded by a murmuring crowd of expectant people wearing army great coats, it really was worth it.

There was actually an air of excitement as the sky grew orange and, as the first part of the disk of the sun appeared over the horizon, a round of applause broke out, as if the sun had achieved something particularly special that morning. The sunrise was absolutely stunning. We were lucky to have a clear morning and views stretched out over the surrounding mountains, as they poked through a layer of orange and pink clouds.

Apparently when he watched the sunrise from Taishan, Confucius said: "The world is small." In the same situation, Mao proclaimed, "The east is red." My own contribution was less philosophical: "My camera won't work." Unfortunately, either the cold or the sheer beauty of the sunrise stunned it into slow motion and I just couldn't take pictures.

My pilgrimage up Taishan had given me much - a lasting memory (and despite the complaints about my camera, a few photos) of a truly beautiful sunrise in a very special place, a chance to wear an army great coat, very sore calf muscles - and the knowledge that I will now live to be 100!

(Shanghai Star December 11, 2003)