Editing Mount Tai (section)

==Location==
[[File:Jade Emperor Peak 50477-Taishan (49055678751).jpg|thumb|''Jade Emperor Peak'', the summit of Mount Tai]]
[[File:Jade Emperor Peak 50346-Taishan (49055160718).jpg|thumb|Path to the summit]]

Mount Tai is located in western [[Shandong]], just north of the city of [[Tai'an]] and to the south of the provincial capital [[Jinan]]. It extends from {{convert|150|-|1545|m|ft|sp=us}} above sea level and covers an area of {{convert|426|km2|abbr=on}} at its base. The Jade Emperor Peak, which rises {{convert|1532.7|m|sp=us}}} above sea level, is located at 36° 16′N and 117°&nbsp;6′E.

=== Geological origin speculation ===
Mount Tai was formed in the middle of the [[Cenozoic]] about 30 million years ago. The stratum of Mount Tai is ancient, mainly composed of several ancient rocks such as mixed rock, mixed [[granite]] and various [[gneiss]].
The government prevents exploration of the caves, for they are unassessed and potentially dangerous. 
The Luxi region (including Mount Tai) used to be a huge subsiding belt or sea canal. The [[orogeny]] made the rock layers on the subsidence zone [[Fold (geology)|folded]] and uplifted into ancient land, forming a huge mountain system, which has experienced 2 billion years of [[weathering]] and denudation, and the terrain has gradually become flat. About 600 million years ago, Mount Tai sank into the sea again. After more than 100 million years, the entire area rose to land again, and the ancient Mount Tai uplifted into a relatively low barren hill. In the late [[Mesozoic]] period about 100 million years ago, due to the extrusion and subduction of the [[Pacific Plate|Pacific plate]] to the [[Eurasian Plate]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Yang|first1=Changqing|last2=Han|first2=Baofu|last3=Yang|first3=Chuansheng|last4=Yang|first4=Yanqiu|last5=Sun|first5=Jin|last6=Yu|first6=Fusheng|date=2020|title=Mesozoic basin evolution of the East China Sea Shelf and tectonic system transition in Southeast China|journal=Geological Journal|language=en|volume=55|issue=1|pages=239–252|doi=10.1002/gj.3409|issn=1099-1034|doi-access=free}}</ref> the Taishan stratum experienced extensive folds and fractures under the influence of the [[Yanshanian]]. During the crustal movement above, Mount Tai was rapidly uplifted. In the mid-[[Cenozoic]] period about 30 million years ago, the outline of Mount Tai as it is known today was formed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=泰安市人民政府 地质公园知识 泰山的年龄|url=http://www.taian.gov.cn/art/2011/2/24/art_50729_4076390.html|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.taian.gov.cn}}</ref>

=== Climatic vegetation ===
Due to its height, Mount Tai has a vertical climate gradient. The lower part of the mountain is a warm temperate zone and the top of the mountain is a medium temperate zone. The mountain is cloudy and foggy, with an average annual [[precipitation]] of 1132mm, while the surrounding area receives only 750mm. Taishan scattering coverage rate reaches 80%.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=世界自然与文化遗产——泰山|url=http://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241131.htm|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.gov.cn|archive-date=2021-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504031018/http://www.gov.cn/test/2006-03/31/content_241131.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> On the foothills, [[deciduous]] [[forest]]s, broad-leaved coniferous mixed forests, [[Conifer]]ous forest, alpine [[shrub]]s and grass can be seen in sequence. The vertical boundaries of the forest belts are distinct and the vegetation landscapes are different. There are 989 species of seed plants in 144 families, including 433 species of [[woody plant]]s in 72 families, 556 species of [[herbaceous plant]]s in 72 families, and 462 species of medicinal plants in 111 families.<ref name=":1" />