Chapter I Why is the term “the Central Kingdom”? 1
Chapter II Mount Songshan: The Center of Heaven and Earth 9
Chapter III The Nation’s Grand Events: The Three Han Que Gates, the Zhongyue Temple and Sacrifices on Mountains 45
Section One The Three Han Que Gates: The Earliest Tangible Evidence to Sacrifices on Mountains 46
Section Two From the Taishi Shrine to the Zhongyue Temple: Sacrifices on the Central Sacred Mountain 58
Chapter IV The Observatory in the Center of Earth: The World of Astronomy in Ancient China 73
Section One Culture Reflected in Astronomy 75
Section Two Obsession with “the Center of Earth” in Ancient China 78
Section Three The Giant Sundial Built by Guo Shoujing at the Center of Earth 88
Chapter V The Chan Buddhism and Martial Art: Localization of Buddhism at Mount Songshan 97
Section One The Cradle of the Chan Buddhism Deep in the Luxuriant Woods of Mount Shaoshi 98
Section Two The Huishan Temple: A Witness to the Growth of Chinese Chan Buddhism 108
Section Three Motion and Tranquility: Martial Art and Chan 114
Chapter VI The Songyang Academy of Classical Learning: A Frontier of New Confucianism 125
Section One An academy Growing out of a Temple 126
Section Two A Place of Rebirth of Confucianism: The Witness to the Crisis and Rejuvenation of Confucianism 136
Chapter VII Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism at Mount Songshan: From Rivals to Being in Harmony 143
Section One Taoism: The First Step on Mount Songshan 144
Section Two Harmony Between Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism at Mount Songshan 150
Chapter VIII An Architectural Epitome 161
Section One An Example of the Official Architecture: Yingzao Fashi and the Main Hall of the Chuzu Temple 162
Section Two Innumerable pagodas in the Pagoda Forest in the Shaolin Temple 174
Section Three A Milestone Work of Chinese Pagodas 186
Epilogue 194
Appendices 196
Appendix I Tour Map of Historic Monuments of Mount Songshan 196
Appendix II Emperors who Offered Sacrifices to Mount Songshan 197
Appendix III The Pagoda Forest of the Shaolin Temple 205
Appendix IV Important Pictures on the Three Han Que Gates 230
Appendix V Important Structures within the Zhongyue Temple 234
Appendix VI Important Steles and Other Cultural Relics at Mount Songshan 238
