Shigandang of Mount Tai is the succession and development of Sigandang. The consuetude of Shigandang of Mount Tai is the national non-material cultural heritage. It is also a natural folk- custom of China. It dates back to the ancient worship of celestial stone. Although the consuetude of Shigandang of Mount Tai is changing with the time, it has great influence on the Chinese people’s spirit.
In ancient times, there are a lot of worship, one of which is “ Shigandang of Mount Tai”: Stones carved with characters of Shigandang of Mount Tai [泰山石敢当], which are three feet and three inches tall, standing at bridges, communications centres, or being built in the walls of a house, can suppress all evils, which is very popular among the people.
In June 2006, it was included in the first batch of national non-material cultural heritage list.
There is a beautiful legend in it:
Once there lived a young man whose name was Shigandang in a village at the foot of Mount Tai. He was very brave, and showed sympathy for the poor, always taking up the cudgels for the injured party.
A daughter of a family in the south of Tai’an City, who was haunted by a monstert, became sallow and emaciated, so her parent sent for Shigandang.
Shigandang used a spell to drive the monster away, but the monster went to other places to do evil.
Shigandang thought out a way: he asked the mason to carve on the stone his home and name– Shigandang of Mount Tai [泰山石敢当].The evil-haunted family would put this stone outside of their door, so the monster dared not go in.
Since then, the story of getting rid of the evil spirit by Shigandang of Mount Tai has spread far and wide. Therefore, people all carve the five Chinese characters of Shigandang of Mount Tai [泰山石敢当] in stones, and put them at the foot of a wall, in the street, road hub and bridge end to keep their village and home safe.
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