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China Elevator Stories
“The Goddess of Mount Tai Protects the Inhabitants of Tai’an”
I chat with the owner of a small toy shop in Tai’an.
28/04/2025
Ruth Silbermayr
Author
It’s April, 2025. I chat with the owner of a small toy shop in Tai’an, in Shandong Province. She asks: “Where are you from?”
I answer: “I’m from Austria.”
“Are you accustomed to life in China yet?”
“Yes, I am.”
“This is a good place to live. At least, it is very safe.”
“That’s true.”
“The old women in Tai’an say that this city is a good place to live because of Mount Tai. The Goddess of Mount Tai protects the inhabitants of Tai’an. Last year, there was a typhoon in Shandong Province, but Tai’an was spared. They say it was because the Goddess of Mount Tai protects Tai’an.”
Have you ever heard of the Goddess of Mount Tai?
This is part of the series ‘Conversations with Locals in China,’ where I share conversations with Chinese people on my blog.