Taoist retreat offers slice of heaven
Print Edition
Situated in Hubei Province, Wudang Mountain Scenic Area covers an area of 312 square kilometers. Wudang Mountain, also named Taihe, is one of China’s Taoist mountains and a renowned summer resort. It is a nice combination of natural scenery and Taoist culture.
Wudang Mountain has a grand ancient building complex that was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994. It features eight palaces, two Taoist temples, 72 rock temples, 12 pavilions and 10 shrines. More than 5,000 cultural relics are preserved here.
Jinding View is the most famous scenic spot and consists of Chaotian Palace and Taihe Palace. Golden Hall is the main building in Taihe Palace and is regarded as a symbol of Wudang Mountain. It is located on Tianzhu Peak at an elevation of 1,612 meters. The statue of the Truly Martial Grand Emperor, one of the higher-ranking Taoist deities, is enshrined in the hall. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is the biggest copper architecture in China. It’s under state protection. Standing in front of the Golden Hall offers nice views of the mountain and surrounding area.
Zixiao Palace, one of the best-preserved buildings at Wudang Mountain, is the office of the Taoist Association. Taoist religious ceremonies are held here on March 3 and September 9. Statues of the Jade Emperor and two other gods are enshrined in the palace.
Wudang Mountain is in an area with subtropical monsoon climate with an average yearly rainfall of 900 to 1,200 millimeters. The mountain is rich in natural resources because of its temperate climate and moderate rainfall. Regarded as a natural medicine warehouse, Wudang Mounatin has about 612 types of herbs and 400 are recorded in the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” which was compiled by Li Shizhen (1518-93).
The mountain provides a habitat for a large number of rare animals such as macaque, leopard, jackal, otter and more.
The mountain is also the birthplace of Wudang martial arts. Zhang Sanfeng (1247-1458), a Taoist priest, created the style in the early 14th century. It’s core philosophy is overcoming the hard with the soft. An old saying goes that Shaolin Kungfu is the best in the north and Wudang is the best in the south.
Taoist vegetarian food is offered at the mountain. Ingredients include dried bamboo shoots, walnuts and Chinese chestnuts.
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