A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food

By Wang Suo ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2012-07-26

As an old Chinese saying goes,"Food is the paramount necessity of the people." After appreciating ancient buildings, mysterious Taoism culture and Wushu, a tour of Wudang Mountain would still be incomplete without a taste of the genuine Taoist vegetarian food.

A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food

Wudang Taoist vegetarian food is mainly served for Taoist monks and its believers. Instead of meat, eggs and ingredients such as onions and garlic, it features natural food that mostly grows in mountains. Walnuts, chestnuts, kiwifruit and mushrooms, for example, are planted and plucked by Taoist monks. The cuisine is prepared exclusively with vegetable oil.

Wudang Mountain is abundant in green, wild vegetables, which are very nutritious. For hundreds of years, these natural vegetables have been the staple for the Taoist monks of Wudang Mountain. To carefully process the vegetables into the form of meat dishes is the most striking feature of Taoist food. Using monkey-head mushroom, gastrodin, agaric, fern and bamboo sprout to make "Yin and Yang fish", "dried beef" and "Taiji bouilli", these vegetable dishes named after meats are distinct with local flavor.

Taoist banquets have a variety of cold appetizers, hot dishes and delicate dessert,s including royal corn bread, pan-fried corn cake and Taoist pancakes.

A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food
A bite of Wudang: Taoist vegetarian food

The Taoist beliefs of following nature and returning to simplicity are embodied in each dish, leaving people with endless aftertaste and reflection.

Edited by Fu Bo and Chris Clark

 

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