Overview of Wudang Mountain

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2011-07-11

"Mt. Wudang area is certainly one of the most beautiful areas in the world because it combines ancient wisdom, historic architecture and natural beauty."

----- Kaosia, expert of the UNESCO

"The great past of China is still solid in Mountain Wudang."

----- Sumimtardia, expert of the UNESCO

"The paradise in the world and occupied a more prominent position than the other five national famed mountains."

----- Yang Tingbao, Vice-chairman of the World Architect Association

Wudang Mountains, in the northwest of Hubei province, is perhaps the best known of China's Taoist holy mountains. It was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994.

The main tourist attractions, spread over an area of 300 square kilometers, compose a spectacular panorama of traditional Chinese landscape painting.

It’s famous for its prefect combination of the natural and cultural scenery. It is renowned for its beautiful natural scenery, magnificent large-scale ancient building complexes, profound traditional Taoist culture and esoteric, elegant Wudang Kungfu.

Natural beauty

Wudang Mountains is marvelous for its 72 peaks, 36 crags, 24 gullies, 11 cavities and 10 rocks and 9 terrains. The main peak Tianzhu Peak with the elevation of 1,612 meters is called one pillar reaching the sky. The 72 peaks around the Golden Summit (Jinding) just like people submit to their King and its 24 gurgling streams meander through serene valleys.

In different seasons, Wudang Mountains takes on different views. In Spring, all flowers blossom; in summer, the mist envelops; in autumn, oranges turn yellow and sweet-scented osmanthus smell nice; in winter, heavy snow makes it another style.

Ancient building complex

A sprawling ancient building complex in the Wudang Mountains was founded in the heyday in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), but reached its zenith during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when Emperor Zhu Di sent some 300,000 workers who spent 12 years finishing the sacred site. The complex includes nine palaces, eight Taoist temples, 36 religious halls, 72 hillside monasteries, 39 bridges and 12 pavilions.

The impetus for such imperial glamour originated in legends passed down through time that say the prince of Pure Pleasure State came to the Wudang Mountains to nurture his will and power, and has been worshipped ever since. Most of its buildings can be traced to stories about him, including Pure Pleasure Palace built outside the city of Junzhou.

The buildings are centered at Jinding - or Golden Top - of Tianzhu Peak and spread in all directions. The area extends 80 km to the Xiangshui River in the north, 25 km to Yousheng Temple in the south, 50 km to Black Dragon Temple in the west and 35 km to Jieshanshi in the east.

The complex was designed to fit the Taoist principle of harmony between man and nature. Its buildings are cited as a museum of ancient Chinese design and thought. A thousand of years of lightning, storms and winds only make them more magnificent.

The buildings have won wide acclaim in architectural circles. Two United Nations experts wrote that they think the Wudang Mountains are among the beautiful places on earth due to the exquisite architectural achievements that adorn them.

Scared Taoist mountain

The mountain is a famous Taoist center in China with a long history of Taoist practices and profound Taoist culture.

Taoists believe that the legendary Emperor Zhenwu, one of the most influential gods in Taoism, practiced austerities and ascended to heaven as an immortal in the mountain.

Every year, Taoist communities in the mountain hold grand ceremonies to celebrate Emperor Zhenwu's birthday on March 3 of the Chinese Lunar Calendar and his ascension to heaven on September 9 of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

Visiting the temples of Wudang to burn incense for Emperor Zhenwu became popular in the Song Dynasty (920-1279), with tens of thousands of pilgrims journeying to the mountain each year.

As the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty  highly esteemed Wudang, the government granted the mountain the titles of "Taiyue" and "Xuanyue," meaning "the country's most sacred mountain".

Most groups of Taoist pilgrims have names related to Wudang or the gods they believe in.

Before Taoist pilgrims started their journey to Wudang Mountains, they would first hold ceremonies to tell gods of their pilgrimage.

They would then visit their ancestors' graves to honor the dead. After that, they would take a bath and wear clean clothes and set out with the other members of a pilgrimage.

Among Chinese, burning incense in a temple has always been a solemn and grave activity.

It is especially the case for pilgrims of Wudang Mountain. They have a set of strict customs and rituals to follow during the ceremonies.

They must show serious facial expressions and be cautious in making speeches.

The tradition of making pilgrimages to Wudang Mountain goes back more than 1,000 years and is still popular among people.

Wisdom of life through martial arts

Wudang Kungfu, an important school of Chinese Martial Arts, has a very long history. Chinese martial arts of all sorts have a long history and a great diversity of methods and styles. Generally speaking, they are divided into two big schools: the south and the north.

The north school originated from the Shaolin Temple of Songshan Mountain, the Holy Land of Buddhism, and is called the Shaolin Sector with its boxing called Waijiaquan, known as External Kungfu. The south school originated from Wudang Mountain, the Holy Land of Taoism, and is called the Wudang Sector with its boxing called Neijiaquan, known as Wudang Internal Kungfu.

Thus Wudang and Shaolin are considered the two main types of Chinese martial arts. Wudang martial arts are a great contribution of Wudang Taoism, which is a famous branch of Chinese Taoism.

Wudang Kungfu, as a culture, took root in the fertile soil of the thousand-year-old Chinese civilization, and contains profound Chinese philosophical theories combined with the traditional notions of Taiji (shadow boxing), Eight-diagram and Xingyi, converted into boxing theories and skills.

It is said that the father of Wudang Internal Kungfu is Zhang Sanfeng. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), he created the Wudang Sector on the basis of the theory of alchemy.

Besides the vigorous North School and Benshan School Taiji, the four modern Taiji schools are all derived from the same origin. They all share the same score theory of Yin and Yang, Eight-diagram and Five-elements.

Aimed at maintaining good health, prolonging lifespan as well as self-defense, Taiji Boxing has many features such as defeating a tough rival with a soft approach, winning by striking only after the opponent has struck, deflecting a forceful thrust with a tiny amount of force, and is also effective in prolonging lifespan and developing wisdom.

Influenced by the Taoist idea of "self-protection and self-cultivation in isolation", the skills of Wudang Kungfu are characterized by not taking the initiative in an attack, as "removing is fighting, and fighting is removing".

The rich philosophical ideas in Taiji deal with balance between Yin and Yang, compatibility of strong and soft, the complementarity of the dynamic and static, and harmony between human beings and nature, which make Taiji not only a martial arts theory, but also a store of profound wisdom of life. With this wisdom, man can judge the external world sensibly, and improve the internal world beneficially.

For centuries, Wudang Kungfu has respected Zhang Sanfeng as a flagbearer, deriving various schools from one origin. With development through many succeeding generations, Wudang Boxing has become an important genre among Chinese martial arts, enjoying good reputation both at home and abroad, with a long and profound influence.

Because of his enormous contributions, Zhang Sanfeng is greatly respected by people. Wudang Taiji interprets the collective wisdom of the Chinese nation and spreads oriental philosophy and esthetic sense in the practice of internal Kungfu and cultivation of the body and mind.

Through its merits of practicing skills and maintaining health, the Taiji culture draws worldwide attention and enjoyment.