Wudang Mountain -- A Taoist Holy Land Wudang Mountain -- A Taoist Holy Land: The World of Martial Arts

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Wudang Mountain is one of China's four famous Taoist mountains, hence it is shrouded in many wonderful and moving legends. It is said that the Zhenwu Dadi (Divine Emperor of the North) practiced and achieved enlightenment here, leading to the saying "Only Zhenwu is worthy of the name," and the name "Wudang" also originated from this. If you are interested, you can continue to share with me the excitement of visiting Wudang Mountain. To visit Wudang Mountain, of course, you must first arrive in Jun County. In "Jun County," you can see "Wudang" Mountain from a glance. Every five miles, there is a temple, stretching from the foot of the mountain up to the "Golden Summit" over eighty miles away. It is said that the palaces were built using the resources of the Jiangnan region for seven years, to fulfill Emperor Yongle's dream of visiting himself once. To this day, many legends remain in the mouths of the elderly.
Going further up, there is a "Needle-Milling Well" (now actually called Fuzhen Guan). Legend has it that the "Wudang True Person" went here to study Taoism but failed, facing great hardships and suffering. His heart grew cold. There, he encountered an old woman grinding a large iron pestle on a stone. Curious, he asked, "Grandma, what are you doing?" "I'm grinding a needle." As he pondered these words, the old woman vanished in an instant. The Wudang True Person finally succeeded, leaving behind a well and an iron pestle to inspire people to this day.
On the ancient Wudang pilgrimage path to the Golden Summit, there is a cave in the cliffs of Zigai Peak. The air inside is dry yet not arid, moist yet not damp, always cool and refreshing throughout the seasons. Locals say this is a place long desired by those who practice cultivation. The Huanglong Cave is actually a natural rock house, which has been expanded and renovated by generations of cultivators. Here, structures like the Huanglong Hall, Zhenwu Pavilion, Yewang Hall, and Shenquan Pavilion have been added, giving it a more mysterious and profound aura.
There is a spring in Huanglong Cave that never runs dry. Legend says a yellow dragon achieved enlightenment here and left behind a divine pill in gratitude for the mountain's nurturing. The water from this spring is clear, sweet, and believed to cure all illnesses. While legends may be just that, the historical fact is that the great Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen came to Wudang to gather herbs and lived here. Records show that Li Shizhen revised his monumental work Bencao Gangmu in Huanglong Cave and recorded over 800 precious Wudang herbs in it.
Huanglong Cave is closely tied to Wudang medicine. Wudang has long been known as "Ten Taoists, Nine Doctors," meaning nine out of ten Taoists are skilled in healing. This is partly due to their long pursuit of cultivation for longevity, but objectively, it has contributed to the study and application of Wudang medicine.
On the Golden Summit stands a golden hall (actually a golden pavilion), with walls that appear all gold (though they are actually copper). Yet, it cannot be opened without gold. The "attendant" holds a key in one hand and a collection box in the other. At the top of the mountain, there is a temple with a teahouse. If you buy some tea here to give away, it is delicious, as it is grown right on "Wudang" Mountain!
The golden pavilion stands atop the peak, exuding an imposing "reigning over the world" aura, embodying the spirit of "all mountains bow to me alone." Along the path to the Golden Summit is the largest and best-preserved of the mountain's sixteen shrines. It is also time to mention the burning of "Dragon Heads."
Behind a large temple lies an abyss thousands of feet deep. A stone dragon, as thick as a barrel, extends over a hundred feet from its body. Its scales are carved, and atop its head is a large incense burner. During religious festivals, thousands of devout followers come from far and wide, carrying flags, drums, and paper offerings. They come to light an incense before the "Ancestor" and bow in reverence. Some, for their parents or themselves, make grand vows and climb the dragon's carved scales step by step to the head, light an incense, and then return. Many sons and believers risk falling into the dizzying abyss, swept away by the June rains for dozens of miles. The result? A "lack of sincerity." Of course, this is all in the distant past, and burning dragon heads is now strictly prohibited.
Among the thirty-six cliffs of Wudang, the most beautiful is Nan Rock Palace (as I heard from others, haha, and I think so too). Nan Rock Palace, also known as Duyang Rock or Zixiao Rock, is a sacred realm in Taoism where the Divine Emperor of the North achieved enlightenment and ascended. The Nan Rock peak is steep, with lush green forests stretching upward to the blue sky and downward to the cliff. Legend has it that Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals, practiced here during the Tang Dynasty, and his poem remains to this day. Historical records praise Nan Rock as "divided into courtyards, morning bells and evening lights, with the mountain echoing and the valleys trembling." Here, "morning bells and evening lights" refers to the well-arranged architecture, which, at night, becomes a unique sight.
Lingxu Cliff is located south of the Taoyuan Peak under the Wulong Palace, about five li away from it. From the pass of Wulong Palace, the vast green forests stretch endlessly, with no trace of Taoist temples. This reminds one of the famous riddle, "Deep mountains hide ancient temples."
Near Lingxu Cliff, the slopes are covered in chrysanthemums. When snow covers Wudang Mountain, everything is silver, but Lingxu Cliff sparkles with golden light and fills the air with fragrance. Lingxu Cliff is not large, housing a Yuan Dynasty brick hall where images of Chen Tuan and Lü Dongbin were once enshrined. The path to the cliff cave is lined with stone steps, railings, and gates. Now, lush green bamboos cover everything, as if whispering to people, "This is a place long forgotten by tourists."