Mount Wudang

About Mount Wudang, there are few mountains like it, where 'every five miles there is a hermitage, every ten miles a palace; with verdant tiles and red walls, the view is exquisite and delicate', blending ancient architecture with nature so harmoniously. Some are built on the peaks of high mountains, some hidden within sheer cliffs, and others nestled in the dense forests, forming a rare mountain forest architectural complex on the land of China. The entire complex is strictly laid out according to the story of the True Warrior's cultivation to immortality, using royal architectural regulations, allowing the majestic mountain to soar into the world, achieving the artistic conception of 'a fairyland with jade palaces'. From an aerial view, there is a profound and transcendent artistic effect, naturally formed, fully embodying the philosophy of 'the unity of heaven and man'. No wonder Mount Wudang is hailed as 'a museum of ancient Chinese architectural achievements'. The ancient architectural complex of Mount Wudang was first built during the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan era (627-649 AD), with construction during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the tenth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Di, in order to strengthen imperial power, ordered the construction of palaces and temples on Mount Wudang, building a large number of Taoist palaces, temples, shrines, and monasteries centered around the Golden Summit, establishing the pattern of the architectural complex of Mount Wudang, and becoming the largest royal Taoist architectural complex of the Ming Dynasty, representing the highest level of Taoist architecture and art of the Ming Dynasty in China. In May 1994, after inspecting Mount Wudang, UNESCO experts Mr. Kostler and Mr. Sumenta praised it as 'one of the most beautiful places in the world' and 'China's great history still resides in Mount Wudang'. On December 15, 1994, the architectural complex of Mount Wudang was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site. Perhaps, the natural scenery of Mount Wudang is not so outstanding on its own, but it excels in the profound integration of ancient Taoist culture and Taoist architectural complexes, making it impossible for visitors to separate nature from architecture while touring Mount Wudang, as if the two were inherently one, as if it was meant to be this way. Mount Wudang is known as 'an unparalleled scenic spot through the ages, the number one fairy mountain in the world', and is famous for its status as 'the crown of the Five Sacred Mountains', where 'all four famous mountains bow down, and the five directional sacred peaks pay homage'. Since the Tang Dynasty, emperors of successive dynasties have conferred titles on Mount Wudang. During the Tang Dynasty, it was one of the 'seventy-two blessed lands'; in the eighth year of Yuan Dade, it was titled 'Wudang Blessed Land'; in the fifteenth year of Ming Yongle, it was titled 'Great Yue', ranking above the Five Sacred Mountains; in the thirty-first year of Ming Jiajing, it was titled 'Xuan Yue of the Governing Era', and revered as the 'imperial family temple'. Here, the purple aura lingers all year round, the clouds and mist are enchanting, the peaks are rugged and steep, the atmosphere is majestic, and everywhere reveals the mysterious and ethereal realm of the Wudang fairyland. At the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng achieved great success and founded the world-famous Wudang Sect, known as 'Shaolin is revered in the north, Wudang is honored in the south', attracting countless domestic and foreign tourists to come and learn. Where the thousand mountains converge, the land winds like a jade belt, and the story of Tai Chi begins here. Among the forests and vegetation, there are legendary stories filled with a combination of strength and softness, flowing like clouds and water, embracing all rivers.