Mt. Wudang

Mount Wudang, also known as Wudangshan or simply Wudang, is a small mountain range in the Hubei province of China, just near the city of Danjiangkou. It was called Mount TaiHe or Mount XuanYue in the past. There are 72 peaks, 36 cliffs, 24 gullies, 3 lakes, 9 springs and 10 ponds there. The main peak, Tianzhu Peak, has an altitude of 1,612 m.

In years past, the mountains of Wudang were known for the many Taoist monasteries to be found there, monasteries which became known as an academic center for the research, teaching and practice of meditation, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Taoist agriculture practices and related arts. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220AD), the mountain attracted the Emperor's attention. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the first site of worship - the Five Dragon Temple - was constructed. The monasteries were emptied, damaged and then neglected during and after the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, but the Wudang Mountains have lately become increasingly popular with tourists from elsewhere in China and abroad due to their scenic location and historical interest.

Wudangshan is a scenic resort perfectly integrating natural landscape with manmade buildings. Taoist temples are prominent here. During the reign of Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty (627-649 A.C.), the Wulong (Five Dragons) Temple was built. As the time went on to Song Dynasty, the Taoism mode based upon the worshipping Emperor Zhenwu and serving feudal administration developed to the prime phase. And in 1412, Emperor Zhu Di of Ming Dynasty, an enthusiastic Taoist, ordered the construction of 33 temples, which were completed in 1423. The various Taoist structures cover a total area of 1.6 million sq. m. Among them, the most magnificent temple is the Golden Hall, which is made of fine copper on a granite foundation. The seated Taoist figure in the hall is cast so exquisitely that it is regarded as a masterpiece representing the highest level of ancient China's copper casting. The monasteries and buildings were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Mt. Wudangshan is well vegetated and boasts rich plant resources. About 600 kinds of Chinese herbs, one third of the total recorded in the encyclopedic Compendium of Materia Medica written by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, grow on the mountain. For this reason, the mountain is also famous as a natural drugstore.