Climb the sacred Mount Wudang and enjoy the sea of clouds; experience the magic of Taiji and discover harmony with nature.
On this trip, I travelled to Wudangshan, the world-famous sacred site of Taijiquan in Shiyan, Hubei Province. It has long been a central place of worship for Quanzhen Daoism. Upon entering the mountain gate, the multi-storey ancient buildings stretch along the mountain slopes; the Zixiao Palace, with its red walls and black tiles, is nestled amongst lush bamboo groves and woodlands, enveloped in a gentle wisp of incense smoke amidst peaceful tranquillity.
The Golden Summit is perched on Tianzhu Peak. From the top, one looks out over billowing seas of clouds and endless green mountains, conveying an overwhelming sense of vastness. All over the mountains, locals practise Taijiquan, their gentle movements blending with the mountain breeze and embodying the Daoist principle of ‘following nature’. We also sampled the vegetarian Daoist dish from the Wudang monasteries, which, in its simplicity, harmonises perfectly with the mountain atmosphere.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, Wudangshan combines breathtaking natural landscapes with a thousand years of Daoist culture and the martial art of Taijiquan. This journey not only allowed me to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, but also to delve deeply into Eastern philosophy and traditional martial arts – an unforgettable experience full of inner peace.
Speaker: Alexander Haase (Source: FITT China Reisen)
