The Basic Knowledge of the World Cultural Heritage of Wudang Mountains
Updated:2007-12-17
Wudang Mountains is one of the famous World Cultural Heritage, the national scenery area of the first batch, the demon-stration of Chinese civilization, scenery tourist spot and the national 4A tourist area. The Peculiar and Miraculous Scenic Spots in Fairyland. Mount Wudang is also a well-known scenic spot of our country. The main famous sceneries includes 72 peaks , 36 crags, 24 ravines, 11 caves, 3 ponds, 9 brooklets and so on . Tian Zhu Peak ,with an elevation of 1612 meters,is the main peak of Mount Wudang, thrusting itself towards the sky like a pillar holding the sky. Every other surrounding peak is bowing to it ,forming the extraordinary sight of “72peaks bowing to Tian Zhu.”The names of these peaks and crags either come from religious belief or have relationship with fairytales. Because of constant curling up of the clouds and mist within a whole year and unpredicatable climate changes, you can enjoy the wonderful sight of “Dawn breaking on Tian Zhu peak ”, “Rushing tides of clouds on land ” , “Thunder fire cleaning the palace”,”The mirage of the golden palace”,”The moon knocking at the heavenly gate “,etc. Mount Wudang takes on different sights in four seasons of a year. Standing in the middle of China with plentiful rain and warm climate. Mount Wudang is a natural Zoo and plant garden and is also called the treasure house of traditional Chinese medicine. Rare birds and strange animals appear or disappear in the forest: Peculiar flowers and unusual grass scramble for fragrance and beauty. The peculiar natural scenery and moving fairytales give Mount Wudang a mysterious ring of light. The Magnificent and Mysterious Architecture Art:
Mount Wudang is not only famous for its peculiar natural scenery, but also well-known for its magnificent and mysterious buildings. In Mount Wudang, there are more than 20,000 of palaces, temples, convents and pavilions etc. Distributing in 33 groups of building complex with the area of 1.6million square meters. The enormous group of buildings occupies circumference of 400 kilo-me-ters, especially those scattering buildings along the 70killometers ancient road. When looking down at the group of buildings, it just like a huge dragon flying up, which is full of power and grandeur.
According to the history records, the construction of ancient buildings in Mount Wudang began in the Zhenguan years of the Tang Dynasty. From then on, there was a constant construction during the Song and Yuan dynasty. Until Yongle years of Ming dynasty when China was building the Imperial Palace in the north and constructing Wudang in the south, there were altogether 9 palaces, 8 temples, 36 convents, 72 cliff temples and more than 30 pavilions and bridges which made Mount Wudang the temple of the imperial family and the largest Taoist mass of the whole nation. The ancient building complex in Mount Wudang, stretching more than 50kilometers in an unbroken chain, is arranged in accordance with the Taoist scripture and the fairytales of Zhenwu Emperor cultivating himself to be celestial being. The architectural style are the combination of the imperial buildings and the religious buildings, and the combination of the imperial garden and the natural garden. These buildings have been designed and built in accordance to the terrain of the ridges ,peaks ,crags and valleys.
Having the aid of the natural sight and mixing with the natural scenery, Mount Wudang is decorated as fairyland . The grandness and ingeniousness of the building complex in Mount Wudang can be considered as an masterwork in the ancient architectural history of China. On December 1994, this building complex had been placed on the List of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
The Broad and Deep Taoist Culture
Mount Wudang is the saint place of Taoist in China. According to Mount Taihe Annals, after the time of the East Zhou Dyna-sty, for more than 2000 years, the Taoists have been considering Mount Wudang as the “supernatural place”for culti-vating their minds and extracting essence of immortality. Many famous Taoists of the successive dynasties, such as Yin Xi of Zhou Dynasty, Yin Changsheng of the Han Dynasty, Xie Yong of the Jin Dynasty, Lu Dong of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Tuan of the Song Dynasty, Hao Ranzi of the Yuan Dynasty and Zhang Sanfeng of the Ming Dynasty etc. had cultivated themselves here. Du -ring the Ming Dynasty, Mount Wudang had been named “Xuanyue" respectfully and became“The Temple of the Imperial Family”and center of Taoist activities through the whole country, which gave light to its illustrious position and influence .
Taoism as one native religion in China and one of the three pillars which support traditional Chinese culture makes a deep influence on political, economical and cultural thoughts of Chinese society through the ages. Mr.Lu Xun pointed out that“The root of China originated from Taoism.” Even today, through the smog which curls up around the temples and palaces of Mount Wudang and whisking the dust of passed years away from many commemorative stone tablets and inscribed rock, one can’t help being deeply affected by the strong atmosphere of Taoist culture. It is just this atmosphere and cultural heritage that attracts later generations from “Yan”and “huang”both from home and abroad to track down root ， make a pilgrimage to Mount Wudang and pay respect to their ancestry no matter how far it is .
The Famous “WUDANG BOXING
Mount Wudang is the original place of Wudang Boxing which is a main school of Chinese Boxing. Chinese Boxing is divided into two schools: one is the “External Boxing ”or “shaolin Boxing”which originated from the temple in Mount Song of Henan Province; the other is the “Internal Boxing ” or “wudang Boxing”from Mout Wudang. Wudang Boxing has close relationship with Taoism from the beginning. The Taoists usually cultivate their minds accompanying with exercises of Wudang Boxing. Before the Song Dynasty, there were master boxers among Wudang Taoist. Having been cultivating himself in Mount Wudang and absorbing the advantages of different schools, Zhang Sanfeng created the school of the “Internal Boxing”which laid foundation for the development of Wudang Boxing . “Internal Boxing” is represented by Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua(The eight diagrams )and based on the principles of remaining firm but gentle, remaining active but quiet and attacking by means of static characteristic from the Book of Changes. Com-bining with the experience of the Taoist Internal Skills, the Internal Boxing gradually shaped its theoretical system, skills and methods of boxing, and the peculiar style. The boxing has been famous both at home and abroad for its preserving human beings health, defending oneself by its superb skills for hundreds upon hundreds of years .
Along with the development of the society，Wudang Boxing shows more and more peculiar charm. In recent years, Wudang Boxing Research Asso-ciations and the Boxing Skill Centers have been sprung up in Mount Wudang. The Wudang Boxing Skills will light up with brighter and more beautiful splendor.
Mount Wudang is not only famous for its peculiar natural scenery, but also well-known for its magnificent and mysterious buildings. In Mount Wudang, there are more than 20,000 of palaces, temples, convents and pavilions etc. Distributing in 33 groups of building complex with the area of 1.6million square meters. The enormous group of buildings occupies circumference of 400 kilo-me-ters, especially those scattering buildings along the 70killometers ancient road. When looking down at the group of buildings, it just like a huge dragon flying up, which is full of power and grandeur.
According to the history records, the construction of ancient buildings in Mount Wudang began in the Zhenguan years of the Tang Dynasty. From then on, there was a constant construction during the Song and Yuan dynasty. Until Yongle years of Ming dynasty when China was building the Imperial Palace in the north and constructing Wudang in the south, there were altogether 9 palaces, 8 temples, 36 convents, 72 cliff temples and more than 30 pavilions and bridges which made Mount Wudang the temple of the imperial family and the largest Taoist mass of the whole nation. The ancient building complex in Mount Wudang, stretching more than 50kilometers in an unbroken chain, is arranged in accordance with the Taoist scripture and the fairytales of Zhenwu Emperor cultivating himself to be celestial being. The architectural style are the combination of the imperial buildings and the religious buildings, and the combination of the imperial garden and the natural garden. These buildings have been designed and built in accordance to the terrain of the ridges ,peaks ,crags and valleys.
Having the aid of the natural sight and mixing with the natural scenery, Mount Wudang is decorated as fairyland . The grandness and ingeniousness of the building complex in Mount Wudang can be considered as an masterwork in the ancient architectural history of China. On December 1994, this building complex had been placed on the List of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
The Broad and Deep Taoist Culture
Mount Wudang is the saint place of Taoist in China. According to Mount Taihe Annals, after the time of the East Zhou Dyna-sty, for more than 2000 years, the Taoists have been considering Mount Wudang as the “supernatural place”for culti-vating their minds and extracting essence of immortality. Many famous Taoists of the successive dynasties, such as Yin Xi of Zhou Dynasty, Yin Changsheng of the Han Dynasty, Xie Yong of the Jin Dynasty, Lu Dong of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Tuan of the Song Dynasty, Hao Ranzi of the Yuan Dynasty and Zhang Sanfeng of the Ming Dynasty etc. had cultivated themselves here. Du -ring the Ming Dynasty, Mount Wudang had been named “Xuanyue" respectfully and became“The Temple of the Imperial Family”and center of Taoist activities through the whole country, which gave light to its illustrious position and influence .
Taoism as one native religion in China and one of the three pillars which support traditional Chinese culture makes a deep influence on political, economical and cultural thoughts of Chinese society through the ages. Mr.Lu Xun pointed out that“The root of China originated from Taoism.” Even today, through the smog which curls up around the temples and palaces of Mount Wudang and whisking the dust of passed years away from many commemorative stone tablets and inscribed rock, one can’t help being deeply affected by the strong atmosphere of Taoist culture. It is just this atmosphere and cultural heritage that attracts later generations from “Yan”and “huang”both from home and abroad to track down root ， make a pilgrimage to Mount Wudang and pay respect to their ancestry no matter how far it is .
The Famous “WUDANG BOXING
Mount Wudang is the original place of Wudang Boxing which is a main school of Chinese Boxing. Chinese Boxing is divided into two schools: one is the “External Boxing ”or “shaolin Boxing”which originated from the temple in Mount Song of Henan Province; the other is the “Internal Boxing ” or “wudang Boxing”from Mout Wudang. Wudang Boxing has close relationship with Taoism from the beginning. The Taoists usually cultivate their minds accompanying with exercises of Wudang Boxing. Before the Song Dynasty, there were master boxers among Wudang Taoist. Having been cultivating himself in Mount Wudang and absorbing the advantages of different schools, Zhang Sanfeng created the school of the “Internal Boxing”which laid foundation for the development of Wudang Boxing . “Internal Boxing” is represented by Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua(The eight diagrams )and based on the principles of remaining firm but gentle, remaining active but quiet and attacking by means of static characteristic from the Book of Changes. Com-bining with the experience of the Taoist Internal Skills, the Internal Boxing gradually shaped its theoretical system, skills and methods of boxing, and the peculiar style. The boxing has been famous both at home and abroad for its preserving human beings health, defending oneself by its superb skills for hundreds upon hundreds of years .
Along with the development of the society，Wudang Boxing shows more and more peculiar charm. In recent years, Wudang Boxing Research Asso-ciations and the Boxing Skill Centers have been sprung up in Mount Wudang. The Wudang Boxing Skills will light up with brighter and more beautiful splendor.
Related Stories
- no...