The peaceful town of Wudang is located in northwest Hubei province, tucked away in the foggy mountains. Wudang Mountain, long regarded as the cradle of tai chi and a major Taoist hub, has long attracted sages, fighters, and thrill-seekers to come explore its rough landscape and unearth its age-old mysteries. Its meandering roads, strewn with cypress trees and trickling mountain streams, reveal a veritable gold mine of Taoist temples that appear to be eternally preserved.
Reaching the Town of Wudang
The majority of tourists start their exploration of the Wudang Mountain temples in Wudang Town, which is situated at the mountain’s foot. When Taoist monks in their customary long robes up the mountain to start their day of training and meditation, this tranquil village comes to life at first light. You can hear the sound of monks chanting mantras in the distance as the mist of early morning lifts. Delicious aromas emanate from tiny cafés and food carts on the street, serving hot bowls of soup and crunchy flatbreads. Vibrantly colored flags flap outside little stores that cater to pilgrims passing through, offering items like martial arts training gear, incense, and herbal remedies.
Prior to starting mountain climbs, Wudang Town offers lodging and basic facilities. Additionally, you can visit the Wudang Taoist Association to learn about the history of Wudang Mountain and the Wudang Museum to peruse antiquities and cultural treasures. Taihe Palace Square offers basic tai chi lessons as well as martial arts exhibitions by Wudang tai chi masters. You can follow the Taoist pilgrims up the mountain and discover Wudang’s remarkable temples once you’ve fueled up on the native Hubei food.
Trekking the Historic Stone Stairs
There are three sections to the mountain, with the most of the temple locations being in the middle, close to Heavenly Pillar Peak. Although there is a cable car that goes straight to the Golden Summit, climbing up the historic stone stairways that wind through its 72 summits is a more gratifying option. You’ll encounter a verdant world of pine and cypress forests flanked by striking granite cliffs as you gradually ascend the mountain. At vista areas where you may see expansive views of far-off mountains covered in mist, take a breather.
You’ll come across teahouses and pavilions along the route where you may stretch your legs, try herbal drinks prepared from mountain plants, and enjoy expansive vistas of the surrounding mountains. Along the way, you’ll see cliffside spiritual carvings, old poem-inscribed stone stelae, and Taoist sculptures tucked away in grottos and cave shrines. The air gets colder and more rarefied as you ascend higher, making the effort worthwhile. Depending on your fitness level and the number of break stops along the way, the picturesque 9-mile hike to the summit takes 4–6 hours.
Examining the Principal Temple Complexes of Wudang
The more accessible north side of Heavenly Pillar Peak houses most of Wudang Mountain’s famous temples and other old Taoist buildings. Builders carved these temple complexes out of the mountainside around 600 years ago, during the Ming Dynasty, when Emperor Yongle founded Wudang as a major Taoist hub. Yongle promoted harmony between Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism in his efforts to unify China, which is evident in the temples’ Confucian-style construction.
Numerous temples are still places of worship today, and people feel sacre because of artwork, statues, and rare relics. Highlights include the expansive Nanyan Temple, Wudang’s largest temple complex and the location of the ordainment of Taoist priests and monks. Other notable sites include the beautiful Golden Hall, constructed in 1416, the ancient Bronze Shrine housing life-size statues of Zhang Sanfeng, and the Purple Cloud Temple with its breathtaking views. The temples also keep important collections of books, silk scrolls, and medical texts related to Wudang’s significant contribution to the evolution of traditional Chinese medicine.
Through years of meditation, Taoist monks continue their spiritual and martial arts disciplines as you meander through silent temple halls enveloped in swirling mountain mists. See them crafting herbal concoctions, honing their fighting skills, meditating, or they manually reproducing old books—these are cultural customs that you cant see in this age.
Trekking to the Danjiangkou Reservoir and the East Temples
Wandering to Wudang’s more isolated east side temples offers you a less-traveled route, even if the northside temples are still the most popular. The five-mile trek winds through bamboo forests and past cliffside monasteries after a first difficult climb above Wudang village, culminating at the magnificent Forbidden City Temple. Its halls and pavilions, perched atop granite spires, seem to float in clouds as they span a gorge.
Traveling eastward, past historic gift-giving temples and emperor-used shrines, leads to the most untamed terrain of the mountain. Rough paths go through forested valleys, over stone bridges covered in vines, and past abandoned hermit retreats. Eventually, you’ll reach vantage points where you can see the 110-mile Danjiangkou Reservoir clearly. Created by damming the Han River, Wudang’s massive 15 trillion-gallon lake provides water to millions of people while maintaining calm. Explore the remains of East Mountain throughout the day, keeping an eye out for raptors swooping down to catch fish, and observing the twilight reflected in its placid waters.
Finding the Age-Old Patina
Wudang Mountain’s temples are particularly fascinating because of the remnants that have withstood the test of time—nearly 600 years—looking resilient despite the weather. The rooftops of temples delicately curve upward into the mist-covered peaks in sublime harmony, while incense softly smolders beneath faint lights. Innumerable monks who have pondered life’s mysteries for countless generations are honored by circles of smoothly worn stone.
Clutching atop stone pillars, hand-carved wooden dragon beams display remnants of their original color beneath a layer of peeling lacquer shattered by countless seasonal shifts from winter’s ice to summer’s humidity. Through courtyards and sacred rock gardens, thoughtfully arranged stone walks lead you while you reflect on the beauty of nature. You can discover patina beyond polish and a profound connection to individuals who have traveled down these similar paths for wisdom over the ages by moving slowly and sitting silently in these old temples.
Getting in Touch with Local Advisors
While exploring Wudang’s temples on your own promotes solitude and introspection, conversing with the region’s long-term Taoist followers and martial arts practitioners offers a wealth of cultural knowledge. Legends of magical heroes proving their eternal powers outside temple gates, generals searching for magic elixirs to safeguard their men, and emperors pleading for dynastic prosperity are stories that local scholars zealously share.
Martial artists spanning multiple generations actively share the rich history of shadowboxing monks who balance on twisted pine roots and pay tribute to their illustrious ancestors revered in temple shrines. They will explain the significance of the hidden meanings of animal, warrior, and natural scene friezes and their place in Taoist cosmology. Ancient Chinese language-proficient guides can explain stone stelae that describe inner alchemy meditation, ordination, and purifying ceremonies at temples. Having an interpreter opens the door to Wudang’s distinct history and legacy, regardless of whether you desire a private trip or to accompany a local guide who is currently conducting pilgrims.
Walking in the footsteps of the dinosaurs
Explore Wudang’s tangible stone, metal, and wood monuments as well as the myths, folklore, and spiritual practices that have preserved this revered mountain retreat for ages. Experience the natural wonder that poets and emperors have praised as the axis between heaven and earth where yin and yang forces converge—disconnect from modern distractions. During meditation, monks employ the echoes of mountains to bring their bodies and spirits into harmony. The Eight Immortals enliven pilgrims’ quests for learning and eternal existence through traces of their engravings.
Explore the remains of a palace tucked away among the peaks of mountains that once protected royal secrets. Seated beneath 100-year-old temples sheltered by verdant mountain trees in all seasons, time stands still. When you leave Wudang’s temples to continue your tour, you’ll create wonderful memories of discovering an ancient location still adorned with serene beauty and lyrical enchantment. The real gift of Wudang lives on in whispered legends that persist on the mountain, not in items protected by museum glass. You’ll discover that this gift comes from just walking in quiet with those who are already immortal, not from striving for immortality.
Visiting the Temples of Wudang Mountain
When to go: The cooler months of spring and fall mean fewer tourists. Summers are hot, muggy, and crowded with tourists; winters are cool yet atmospheric. Steer clear of the crowded temples during Chinese holidays.
Respect the silence in temple halls, cover your knees and shoulders with modest apparel, and get permission before snapping pictures of monks or pilgrims. You take off your shoes to enter places of worship.
Entry fees: Depending on the route, admission tickets might cost anywhere from 20 to 140 RMB. Discounted prices are available on multi-route combo tickets. Take at least two days to see the main attractions.
Lodging: There are guest houses in Wudang Town that cater to various price ranges. Midway up the mountain, there are also modest temples and lodges that offer tired trekkers simple sleep and food.
Local guides: A private guide in the town will set you back about 200 RMB per day. It’s usually less expensive to join already-existing tour groups. Prior to the trip, decide on everything, including the itinerary, pace, stops, and costs.
Information for tourists: You will not find any information in English, therefore be ready with Chinese translations of the locations and routes that are important. When traveling to isolated east side trails, bring a phone with a map feature.
Visit the Wudang Mountain temples, included as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, for a unique opportunity to witness China’s Taoist legacy in action. Meander around this enchanted mountain steeped in tradition and protected in peace to uncover the reasons why enlightenment seekers have been drawn to these foggy heights for generations.
Commonly Asked Questions
The following are responses to some commonly asked questions concerning touring the historic temples on Wudang Mountain:
How much time is needed to see the temples of Wudang Mountain?
Plan to spend at least three full days for hiking, transportation, and exploration if you want to fully take in all the primary highlights, history, and cultural significance of Wudang Mountain’s numerous temples, ruins, and paths. Allocate four to five days for a more leisurely experience.
Which season is ideal for visiting Wudang Mountain?
The spring and fall from April to early June and September to early October seem to be the finest times with beautiful weather and smaller crowds. Winter is quiet and frigid, while summer is hot and muggy. Avert Chinese national holidays, when a large number of local tourists arrive.
What level of fitness is required to hike up the mountain?
You need to have moderate level of fitness for the historic pathways and the steep stone stairways. Pace yourself, take your time, stop at teahouses for a break, and treat yourself to breathtaking sights. Individuals with restricted mobility can ride the cable cars up, but they won’t get the whole experience.
Permit me to spend the night atop Wudang Mountain?
Yes, along the major north road and at the Golden Summit, there are basic guesthouses, hotels, and temples that offer basic lodging and meals to overnight tourists. In high season, reserve rooms well in advance. Ahead of time, expect extremely basic amenities.
Are all of the temples on Wudang Mountain still used as places of worship?
While Taoist priests and monks actively pray, instruct, and oversee religious rites in many large temples, some isolated ruins or peak sanctuaries may no longer have active use except for sporadic donations from pilgrims being accepted
I want to visit Wudang Mountain; do I need to hire a tour guide?
No, it’s not necessary, but going with an experienced local guide—especially one who can translate and provide cultural context—often improves the experience in comparison to going it alone with a map. Prior to departure, all costs, routes, and schedules should be agreed upon.
For decades, Wudang Mountain has attracted tourists who are enthralled with Chinese culture and spiritual seekers. Every temple hall, private meditation cave, and mountain view you encounter while following in their footsteps up winding stone stairways amid ancient pines reveals more secrets that contribute to the mystique of this revered Taoist retreat.
