Wudang Mountains

UNESCO World Heritage Site (Ancient Building Complex In The Wudang Mountains, 1994); National 5A Tourist Attraction · Shiyan, Hubei

The holiest mountains of Taoism and the legendary home of internal martial arts: a range of forested peaks in northwestern Hubei crowned by the 1,612-metre Tianzhu Peak, where a gilded bronze Golden Hall cast in 1416 gleams above the clouds. The Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty sent some 300,000 labourers to build a vast network of palaces, temples and stone paths here from 1412, dedicated to the Taoist deity Zhenwu, and much of it survives as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Highlights include the Purple Cloud Palace, the cliff-hugging Nanyan Palace with its Dragon Head stone beam jutting over a gorge, and the Golden Summit. Wudang is also revered as the birthplace of tai chi, credited to the Taoist Zhang Sanfeng, and martial arts schools still train students here every morning.

Golden Summit, Tianzhu Peak, Wudangshan Tourism Economic Special Zone, Shiyan, Hubei, China

Daily, roughly 7:30-17:00. Golden Summit timed entry slots 7:30-10:00, 10:00-13:00 and 13:00-16:00. Real-name online booking at least a day ahead.

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