by Cassia
The Wudang Mountains
Up in the mountain a way of life is still perpetrating, in taoist temples. People from all around the world come to experience the taoist way of living with the « flow ».
The Wudang mountain are in the HUBEI province, in the North of China, one of the Four Sacred mountains of taoism of the Country, along with Mount Longhu, Mount Qiyun and mount Qincheng.
What Is Taoism ? A short resume.
Taoism is born under the HAN dynasty (-206 BC). One of the fundamental writing is the Dao de Jing, the book of the Dao, written by Laozì, as well as the ZhuangZi written by Tchouang Tseu.
The fundamentals principles are :
The pursuit of the Dao, to bring harmony and alignement, following one’s heart, in flow with nature (we can call it a naturalist philosophy). The Dao is the fundamental force in the universe.
The non-action as the best way to act.
The Yin and Yang principles, which are the two contraries that form one. The feminine principle (Yin) is the receptive one and the masculine principle (Yang) being the active one. Each other are complementary and everywhere, like Chaos and Order. We all, as human beings, have those two principles within us that need to be in a perfect balance in order to reach harmony and flow.
The Temples up in the mountain and the Tai-Chi.
Wudang Buildings are a complex of temples, listed at UNESCO, that anyone can visit today. Disciples of taoism still live there, teaching Tai-chi in different internships (Tai-Chi schools) for foreigners or Chinese students.
What is the Qì or Chi ?
According to the Britannica Dictionary :
« Early Daoist philosophers and alchemists, who regarded qi as a vital force inhering in the breath and bodily fluids, developed techniques to alter and control the movement of qi within the body; their aim was to achieve physical longevity and spiritual power. »(1)
(1)https://www.britannica.com/topic/qi-Chinese-philosophy
What is the Typical Day as a Wudang Student ?
The Schools being different, the training are too.
After searching in the internet, Here’s what I find :
5:30am /6:30 am : First Class of Qi Gong and Tai Chi.
7 am : Breakfast
8 to 11:30 am : Form and Basic Training
11:30 am to 2 PM : Lunch time and Rest
3 PM to 4 PM : Weapon training
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM : Meditation
6 PM : Dinnertime.
If you want to know more about Tai Chi and and the Wudang Mountains, I highly recommend you this documentary By George Thompson : https://youtu.be/CE9vH3vtrr4
Ready to experience the the Dao.
Your post beautifully captures the essence of life in the Wudang Mountains and the principles of Taoism. The detailed schedule of a typical day for a Wudang student gives a clear picture of the dedication required to follow this path. The explanation of fundamental Taoist concepts and the significance of Tai Chi in daily practice is very enlightening. I also appreciate the recommendation of the documentary by George Thompson for further exploration. This piece truly inspires a deeper interest in the Taoist way of life and the serene beauty of the Wudang Mountains. Well done! Adam
I find your post very comprehensive and original. In fact, I had never heard of this mountain or even of Taoism. It's not a corner of the world that we regularly hear about, but I think it's great that you decided to dedicate an article to it! As for the structure, I find your post very well-crafted and enjoyable to read. Thank you!
I found your post to be clear, simple, and easy to understand. It's truly admirable that you're able to share your unique experience of living in the Wudang Mountain, something that many of us may never have the opportunity to do. The Taoist culture and the idea of self-control to achieve a more centered and slower pace of life resonate with me. I'm curious to try practicing Tai Chi alone through videos and see if I can feel the energy, perhaps even the "chi." I really enjoy the concept of your blog, where you share the principles of your convictions. I would love to learn more. I'll try adopting a Zen attitude and look forward to your future posts. You…
Thanks to your post! It is very nice of seeing such a text talking about taoism a courant of philosophy which is rather familiar for me as I come from the same place where it was "born". Your post offers me a chance to have a reflexion of at which degree that I know and benefit from this treasure inherited.
I really appreciate your whole blog, with very interesting topics permitting to discover new type of cultures and habits different from us. I discovered the life in the wudang mountain trhough your blog and found very interesting to know taoism goes back so far. It was already at the fundamentals of some philosophy. Now, I really want to visit and see by myself the Wudang Mountains ! The courses dedicated as a wudang student seem really fascinating and we certainly emerge changed and grown from such an experience.