Wudang Mountain's epic and ancient scenery

Wudang Mountain in Hubei province is renowned as the "First Mountain of Taoism." It is famous for the beautiful landscapes as well as the Taoist culture.

Tourists can take a train or plane to Hankou district, Wuhan city and then take the train to Shiyan city, Hubei province. At the Shiyan bus station, there are many buses that lead to Wudang Mountain, a trip that takes about one hour.

The price of a ticket is 240 yuan ($37.63). In addition, tourists can pay three yuan ($0.47) for a map and 3 yuan ($0.47) more for travel insurance.

Along the way to Gold Peak, which is the quintessential point of Wudang Mountain, you can see many attractions such as Huilong Temple, Huixin Nunnery and Laojun Hall. There are two options leading from Laojun Hall to Gold Peak. The first method is to hike from Prince`s Slope, passing through Purple Cloud Palace and South Rock to the three Tianmen (Heavenly Gates). The other option starts from Baxian (the Eight Immortals in Chinese legend) Temple and takes the cable car to the top of the highest peak, Tianzhu, in order to reach the Golden Peak.

The recommended method is to hike. Prince's Slope is next to the Sacred Way. It is elaborately designed, skillfully laid out and well preserved. The characters of Prince's Slope are engraved on the stele. Tourists can also see the oldest brick-carved censer and the famous design, "eighteen crossbeams fixed in one column". The nice scenery here is a feast for tourists. Since ancient times, it has been a busy and crowded place for Taoist worship.

Continue hiking about 7.5 kilometers up and tourists will come to the magnificent Purple Cloud Palace, which is another well-preserved ancient historic building. In the past the palace had a very solemn arrangement and exquisite furnishings because royal families always came here to pray. All these things are mysterious and metaphysical. The agreeable weather and green cypresses and pinewoods make this a blessed place.

If tourists want to hike to Gold Peak, it is recommended that they stay at South Rock in the evening. It takes about two to three hours to reach Gold Peak on foot. The hotels in South Rock are cheaper, but if you intend to watch the sunrise on the mountain, it is best to sleep on the peak, as the best time to watch the sunrise is 3 a.m. in summer.

Gold Peak is the largest extant brass cast building in China. It is a wood-structured building with a double-eaved roof. The ridge of the palace is decorated with vivid images of gods, men, birds and animals.

Suffering from natural erosion and weathering for more than 500 years, the palace is still striking and considered a bright pearl in Chinese architecture. Standing atop the Golden Hall, tourists can feel the energy of the massive mountain.

In addition, the food and accommodations in Wudang Mountain are not expensive. The price of hotels, except for ones on the peak, are about 100 yuan ($15.68) for one night. In addition, thanks to the good water quality on the mountain, the dishes in Wudang are delicious.

By Tana