Buddhist culture of Mount Wutai

The Han and Tibetan people have been coexisting in harmony for nearly 600 years on Mount Wutai, living according to their own theories and Buddhism practices. Both sides respect each other, retain their own traditions, and strive to build Buddhism and Manjusri beliefs. They often visit each other and treat each other on equal footing, which is a historical miracle. Buddhism doctrine reading and dharma assembly are an important part of their daily lives. Buddhists often hold dharma assemblies, which are different in Qing and Yellow temples (Normally, monks dwell in Qing temples while Yellow temple is a Tibetan Buddhism monastery). They often jointly hold major dharma assemblies and Buddhist activities, such as Tiaobuzha Holy Fair at the Bodhisattva Top. Buddhists at Qing and Yellow temples also jointly attend the Jin’gang religious session to chant sutra.

Mount Wutai's stone carvings and tomb tower culture reflects the local flourishing Buddhist culture, among which Buddhist stone inscription culture stands out most. Phagspa's Yiguan Tower has become a popular place for Buddhists to conduct worship. Though Puen Temple was destroyed a long time ago, the Buddhist tower and stone tablet are still there. There is a 10-meter lama tower known as Yiguan Tower. The tower features a Tibetan Buddhist style and is one of the first established Buddhist architectures on Mount Wutai. The Shouning Temple tablet has witnessed the development of Mount Wutai and local Tibetan Buddhist culture. 　

Emperors in the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912) used to establish tablets there and had them inscribed, and hence leaving a great number of stone inscriptions on Mount Wutai. A total of 13 stone inscriptions made in the reign period of Emperor Kangxi have been preserved. They record the history of Mount Wutai's Tibetan Buddhism and have witnessed cultural exchanges among different ethnic groups.

In addition, Jin'gang Dance is one of the Shamanism's (a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to interact with the spirit world) religious activities in Mount Wutai. It has evolved into a distinct worship ceremony featuring religious content and dance under the influence of Shanxi culture. The spread and development of the dance reflects the exchanges between the Tibetan religion and Chinese inland cultures, as well as the unique style of Wutai's religious culture. By integrating Han and Tibetan cultures, Mount Wutai serves as a bridge for Han and Tibetan culture exchange. It also helps spread Tibetan Buddhism to the rest of China. Therefore, local Tibetan Buddhism has exerted a profound influence on Han Buddhism, as well as Tibet, Mongolia and other surrounding regions.