Taoism Relics Exhibit in Hubei Museum

By Wang Shanshan ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2012-04-13

The largest domestic Taoism relics exhibition opened in Hubei Museum on April 9.

Over 230 pieces of cultural relics were on display, including more than 90 pieces from the Wudang Museum. Among them, a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) gold-covered woodcarving Lao-tse statue and many other statues were first open to the public.

Taoism is at the root of Chinese traditional culture. It takes "Tao" as its origin and purpose. Compared with Buddhism, Taoism approves human desires for living in immortality; and compared with Confucian ideals, Taoism pursues more fortune of oneself.

Influenced by Taoism, some Chinese believe in superstitions, long for longevity, which has contributed to an integral part of Chinese traditional culture.

Divided into two parts, Taoism and Taoism culture, the exhibition elaborates on the perspectives of Taoist origin, Lao-tse and Taoism, immortal faith, and the gods of Taoism, holy Mount Wudang, the Taoist cultivation, and Taoism followers.

This exhibition is one of the activities of Wudang Mountain's 600th anniversary. The exhibition will last until June 17, and afterwards the relics at the Hubei Museum will go abroad and get exhibited all over the world.

Edited by Fu Bo and Tom McGregor

Taoism Relics Exhibit in Hubei Museum