Statue of the Goddess Taimu

Statue of the Goddess Taimu

The statue of the Goddess Taimu in the Yuhu An scenic area was conceived in 1998 by Professor Sun Cilin from Xiamen University. Design work began in September of that year and took two years to complete, involving three major revisions. The site selection also underwent multiple surveys and evaluations. To the left of the current location is Wulong Hill, to the right is Hutou Hill, with a view of Yu Shan Island in front and backed by Moxiao Peak. This perfectly aligns with the principles of feng shui — “Green Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right, Vermilion Bird in front, and Black Tortoise at the back” — making it a rare and auspicious site. On October 3, 2001, when the foundation of the statue was laid, a magnificent rainbow suddenly appeared in the sky five times in succession, astonishing everyone present. Some even wondered if it was the Goddess Taimu returning on her nine-colored dragon horse.

The statue of the Goddess Taimu is composed of 288 granite blocks, stacked in 18 layers, standing 20.88 meters tall (including the base). The number of steps and tiers subtly incorporates the Daoist sacred number “nine.” The design of the statue combines square and rounded forms, with a predominance of square shapes, reflecting the elegant and ethereal features of Northern Wei Dynasty stone cave sculptures. It also incorporates the plump facial characteristics typical of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, while drawing simplicity and purity from numerous Han Dynasty figurines. This results in a statue that embodies dignity, serenity, benevolence, and wisdom. The figure appears to be walking gently against the sea breeze, head slightly bowed, eyes gently opened as if watching over all living beings below. Her left arm is bent, holding up a ganoderma lucidum, showering compassion upon the world. Her right hand holds a duster, as if to sweep away all the miasma and fog in the land.

According to historical accounts, the Goddess Taimu was the primordial mother of the ancient Yue people. She was originally from Caibao Village at the foot of Caishan Mountain. To escape war, she fled to Caishan Mountain and lived in the Hongxue Cave, making her living by cultivating indigo and being known for her generosity and kindness, earning the respectful title “Blue Mother.” In a year when measles struck the mountains, Blue Mother used tea from the Green Snow Sprout plants she had grown herself to cure the sick children, saving countless young lives. The villagers were deeply grateful. In her later years, guided by an immortal, she attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month riding a nine-colored dragon horse. The people revered her as a deity, calling her the Holy Mother, and she became the first goddess of Fujian. Later generations also transplanted ancient tea trees from the mountains and emulated her processing methods, drying and storing the tea leaves for drinking. Today’s Lüxueya tea from Fuding originates from this, and an ancient tea tree still grows at the entrance of Hongxue Cave on Taimu Mountain, along with a Dan Well where the Goddess Taimu once watered the Green Snow Sprout.

One day, Emperor Yao was sailing the East Sea when he encountered fierce storms and nearly perished. It was the Holy Mother who showed him the way to safety. Deeply moved, Emperor Yao honored her as “Great Mother,” and Caishan Mountain was thus renamed “Great Mother Mountain.” During the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu ordered Dongfang Shuo to confer titles upon famous mountains across the land. Impressed by the grandeur of Great Mother Mountain and the divine power of the Holy Mother, Dongfang Shuo inscribed the five large characters “The Number One Mountain Under Heaven” on a huge rock beneath Moxiao Peak. Upon returning to the capital, he reported to Emperor Wu, who then ranked Great Mother Mountain as the foremost among the Thirty-Six Famous Mountains of the realm, changing its title from “Great Mother” to “Great Grandma.” From then on, the Holy Mother came to be known as the Goddess Taimu. To this day, the Taimu Nainai Pagoda Tomb remains well-preserved in the Yipianwa Scenic Area. The front of the tombstone bears seven characters inscribed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang: “Tomb Pagoda of Taimu Conferred by Emperor Yao.”

Historical texts and poems about Taimu Mountain also document these legends. The earliest poet to mention the Goddess Taimu was Chen Jiayan of the Song Dynasty. It is said that he once taught students on Taimu Mountain and wrote the poem “Poem on the Taimu Tomb”: “I have heard of the blue-dyeing grandmother from Emperor Yao’s time, whose title has changed through generations beyond count. Emperor Yao’s consort leaves no trace of dust — yet here lies her tomb from those days.” This is also one of the earliest written records mentioning Taimu. In the mid-autumn of the 36th year of the Wanli era (1609), Chen Zhongzhen visited Taimu Mountain. Upon exiting the Heavenly Gate, he witnessed the Taimu Tomb in a spacious area enclosed by cliffs, with the inscription: “Tomb Pagoda of Taimu Conferred by Emperor Yao.” The following year, in the 37th year of Wanli (1610), Xie Zhaozhe visited Taimu Mountain during a rainy February. His “Record of Taimu Mountain” states: “Passing through here, suddenly you enter another world — this is the cave. Stone walls stand densely, enclosing half an acre of flat ground, with a stupa perched on the rocks. The Taimu Tomb on the stone seems to enshrine sarira. Monks believe it is the body of someone who achieved nirvana, but no one knows for sure who Taimu was, or in which dynasty she lived — was it Yao’s era? The Han Dynasty? No one knows.” By the Qing Dynasty, the Taimu Tomb remained a must-visit historic site for travelers, inspiring many poems and writings.

While paying homage to the Taimu Tomb, visitors can also admire natural wonders such as the “Golden Turtle Climbing the Cliff” and the “Golden Rooster Announcing Dawn,” and listen to various marvelous legends related to the Goddess Taimu. To the west of the pagoda stands a massive rock pillar that rises abruptly from the ground — it is said to be the very stone from which the Goddess Taimu ascended to heaven. There is a turtle-like figure known as Monk Muguoguo, who practiced asceticism on the mountain together with Taimu. On the night before Taimu’s ascension, a celestial youth transformed into a beautiful woman and tempted Muguoguo to stay overnight by claiming there was no place to stay due to the darkness. Muguoguo resisted the temptation of beauty. The next morning, as the golden rooster crowed, the woman left behind a golden hairpin after grooming herself, which Muguoguo pocketed for himself, hoping to follow Taimu to immortality. At that moment, a voice came from the clouds: “Muguoguo, though you passed the test of beauty, you failed the test of greed. Stay here and continue your practice!” Today, at the front base of the stone, there is a shape resembling a turtle struggling upward — leaving behind much food for thought for the world.

Taimu Mountain

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Yipianwa Scenic Area

Fuding Xiangshan Temple Scenic Area

Pingxing Temple

Taimu Mountain Liancheng Lingfeng

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Jiuli Peak Scenic Area

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