Shahe Beidawang Mountain

Shahe Beidawang Mountain

Beidawang Mountain is located in Chanfang Township in the western mountainous area of Shahe City, Xingtai, with its main peak at an elevation of 1,437.3 meters. As there is a Temple of Zhenwu (the God of Martial Justice) on the mountain, dedicated to the worship of "Wudang Lao Ye" (the Old Master of Wudang), locals commonly call it "Lao Ye Shan" (Old Master Mountain). According to the *Shunde Prefecture Annals*: “Beidawang Mountain is 120 li west of the prefecture. It has a temple of the Dark Heaven Emperor, also known as Little Wudang. Beside it are the Azure Dragon and White Tiger mountains.” It is 48 kilometers from downtown Shahe and 60 kilometers from downtown Xingtai.

Beidawang Mountain boasts a majestic presence and lush vegetation. It features a rare public forest of 30,000 mu (about 2,000 hectares) in the Taihang Mountains, with a vegetation coverage rate of 70%. Legend has it that the True Martial Emperor was originally the Third Prince of the Jade Emperor. Banished to the mortal realm for violating heavenly laws, he was reincarnated as the son of one of Emperor Yang of Sui’s favorite concubines. Growing up discontented with Emperor Yang’s tyranny, he wandered far and wide. Drawn by the beautiful scenery of this place, he gave up his royal status and came here to live in seclusion. The prince practiced asceticism for 42 years and eventually attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven. He then went to Wudang Mountain in Hubei to preach. Hence, the northern ancient Wudang Mountain is referred to as the elder brother, and the southern Wudang Mountain as the younger brother—there is a saying “elder brother in the north, younger brother in the south,” or “asceticism in the north, preaching journey in the south.”

Wudang Mountain in Hubei was “officially built” during the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, while Shahe Beidawang Mountain has been “built by the people” through renovations since the Sui Dynasty in the 6th century. There are currently 35 surviving stone tablets, all of which are historical steles commemorating renovation contributions. This attests to the long history of the ancient Beidawang Mountain. Its main peak stands at an elevation of 1,437.7 meters and is called Beiding Laoye Ding (Old Master Peak). About 0.5 kilometers to the south of the main peak is another peak at an elevation of 1,420 meters, known as Nainai Ding (Grandmother Peak). The two peaks stand in distant echo, piercing the sky. To the south are Turtle Mountain and Snake Mountain, and due east lies Incense Burner Mountain. The mountaintops are dotted with ancient structures. The main peak hosts the Temple of the True Martial Emperor, featuring upper, middle, and lower halls along with side chambers. On the southern peak are the Bodhisattva Hall and Bixia Palace, among other buildings. There is also the “Grinding Needle Gully,” where the Goddess Bixia helped the prince endure ascetic hardship; the “Southern Cliff Palace,” where the prince practiced in solitude; the Zhenwu Practice Cave (a natural karst cave); the “Rebirth Rock,” where the prince shed his mortal form and ascended to Hubei to preach; and the “Long Snake Valley,” where the wandering Taoist “Zhang Sanfeng” once lived in human form.

The ancient and picturesque landscape, combined with the magical and time-honored legends, adds even more mystery to the ancient Beidawang Mountain. The entire architectural complex is perched atop a summit surrounded by cliffs on three sides, giving it a commanding and awe-inspiring presence that overshadows the surrounding peaks. Later, during the Ming Dynasty, the Taoist master Zhang Sanfeng also followed the sacred traces of Zhenwu and came to Beidawang Mountain to preach the Dao. Legend has it that the spot where Zhang Sanfeng accepted disciples and taught the Dao was a place south of Daqian Village at the foot of Beidawang Mountain in Shahe City. Later generations named this site “Dao Zhuang” (Taoist Village). There are many local folk legends about the mountain, such as the story of the master’s ascetic practice and the tale of the master and the goddess of Little Western Heaven. These stories remain widely popular to this day. Many relics associated with these legends still exist, such as the Horse-Tying Post, Grinding Needle Gully, Sacrificial Cliff, and Cart Tracks.