Beiwudang Mountain

Beiwudang Mountain

Beiwudang Mountain is a national scenic area and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Also known as Zhenwu Mountain, historically called Dragon King Mountain, Beiwudang Mountain is located in Fangshan County within the central section of the Lüliang Mountains, 32 kilometers south of Shuozhou City and 216 kilometers northeast of Taiyuan. The Beiwudang Mountain Scenic Area consists of 72 peaks, 36 cliffs, and 24 valleys. Its main peak, Xianglu Peak, stands at an elevation of 2,254 meters, and the total area covers approximately 80 square kilometers. It embodies grandeur, wonder, peril, and beauty all in one, serving as a jewel of the Lüliang Mountains and renowned as the “Foremost Mountain of Shanxi.” It is also one of the major Taoist sacred sites in northern China.

The main peak of Beiwudang Mountain is almost entirely surrounded by steep cliffs, with only an artificial “Heavenly Ladder” providing access. At the mountain’s base, after traversing five li of loess road and five li of sandy path, visitors encounter over 1,400 stone steps carved directly into the mountainside. In particularly treacherous sections, iron chains are installed for support. The steps are stacked in a continuous line, and when viewed from below, they resemble a “ladder to the heavens.” As visitors climb, each step produces a distinct, resonant sound from the stones, creating a unique natural “stone music” spectacle. Along the staircase, peculiar pines, unusual rocks, temples, and stone carvings are tucked among lush mountain vegetation, interspersed and complementing each other beautifully. Major rock formations include: Ancient Ape Gazing at the Sun, Suffering Stone Pig, Nine Dragons Emerging from the Cave, Stone Elephant Guarding the Mountain, Heavenly Pot Pouring Dew, Pilgrim Stone Sheep, Stone Turtle Laying Eggs, Stone Tiger, Turtle-Snake Battle, and more. The most astonishing sight is the “Turtle and Snake Battle,” a legendary scene where a divine turtle and a green snake, unwilling to focus on their spiritual practice, engaged in combat. After forty-nine days of fierce fighting, the turtle was gradually forced back while the snake pressed forward relentlessly. Just then, the True Martial Emperor returned to his palace, and with a gentle touch of his finger, immobilized them both. Since then, they have remained forever in place, forming an eternal marvel — the “Snake Stone” glares fiercely, while the “Turtle Stone” perches precariously at the edge of a cliff. The massive stone, weighing thousands of pounds, teeters dangerously, seemingly ready to fall with a push or a gust of wind, causing hearts to race. Hence, it is also called the Wind-moving Stone, and is one of China’s rarest natural wonders. Major pine formations include: Mandarin Duck Pines, Guest-Greeting Pines, Sky-Supporting Pines, and Mother-and-Son Pines. The most breathtaking is the “Sky-Reaching, Sea-Exploring Pine,” which stands halfway up the stone staircase. Its trunk splits into two branches — one thrusts straight toward the blue sky, the other gazes down upon the mountain range. Near the Golden Summit, on the steps to the South Heaven Gate, the characters “Qiao Song” (Tall Pine) are inscribed on the nearby cliff face, believed to be the handwriting of Yongning Prefecture Governor Wang Jixian during the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era. The existing stump of the Qiao Song pine has a diameter of nearly one meter, offering a glimpse of its former majesty. Major cliffs include: Thousand-Ren Cliff, Self-Sacrifice Cliff, and Eagle Beak Cliff. The mountain also features vertically distributed vegetation whose colors and flowering periods change with the seasons, adorning Beiwudang Mountain in “spring pink, summer brilliance, autumn red, and winter white.” Upon reaching the summit, visitors can gaze upon a sea of peaks — distant mountains shrouded in haze, nearer ones cloaked in deep green, pine winds brushing against their faces, and white clouds drifting gracefully. All around, the rustling of pine waves, the murmuring of mountain springs, and the chirping of birds create a symphony like the plucking of strings. In summer and autumn, under clear blue skies, the forest landscape surrounding the Golden Summit resembles a colorful tapestry. Beyond the white clouds, the undulating mountain ranges appear as thousands of dragons in motion — a truly spectacular sight.

Beiwudang Mountain boasts not only breathtaking natural scenery but also a long and profound history. According to research on the surviving Yongning Prefecture Annals, Beiwudang Mountain had already become a Taoist pilgrimage site before the Tang Dynasty, with the Xuantian Hall built atop the mountain. The exact time of its establishment prior to the Tang Dynasty remains to be verified. Over the centuries, most temples and shrines on the mountain have been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. During the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era alone, two major renovations were undertaken. At that time, Prince Qingcheng of Fenzhou Prefecture held the True Martial Ancestor in particularly high esteem, sparing no expense to transform the mountain path into stone steps and restore the long-ruined Xuantian Hall to its former glory. Thereafter, Dragon King Mountain was renamed Beiwudang Mountain, ushering in a period of great prosperity. On May 4, 1720 (the 59th year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty), the Xuantian Hall was destroyed. Between 1724 and 1725 (the 2nd and 3rd years of the Yongzheng reign), a vaulted brick shrine (i.e., the Main Hall) was constructed atop the mountain. In 1758 (the 23rd year of the Qianlong reign), further renovations were carried out, and within two years, the Xuantian Temple, Zero Hall, Dragon King Temple, Linggong Temple on the mountain, and Taihe Palace at the mountain’s base were completed. In 1849 (the 28th year of the Daoguang reign), the Golden Summit’s South Heaven Gate was refurbished, and the three characters “Wudang Mountain” were engraved on the gate. Subsequent repairs were made during the Xianfeng and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty. This demonstrates that the Taoist temple architectural complex of Beiwudang Mountain has survived over a thousand years of vicissitudes. Although most of the current structures date from the Ming and Qing dynasties or later periods, they reflect a deep historical lineage. Key structures include: the Universal God Temple, Linggong Temple, Mountain God and Earth God Temple, Two Dragons Temple, Qiaosong Chamber, Three Officials Temple, Fire God Temple, Dragon King Temple, Black Tiger Temple, Xuantian Hall, and Taihe Palace. In May 1984, the People’s Government of Fangshan County began developing and constructing the site to promote its scenic beauty and protect cultural relics. In 1990, the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs designated it as the province’s sole official Taoist activity site. In 1994, it was listed as part of the third group of National Scenic Areas. In recent years, with funding from higher authorities and donations from various sectors of society, the Xuantian Hall — the highest point on the mountain and the center of Taoist activities — has been fully restored, featuring exquisitely carved eaves, iron-tiled roofing, and a newly cast, solemn statue of the True Martial Emperor seated in dignity. Additionally, repairs have been made to temples such as the Universal God Temple and the stone staircases, statues have been recast, and a new circular walking path has been opened. At the mountain’s entrance, a new stone memorial archway has been erected. The architectural complex of Beiwudang Mountain is now beginning to take shape.

Since the opening of the Beiwudang Mountain Scenic Area, numerous notable scholars and public figures — including Xu Deheng, Qi Gong, Zhou Erfu, Fang Yi, Zang Kejia, Pu Jie, Feng Qiyong, Wang Chaowen, and Wu Guanzhong — have contributed inscriptions, paintings, essays, and writings, leaving behind timeless masterpieces that further enrich the mountain’s charm.

Every year from the first to the third day of the third lunar month, Beiwudang Mountain hosts its ancient temple fair. During this time, incense smoke wafts in front of the Xuantian Hall, and the scenic area is bustling with visitors. Historical records indicate that even during the Tang Dynasty, “year after year, pilgrims came to offer incense, a tradition that never waned.” In recent years, with the ongoing development and construction of the Beiwudang Mountain Scenic Area, visitor numbers have grown continuously.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of National Key Scenic Areas