Wudang Divine Fruit - Langmei Immortal Fruit

Wudang Divine Fruit - Langmei Immortal Fruit

　　Wudang Mountain is home to Langmei trees, and the fruit they bear is called Langmei fruit. The famous Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen recorded in his Compendium of Materia Medica: “Langmei is found only on Junzhou’s Taihe Mountain.” In ancient times, Wudang Mountain was called Taihe Mountain and was located in Junzhou. This means that Langmei fruit is produced exclusively on Wudang Mountain and is truly one of a kind elsewhere. Precisely because Langmei fruit is found only on Wudang Mountain, its rarity adds to its mystique, giving rise to many legendary tales. First, it is said that the Langmei tree was grafted by the hand of the True Martial Emperor himself. Legend has it that when the True Martial Emperor was young and practicing Taoism on Wudang Mountain, he lost faith and turned back. On his way, at the Grinding Needle Gully of Wudang, he encountered an old woman (the incarnation of the Purple Qi Yuanjun) grinding an iron rod. Through their conversation, the True Martial Emperor suddenly understood the principle that “with constant grinding, even an iron rod can be made into a needle,” meaning that success comes with perseverance. He then returned to the mountain to continue his practice. On the way, he broke off a plum blossom and placed it on a Lang tree, vowing to the heavens: “If I attain enlightenment, may this tree bloom and bear fruit.” True to his efforts, after 42 years of meditative practice, he finally achieved enlightenment, and the Langmei tree also exhibited miraculous signs, indeed blooming and bearing fruit. Of course, this is just a legend, but historically, Wudang Mountain was a gathering place for many eminent Taoists who devoted their lives to spiritual practice (in today’s terms, one might even call it conducting research), so it is entirely possible that they cultivated such a rare plant variety. In the third year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty—shortly after Emperor Zhu Di launched his military campaign to seize the throne—the “long fruitless” Langmei trees of Wudang blossomed and bore fruit. The Quanzhen Taoist priest Li Suxi from the Five Dragons Palace presented hundreds of the fruits to the emperor. Overjoyed, the emperor believed that his ascension to the throne was protected by the True Martial Emperor, and that his devotion had “moved the divine with sincerity, blessed the nation, and thus invoked the descent of this auspicious sign as a harbinger of prosperity.” As a result, he rewarded Li Suxi with forty ingots of silver, as well as colored silk garments and other gifts. He also ordered relevant departments to survey the terrain of Wudang Mountain and prepare construction materials. In the tenth year of Yongle (1412), he personally composed a prayer text and initiated the grand construction of Wudang to repay the divine favor. It is evident that the small Langmei fruit played a significant role in the large-scale construction of Wudang during the Ming Dynasty. Soon after, Emperor Zhu Di listed the Langmei fruit as a tribute item, to be offered annually from Wudang Mountain. Thus, Langmei became a rare delicacy in the imperial court. During major celebrations, the emperor would bestow it upon meritorious officials. Court officials considered it a great honor to receive even a single Langmei divine fruit from the emperor, regarding it as both a political accolade and an immortal fruit that could prolong life, as well as a supreme delicacy. Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, countless officials, scholars, celebrities, and poets visited Wudang Mountain with various aspirations and dreams, sparing no expense to purchase the fruit just to witness its mystical presence. These individuals also composed poems in praise of the Langmei and left behind numerous literary works. In the late Ming Dynasty, in the third year of the Tianqi era (1623 AD), the geographer Xu Xiake traveled to and investigated Wudang Mountain. In his diary entry “A Visit to Taihe Mountain,” he wrote: “…Descending from Qiongtai Temple, I saw several Langmei trees nearby, each as thick as a person’s embrace. Their blossoms floated in the air, casting brilliant reflections against the mountains and cliffs. The place was profoundly secluded, and the scenery uniquely splendid. I asked the monks for some Langmei fruit, but the monks there dared not answer. Eventually, one said: ‘This is a forbidden item. Previously, someone took three or four pieces, and several Taoists were implicated, with several families ruined.’ I didn’t believe it and pressed harder... The temple master took my hand and said: ‘Since you are so eager for this rare plant, I am fortunate to have two pieces to slightly ease your longing. But if you reveal this to anyone, punishment will follow immediately.’ When I took them out to look, they resembled golden withered leaves, yet possessed the appearance of gold and the quality of jade—truly no ordinary fruit. I thanked him and took my leave... In the evening, I returned to the palace (Nanyan Palace) and bribed a young disciple to get six more Langmei fruits. But when I asked for more the next day, none were available... I brought the Wudang Mountain Langmei back to offer to my mother for her birthday.” In his diary, Xu Xiake recorded obtaining a total of eight Langmei fruits from Qiongtai Temple and Nanyan Palace, noting that the monks who gave them to him were terrified, fearing punishment if others found out. He also brought the Langmei fruits home to celebrate his mother’s birthday. So why does Wudang Mountain have this “Langmei” plant? According to botanists, it may be due to “bird-mediated grafting.” Birds carry various fruits to eat on the Lang tree, and plum pits fall into cracks in the Lang tree, taking root and germinating, causing the Lang tree to mutate and form this type of fruit tree. But what is truly puzzling is that the rise and fall of the Langmei coincides exactly with the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty. Since the Qing Dynasty, the magical Langmei fruit has suddenly disappeared from Wudang Mountain. Neither Taoist priests nor officials know where the Langmei went, leaving only the “Langmei Immortal Shrine” standing in the wind. The lament “Langmei clearly passes on messages, do not let the immortals remain distant and vague” has become an expression of wonder and inquiry for centuries as people seek its secrets and explore its mysteries. (Danjiangkou)