WUDANG TEMPLE—PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

 

 

 

 

 

The Wudang Mountains (simplified Chinese: 武当山; traditional Chinese: 武當山; pinyin: Wǔdāng Shān, pronounced [ùtɑ́ŋ ʂán]), also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei Province of People's Republic of China, just to the south of the city of Shiyan.

 

The name "Wudangshan" (武当山) is applied both to the entire mountain range (which runs east-west along the southern edge of the Hanshui River valley, crossing several county-level divisions of Shiyan Prefecture-level city), and to the small group of peaks located within Wudangshan Jiedao of the Danjiangkou County-level City of the Shiyan Prefecture-level city. It is the latter specific area which is known as a Taoist center.

 

Modern maps show the elevation of the highest of the peaks in the Wudang Shan "proper" as 1612 meters; however, the entire Wudangshan range has somewhat higher elevations elsewhere. Some consider the Wudang Mountains to be a "branch" of the Daba Mountains range, which is a major mountain system of the western Hubei, Shaanxi, Chongqing and Sichuan.

 

 

 

 

 

HISTORY

 

In years past, the mountains of Wudang were known for the many Taoist monasteries to be found there, monasteries which became known as an academic centre for the research, teaching and practice of meditation, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Taoist agriculture practices and related arts. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD), the mountain attracted the Emperor's attention. During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the first site of worship—the Five Dragon Temple—was constructed. Some of the monasteries were damaged during and after the Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976, but the Wudang mountains have lately become increasingly popular with tourists from elsewhere in China and abroad due to their scenic location and historical interest. The monasteries and buildings were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The palaces and temples in Wudang, contains Taoist buildings from as early as the 7th century, and the largest groups of complex on the mountain was built during the Ming Dynasty (14th–17th centuries). It represents the highest standards of Chinese art and architecture over a period of nearly 1,000 years. Noted temples include the Golden Hall, Nanyan Temple and the Purple Cloud Temple.

 

On January 19, 2003, a gold-plated statue of Zhang Sanfeng, which was usually housed in 600 year old Yuzhengong palace at the Wudang mountains, was moved to another building just before the a fire, destroyed the temple and so escaped destruction in the inferno. According to legend, Zhang Sanfeng (张三丰), is the originator of Wudangquan generally and Taijiquan specifically. He was said to be inspired by a fight he witnessed between a pied magpie (also said to be a white crane) and a viper (snake). From the early 20th century, Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang have been considered Wudang styles, following Sun Lutang. Following this classification the national martial arts tournament of the Central Guoshu Institute held in 1928 separated the participants into "Shaolin" and "Wudang". From 2002, biannual Traditional Wushu Festival are held in Wudang Mountains from late October to November.

 

 

 

Fu Style Wudang Quan

 

Fu Chen Sung (Fu ZhenSong) worked the rest of his life to develop Fu Style Wudang Fist. The system included exercises, empty hand and weapons sets in Tai Chi, BaGua, Hsing-Yi—and Fu Chen Sung's well-documented, signature forms: Liang-Yi Chuan, Dragon Palm BaGuaZhang and Dragon Palm BaGua Push hands (most of which he created in the 1940s); the famous but extremely rare Wudang Sword techniques were embodied in Fu's progression of Tai Chi Sword, to Seven Star Sword, to Bagua Cyclone Broadsword, and finally, Flying Dragon Bagua Sword forms. In his lifetime, Fu had many notable students, including General Sun Pao Gung and Lin Chao Zhen. Fu's oldest son, Fu Wing Fay (Fu Yong Hui), became Fu's prodigal son. Wing Fay grew up among many of the greatest martial artists in the Golden Era of Martial Arts in China. Wing Fay learned well from his father and the other great masters. Wing Fay practiced hard, and began developing Fu Style Wudang Fist even more.

 

 

Wudang Dan Pai

 

According to T'ai Chi Magazine, volume 29, no. 1, the Yang Kui-Shan lineage of Wudang Dan Pai claims direct descent of Zhang SanFeng. Its 9th generation lineage holder was Sung Wei-I, who was the first non-Taoist to hold the lineage. Sung passed the lineage to Li Jinglin (for the 10th). Li passed the lineage to Yang Kui-Shang (for the 11th), who passed it on to Qian Timing (for the 12th). The current headmaster of Wudang Dan Pai in China is Ma Jie, who learned his techniques from Daoist master Xuan Dan and from Meng Xiao-Feng. Ma Jie's closed door disciples, Chang Wu-Na and Lu Mei-hui (who are also disciples of Qian Timing) are the current masters of the 13th generation. At the time Li Jinglin held the lineage, Li and his contingent were learning BaGuaZhang from Fu Zhen Song; XingYi Quan from Sun Lu Tang; Tai Chi Chuan from Yang ChengFu; Baji Quan from Li Shuwen; and the Wudang Sword techniques had come from Sung Wei-I.

 

 

Wudang Taiyi Boxing

 

According to T'ai Chi Magazine, volume 30, no. 1, Yang Qunli claims Jin Zitao started learning Wudang Taiyi Wuxing Boxing from Li Heling at Wudang Mountain in 1929. The article connotes that from the time of Li's death until the early 1980s, Jin Zitao was the only person alive who had knowledge of the secret martial arts of Wudang Mountain. In 1980, Jin Zitao demonstrated Wudang Taiyi Wuxing Boxing to the National Wushu Viewing and Emulating and Communicating Congress in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Provice. Before that, it had "never been shown before." The article cites Jin's association with "The Institute of Wudang Boxing" and the "Journal of Wudang."

 

According to KungFu Tai Chi Magazine, Zhong Yun Long went to Wudang Mountain in 1984, and studied under the 13th generation masters, Guo Gaoyi and Wang Kuangde. Zhong became the 14th generation lineage holder of the Wudang SanFeng Sect. The article cites their association with the 'Wudang Taoist Association."

There does not seem to be any connection between Jin Zitao and the Wudang SanFeng Sect except for the fact that they both use the term "Taiyi" as the name of a form. Both lineages claim to be direct descendants of Zhang SanFeng, and claim they learned Wudang martial arts at Wudang Mountain in the 20th century.

 

Currently, a contingent of Taoist martial art masters claiming lineage to Zhong Yun Long practice and teach Wudang martial arts at Wudang Mountain, which was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization in 1994. These Taoists practice what they call Wudang Wushu or Wudang GongFu, and worship Zhang SanFeng as a deity. The website shows a curriculum of Tai Chi, XingYi, BaGua, QiGong, meditation and LiangYi (Tai Yi Wu Xing Quan), and claims BaGuaZhang originated there. Ironically, these masters and the Fu Family are the only two schools that teach a martial art form called LiangYi.