UNESCO World Heritage SiteNational 5A Scenic AreaCentral China
Wudang Mountains (Wudangshan)
武当山 · Hubei, Shiyan
The sacred Taoist mountain of temples and palaces where tai chi was born, set in dramatic peaks.
The Wudang Mountains are the foremost sacred site of Taoism, a cluster of temples, palaces and monasteries clinging to forested peaks above the city of Shiyan. It is the legendary home of tai chi and internal martial arts, and the Golden Hall crowning Tianzhu Peak is a masterpiece of Ming bronze architecture above a sea of clouds.
Taoist building on Wudang flourished when the Yongle Emperor of the Ming funded a grand construction campaign in the early 15th century, building palaces and temples that drew pilgrims for centuries. The Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Day-by-day routes you won't find online — now starting with an 8-day, 1,500 km loop through western Sichuan. New regions are added regularly; tell us where you want to drive next.
