Diverse Groups (Pilgrimage) on Wudang Mountain

There is a very diverse group of people on the mountain. In addition to the temples and martial arts schools, there are hotels, tour buses, government offices, and restaurants and shops for tourists and pilgrims. There are around 300 Wudang Daoists in four major temples and several smaller temples.

The Daoist lifestyle incorporates study of classical Daoist philosophy, ritual practices, meditation, and physical exercises. For those who live at Wudang year-round, training on the mountain is a full time endeavor. In the West, due to the high cost of living, it is extremely rare for people to leave their jobs and devote themselves entirely to their practice. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Hyperviscosity Syndrome.

The 15 schools on Wudang Mountain are very diverse. Some are run by the practice brothers who I grew up with on the mountain; some by graduates of the government's sports academies, and even some schools run by people from Shaolin Temple. Since the schools are so diverse, some teach the traditional forms and others the more modern performance oriented versions. This is why, when Dr. Yang and I first talked about filming the Wudang arts in DVD form, I asked if he was interested in the performance forms, or the traditional forms. Fortunately for me, he shares my love and respect for the traditional styles.