Daoist study/travel plan:

The purpose of travel is to learn and explore Daoism, and to understand the history and culture surrounding this ancient art.  As Li Shifu rarely leaves the temple gate this is a rare opportunity to travel alongside him to Daoist and China’s sacred locations.

General Overview: Wudang Shan , Henan the birthplace of Lao Zi

1.Wudang Shan （武当山）：

  • Wudang Cultural Research Center: To visit Professor Yang Lizhi, who has studied Wudang culture the longest and has the highest rank, and listen to his lectures on the essence of Daoist culture
  • Middle Monastery (Zhong Guan 中观庙): At the starting point of the cable car that leads up to the Golden Temple on the top of the mountain, Zhenwu was studying internal alchemy and cultivating here.
  • Golden Temple: (Jin Ding 金殿): The Golden Temple is at the top of the mountain, there is a magic lamp in the hall, whose light never went out in thousands of years, everyone who goes to the top of the mountain prays here silently.
  • Purple Cloud Palace (Zixiao 紫霄宫): The largest temple in Wudang Mountain.
  • Five Dragon Palace (Wulong Gong 无龙宫): The oldest temple in Wudang Mountain.
  • Daoist Academy (道教学院): The place where Daoist priests study, visit, communicate and learn. The highest academy of Daoism open to society, where all the teachings are based on traditional Daoist culture. At the Daoist Academy, the main activity will be communication with the teachers and students there, understanding their mindset, experiences, and the content they are learning.

2.  Henan （河南）：

  • Temple of FuXi (伏羲庙): Chinese myths and legends say that Fuxi, the ancestor of humankind, created Bagua. His mausoleum is known as the first mausoleum in the world, and it is also the birthplace of the dragon totem. The Fuxi Mausoleum is the tomb of Fuxi, the ancestor of humanity in Chinese mythology, similar to the Adam and Eve of the West. However, while the tomb of Adam and Eve cannot be found in the West, Fuxi has a tomb in China. We can visit and feel the energy field of the Fuxi Mausoleum.
  • Taiqing Palace (太清宫): It is the birthplace of Laozi, the legendary philosopher and Taoist patriarch.
  • LaoJun Terrace (老君台): The birthplace of Laozi, the founder of Daoism in China, and the place where Laozi lectured Confucius. During the Japanese invasion of China, thirteen cannonballs were fired here, but all of them failed to explode. We will visit and experience the mysterious energy field, communicating and merging with the energy field.
  • Shangqiu Ancient City (商丘古城): Shangqiu Ancient City is the only ancient Ba Gua city in China, dating back to the Shang Dynasty 4,000 years ago. The Fire God Terrace, next to the ancient city, is the place where the ancient Chinese legend of Suiren (the fire starter) took place, where fire was obtained by drilling wood. In Western mythology, fire was stolen by Prometheus from the heavens, while in Eastern myth, fire was obtained by Suiren. This place is also the oldest star observation platform in China.
  • Fire God Terrace (火神台): Suiren is the first person to make fire manually in China, this is place where he made fire by drilling wood. During the Great Flood, Yan Bo assisted Yu in water control and was conferred the job of managing fire in Shangqiu. People respected him as the “God of Fire”. Yan Bo was buried here after his death.
  • Medical Sage Temple: The tomb of Zhang Zhongjing, the famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor, who was born before 1870 and is honored as the “Medical Sage.” His prescriptions are still widely used today.