(Ecns.cn)--Tired of a buzzing and rushing city life? A spa in downtown malls might just not be enough to fully relax your strained body and stressed brain. One tip is to tour some of the country's spots that provide a "spiritual shelter."
Wudang: world for Swordsman
Sitting in the exact middle of China, Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province is the Taoist Holy Land. Therefore, it makes the perfect place to go if you are looking for a refreshing tour.
The historical scenery at Wudang Mountain is powerful and magnificent, tinged with some fantastically serene and charming touches, including the World Culture Heritage Site: the ancient architectural complex.
This site consists of eight palaces, two Taoist temples, 72 rock temples, 12 pavilions, and 10 shrines. Large in scale and excellent in technical detail, it is a powerful demonstration of the harmony between architecture and nature. Inspired by the fairyland picture of the perfect blending of buildings and mountains, the Wudang architectural complex is known as the Imperial Palace on a Cliff.
However, an even more appealing feature about Wudang is the opportunity it offers to get closer to Taoist traditions and practices, along with the deep-rooted Wudang Kung Fu.
Wudang Kung Fu, incorporating ways to keep healthy and prolong the lifespan, while also acquiring the skills to fight, is not only a special school of martial arts, but also a whole system of martial arts theory. As a culture, it takes root in the fertile soil of the thousands-year long Chinese civilization and contains profound Chinese philosophical theories. The practices have combined traditional notions of Tai Chi, yin and yang, the five elements, the eight diagram boxing theories, boxing skills, exercise, and attack policies. Thus, Wudang Gongfu is the crystallization of Wudang Taoism in the process of studying life.
When visiting Wudang, visitors can join the morning Tai Chi exercises at Wudang Tai Chi Lake, where martial arts masters can teach you one or two moves, totally for free.
If, by chance, you can't stand the Taoist vegetarian diet on the mountain, the Han River Fish Fest makes an excellent alternative, tasty and healthy. Located alongside the Han River, local dishes are mainly made of fish. The soft-shelled turtles for example, are not only delicious, but also nutritious with low calories.
