The spectacularly beautiful Wudang Mountain is listed among the five great mountains in China, known as the Da Wu or Big Five. Four characters, Zhi Shi Xuan Yue, are carved on the Xuan Yue Gate of Wudang mountain. These characters mean that as long as Xuan Wu, the god of the north, is on Wudang Mountain, the whole world will remain in harmony. An old Chinese saying goes that you enter heaven when you step through Xuan Yue Gate to ascend the mountain, and you fall from heaven when leave through this gate. Xuan Yue Gate marks the start of an ancient road and a formation of buildings called One Temple and Two Palaces. The temple refered to is Yuan He Temple, and the two palaces are Yu Zhen Palace and Yu Xu Palace.

China Wudang Kungfu Academy is located next to Yuan He Temple, with Yu Zhen Palace to the east and Yu Xu Palace to the west. There is a special significance in this formation. According to the Ba Gua positioning system, east is the beginning and west is the end or the completion. When beginning to study it was important to find good teachers in ancient times, just as it is today. Following their advice, students could adapt to tranquil and peaceful temple life. During their practice, they would find a balance between body and spirit, and finally enjoy happy excursions among Wudang mountains. Thus, the arrangement of ‘one temple and two palaces’ implies that one meets a good teacher at Yu Zhen Palace, goes on to practise at Yuan He Temple, and finally reaches Yu Xu palace. Countless Daoists have left their footprints on this road. Wudang Kungfu Academy is located in the heart of this sacred land. We have the responsibility to spread Wudang kungfu and are very happy to see people from all over the world gathering here to learn Wudang kungfu together.

Xuan Yue Gate was formerly a complex of three rooms, four pillars and five buildings which are all made out of stone. It was built by Jia Jing, emperor of the Ming dynasty, in 1552 AD. It is 12 meters in height and 12.81 meters wide. The four characters, Zhi Shi Xuan Wu, in the middle of the tablet were written by Emperor Jia Jing. The name of Wudang mountain was changed to Zhi Shi Xuan Yue during his reign. Xuan is a reference to Daoism, but also refers to the god of the north known as Zhen Wu.

The Chinese State Council announced in 1988 that the Xuan Yue Gate tablet would be under the protection of the State Bureau of Cultural Relics. In the past one found here Ling Guan Palace, Xuan Du Palace, Hui Xin Temple and other complexes. Unfortunately, they have all long since been destroyed, leaving only the statues of Wang Ling Gong and the Liu Ding, cast in bronze and weighing about five hundred kilos. These statues now belong to the State Bureau of Cultural Relics and are housed in Yuan He Temple. Wang Linggong is the god who protects the mountain gate and punishes those who disobey the temple's laws.

The road from Xuan Yue Gate to Jin Ding, the Golden Summit, was known as the Sacred Way in ancient times. Stepping through Xuan Yue gate, one enters the sanctuary of Wudang sanctuary, known as a Daoist ‘fairyland’. In times gone by, when people came to worship at Wudang, they started from here and walked all the way up to the Golden Summit at the top of Wudang mountain. The Sacred Way is located to the north-east of the Tian Zhu Peak in Wudang town. Local crafts include walking sticks, jade and wooden statues as well as porcelain. Zhen jing tea is the traditional tea produced here. Xiang Yu railway line and the Lao Bai road also run through Wudang town.

Yu Zhen Palace is 4km to the east of Wudang mountain and is one of the nine palaces in the Wudang mountain area. At an elevation of 174m, the palace faces Nine Dragon Mountain and has at its back Phoenix Mountain. To the left of the palace is the Seeing God Tower and to the right is Black Tiger Cave. During the Ming dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng lived and practised here. Emperor Cheng Wu was said to have requested a visit to Zhang Sanfeng at this time but was refused. Yu Zhen Palace had 396 rooms in its heyday, at present there are only three large chambers left. The palace wall remains and is around 697 meters in length and 3.85 meters in height. Yu Zhen Palace is known for its shrine to Zhang Sanfeng and a statue of him still remains. The statue is adorned with Daoist robe, cloak and sandals and is recognised as a fine example of Ming dynasty sculpture.

Yuan He Temple is located between Yu Zhen Palace and Laoying town. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty, but has been added to and rebuilt several times from the Ming Dynasty to the present. It served as a training center for Daoists in the past. The layout of the temple is well proportioned with steep staircases. The construction of Yuan He Temple is compact with thick walls and high windows. The main hall is built on a raised platform higher than the front gate. All the remaining statues and tablets within Yuan He Temple are protected by the State Bureau of Cultural Relics. There are statues of six minor gods inside the hall, who are protecting the revered god, Xuan Tian.

Yuan He Temple is now a training center for the students at our academy. Here you can learn authentic kungfu, strengthen your body and enjoy the scenery around Yuan He Temple.

The full name of Yu Xu Palace is Xuan Tian Yu Xu palace. This can be roughly translated as the dwelling place of the highest god in the Daoist pantheon, Xuan Tian. This is one of the biggest palaces in the Wudang mountain area, and is located in Laoying town, about 4km from Xuan Yue Gate. Yu Xu Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty. The palace walls run approximately 1036 meters in length. Within the main palace walls there are two steles, five smaller palaces and the Dong Tian Gate, the Xi Tian Gate and the Bei Tian Gate. In the past there were 2,200 rooms within the palace and its design was very similar to Tai He Palace in Beijing. Yu Xu palace served as the base camp of the construction site when the emperor decided to repair the temples on Wudang mountain during the Ming dynasty. There was also a military encampment here during the Ming dynasty.