"The heart wanders through the years, finding no place to settle down; Birds fly across time, searching for a perch to rest upon. By chance, they both find their way here — North Wudang Mountain."

These verses were written by the renowned poet Wang Guozhen after his visit to North Wudang Mountain.

Also known as Zhenwu Mountain and originally called Dragon King Temple, North Wudang Mountain stands at an altitude of 2,280 metres in North Wudang Town, Fangshan County, Shanxi Province. It is a national AAAA-level scenic area. In 1994, the State Council designated it as one of the five national scenic areas in Shanxi. It is a sacred Taoist site in northern China.

Boasting the grandeur of Mount Tai, the wonder of Huangshan Mountain, the precipices of Huashan Mountain and the grace of Emei Mountain, North Wudang Mountain is hailed as "The Finest Mountain in Shanxi". This title only captures its natural scenery combining majesty, wonder, peril and elegance. When you explore its long Taoist heritage, you will come to agree that it deserves to be ranked among the top mountains across the whole nation. Today, North Wudang Mountain has become an ideal destination for pilgrimages, leisure and holidays.

The scenic area consists of 72 peaks, 36 rocky cliffs and 24 mountain valleys. The planned area covers 80 square kilometres, of which around 20 square kilometres have been developed. It features charming natural landscapes as well as time-honored cultural relics. Tall pines and ancient trees tower all over the mountain, taking on countless fantastic shapes. Natural stone formations are vivid and lifelike, leaving every visitor in awe.

The main peak, Incense Burner Peak, rises to 2,280 metres above sea level. It is 735 metres higher than Mount Tai (1,545 metres), the foremost of the Five Great Mountains, and 668 metres higher than South Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province (1,612 metres). Viewed from afar, Mount Tai lies to the left, Huashan Mountain to the right, Changshan Mountain forms the backdrop, and Hengshan Mountain faces it from the front. Nestled amid these surrounding mountains, North Wudang Mountain stands out prominently like a bright moon encircled by stars. Standing atop the peak, visitors enjoy a sweeping view of rolling mountain ridges stretching endlessly, which sets off the imposing momentum of North Wudang Mountain.

What makes the mountain particularly remarkable is the unique shape of Incense Burner Peak. The entire peak is made of a single granite massif. This solitary peak rises sharply with sheer cliff faces including Thousand-Ren Precipice, Thousand-Foot Cliff, the Cliff of Self-Sacrifice and Eagle Beak Cliff. The smooth rock surface spans more than 100,000 square metres, a rare sight among domestic scenic spots.

After thousands of years of wind and rain erosion, nature has crafted numerous marvellous stone landscapes here: Heavenly Palace Revealed, Giant Python Sticking out Its Head, Immortal Fish Emerging from the Gorge, Stone Turtle Laying Eggs, Stone Monkey, Stone Toad, Divine Dog Stone, Wild Boar Stone, Flying Stone, Turtle and Snake Outwitting Each Other, Nine Dragons Coming out of the Cave, Suffering Stone Pig, Ancient Ape Gazing at the Sun, and many more.

Archaeological research proves that Taoism on North Wudang Mountain dates back 4,500 years. Construction began in the reign of Emperor Yu of the Xia Dynasty, and the religion flourished in the Tang Dynasty. Its history is at least 3,200 years longer than that of South Wudang Mountain in Hubei, which was first built in the Zhenguan reign of the Tang Dynasty and reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Yu followed his father’s unfinished cause of flood control. Starting from Jizhou, he spent 13 years cutting through mountains and dredging rivers to turn floods into water conservancy projects. For his outstanding achievements in water management, Emperor Shun abdicated the throne to Yu, who ruled for 45 years. During his reign, in memory of his father, Yu renamed Yushan Mountain, where his father had been exiled and died, Guji Mountain. He deified his father as the God of Water and built the Xuantian Temple on North Wudang Mountain to enshrine him as Emperor Xuanwu. Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty changed the title Xuanwu to Zhenwu to avoid the name taboo of his ancestor Zhao Xuanlang, hence the name Emperor Zhenwu.

Walking up the stone steps, you will see dense bushes and exotic flowers everywhere. If you climb the mountain right after rain in summer, the peaks look newly washed and shimmering silver. If you start your hike at dawn, you can enjoy the same breathtaking sunrise view as on the Sun Viewing Peak of Mount Tai.

The statue of Emperor Zhenwu on the summit dates back to the Tang Dynasty. The majestic Main Zhenwu Hall still preserves a great number of stone carvings, clay sculptures and murals. At present, there are altogether 35 palaces on and around the main peak, most built in the Qing Dynasty. North Wudang Mountain remains one of the five national key scenic areas in Shanxi Province.

The Zhenwu Villa Hotel serves tourists at the foot of North Wudang Mountain. It enjoys picturesque surroundings and convenient transport links. Covering a construction area of roughly 10,000 square metres, the villa is divided into six reception zones featuring local folk architectural styles. It offers various guest rooms with different bed configurations, capable of accommodating 300 overnight guests and serving 500 diners at the same time. Equipped with complete facilities and comprehensive services, it is a perfect venue for leisure trips, entertainment events and business conferences.