Wu Dang

The monasteries of the Wu Dang Mountains always had a special attraction for those interested in Chinese martial arts, as they represent one of the two main schools of the Chinese Kung Fu (the other being the Shaolin monastery).
According to one account – which some consider to be a myth, while others reality – the Taoist master Zhang San Feng created Tai Ji (Tai Chi) in one of the several monasteries that are located around the valleys of the mountain, during the Yuan and the Ming dynasties.
Many secrets of the martial arts and the development of the mind are still well hidden in the Wu Dang Mountains, always turning a visit into a new challenge. The area still retains a sense of magic and eerie, which becomes more evident when the fog covers everything. Behind it lays the Taoist world, full of surprises, as the monks practiced their peculiar arts away from the social conventions and the dead ends they lead to, for centuries.
Finding somebody to teach you martial arts in Wu Dang is not always easy, as the monks usually pretend they know nothing of the sort. While one has the feeling that many of them know, one rarely sees somebody practicing, as most of the times they prefer to do it in isolation.
Fortunately, the contacts of our previous visits were very effective, and we were able to see a great part of the unique life and knowledge of the monks. During our stay we had the chance to meet two monks – teachers of the martial arts – that showed us part of their art.
During our visit to the bigger monastery of the area, which is named Purple Cloud and functions as the religious and administrative centre, we met Chen Li Sheng, with whom we practiced Tai Yi. This style, also known as the Emperor’s style, has a very long history, as it is considered to be created by Tai Yi Zheng Ren, around 550 A.C. It is very typical of the martial arts practiced at Wu Dang. The Tao Lu we were taught is named Tai Yi Xiao Zhang (Free Form Palm) and is characterised by its many locking techniques, the continuous flow of the movements, and the smooth relocation of the centre.
Our stay around the Purple Cloud Monastery was very pleasant and interesting, as we had the chance to share the life of the monks, eating with them, talking, drinking tea and watching their daily ceremonies, always accompanied by a meditative music.
Equally interesting was our visit to the Golden Summit Monastery, located on the higher top of the mountain range. There, the living conditions are more basic, but nothing can be compared to magical view from the top. During our stay, we practiced under the supervision of Fu Shifu, who is responsible for the training of the monks that stay there. We were taught Wudang gien, a Tao Lu for straight sword, famous for its spiral moves, and Wu Dang Tai Ji, a Tao Lu of 36 movements. The ability of Fu Yuan Tae is impressive, despite his young age. We were all impressed by the Nei Jia demonstration he did one night in his room.
Half of our heart remained in China, and more precisely in Wudang, where we wil