Tang Zishan, known as the Eastern Wudang

🚐 Before the Spring Festival of the Jia Chen Dragon year, I arrived in Xiangyang and started a self-driving tour in Zaoyang. In the city's Wang Simian Restaurant, I had a bowl of hot dry noodles, and then I set off for Tang Zishan. Tang Zishan is located to the north of Taiping Town, a stone mountain that rises abruptly from the plain. When the sky is clear, it can be seen from afar, and there are ancient fortress ruins on the mountain top. 🏯 Entering the scenic area's main gate, at the foot of the mountain there is a Lingguan Hall. Lingguan is a protective deity in Taoism, with Wang Lingguan being the most famous. If compared to Buddhism, Lingguan Hall is akin to the Hall of Heavenly Kings, serving as the first major hall of a Taoist temple. Continuing up the road, passing by the Chisong Pavilion and the Reclining Ox Divine Rock, I arrived at the Purple Qi Gate. After climbing a long flight of stone steps, I reached the Jade Emperor Hall halfway up the mountain. Inside the Jade Emperor Hall, the Jade Emperor is worshipped, and the side halls worship various deities, marking it as a traditional Chinese Taoist holy site. Standing on the platform in front of the Jade Emperor Hall, one can see layers of pavilions, with the Tang Zishan Reservoir below, its waves vast and boundless, as if right before one's eyes. ⛰️ In the nearby rocks, there are several caves where Taoist priests used to meditate and practice. One of them, Gao Feng Cave, was the hermitage of the Eastern Han scholar Gao Feng. Gao Feng, from Ye County in Nanyang, studied the classics from a young age and became a renowned Confucian. He repeatedly abandoned official positions and eventually came here to live in seclusion and teach. 🏞️ With one final effort, I climbed to the peak. The summit is very flat, with a small square built on it, offering an extremely wide view, overlooking thousands of miles of fertile fields. Unfortunately, the weather that day was not good, visibility was low, and the mountain wind was extremely biting, feeling like a knife cutting across the face. ⭐ At the top, there are remnants of stone walls, leftovers from an ancient fortress that was once built with three layers, making it easy to defend but hard to attack. However, it has been destroyed by later generations, leaving only ruins. The highest point of the mountain top is the Golden Summit, with three layers of precious halls, mainly dedicated to the True Martial Emperor. The True Martial Emperor, also known as the Xuanwu Emperor or the Immeasurable Ancestor, is the god of the north in mythology. Wudang Mountain is his Taoist site, no wonder the archway at the foot of the mountain has a plaque reading 'Eastern Wudang'. 🐔 The cold wind on the mountain is piercing. After a quick look at the scenery, I hurried down the mountain to find the 'First Chicken at the Foot of the Mountain'. This is a farmhouse restaurant, with firewood piled at the door to show that they cook with wood fire. The owner is rather low-key, claiming to be the first at the foot of the mountain rather than the first in the world. On the iron rack hang plucked chickens, and from behind the surrounding wall comes the intermittent crowing of chickens. After a long wait, the dishes finally arrived. The chicken was served on an iron plate, cooked in a dry-fried style, accompanied by scallion pancakes, stir-fried eggs, and dried radish rice, plus a pot of rice soup, all brimming with memories. 📍Address: North of Taiping Town, Zaoyang, Xiangyang 💰Cost: Entrance ticket 50 yuan