A banknote clasped between her hands, Liu Haiyan prayed to the protector of the Wudang mountains. The range in central
China has long been considered sacred in
Taoism. “I asked him to bless our motherland with favorable weather and to make it even more prosperous,” Liu said while sitting outside the Golden Hall, a Taoist temple at the summit of Tianzhu Peak. “This place watches over our country,” she added. “We’re Chinese and this is part of our faith.”
Tourists and pilgrims in a steady stream make their way through Wudang every day. Its scenic peaks,
ancient palaces and religious sites drew 14 million visits in 2025, according to government figures.
