Learning the Yi Jing in the Temple of the Five Immortals on Wudang Mountain in China Zhou Oracle 2:23 AM

The Temple of the Five Immortals or Five Immortals Temple (五仙庙, Wǔ xiān miào) is a Taoist temple located in Shiyan's Zhangwan District in China's Hubei Province. The temple is situated on the Heavenly Horse (天马, Tiānmǎ) peak of White Horse Mountain (白马山, Báimǎ shān) in the Wudang Mountains.

This particular temple came to my attention when Steve Marshall of https://www.biroco.com/yijing/ published a review of the book by Xing De, better known as Li Shifu, the abbot of the Five Immortals Temple in the Wudang Mountains. The book was called "Yi Jing Ethics: Lessons of a Daoist Master from the Wudang Mountains".

From the review of the book:

"The introduction suggests the main purpose of the Yi is to help you unite with the dao. After that, you don't really need to use it any more. Sages don't need the book, for all the Yi teaches the sage's way. The aim is to 'transcend the Yi Jing in order to look back at it with true understanding' (p 11). It does appear to be the case that the longer you study the Yi, the less you actually use it for personal divination. You tend to already know the answer, that's should a question or dilemma ever actually arise. Still, one keeps one's hand in and asks from time to time. Though Johan says he hasn't seen Li Shifu asking about anything for himself."

https://www.biroco.com/yijing/xingde.htm

Then I checked their web site and realized they also (may) offer introduction to the Yi Jing practice as indicated on their official webpage https://fiveimmortals.com/wudang-tao/practicing-yi-jing/

What they teach is not original interpretation of the received hexagrams, instead they teach some of the methods commonly used across China nowadays, one of them being Bazi (八字).

From their website:

CONTENT:

• Yi Jing theory’s, explanation and methods of use

• Yi Jing Divination

• Eight-lines forecasting

• Eight-characters divination

• Big dipper numerals calculation

• Half palm foretelling

• And more…

Bazi etc is not my cup of tea but if you are interested in this type of the Yi Jing usage this might be of interest to you.

Instructions below on how to find this temple are provided by DeepSeek:

How to Find the Mystical Five Immestors Temple in Wudang Mountains

For any traveler journeying through China's heartland, the Wudang Mountains are a pinnacle of Taoist culture, martial arts, and breathtaking scenery. While everyone visits the Golden Peak and Nanyan Temple, finding the quieter, more enigmatic Five Immortals Temple (五仙祠) is a rewarding quest. Here’s your detailed guide.

First Things First: Location & Context

It's important to understand that the Wudang Mountains are a large scenic area, not a single peak. The Five Immortals Temple is not one of the main temples on the central pilgrim route. It's located on Wudang's West Route, which is steeper, more rugged, and sees far fewer tourists. This makes the journey feel more like a ancient pilgrimage and less like a modern tourist trip.

My Top Tip: This route is for the adventurous. Wear proper hiking shoes and be prepared for a serious climb. The reward is serenity, stunning views, and a genuine sense of discovery.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Get to the Wudang Mountains Base

Your journey starts in the city of Shiyan (十堰), in Hubei province.

• By Air: The nearest airport is Shiyan Wudangshan Airport (SYX). From there, you can take a taxi or a bus to the Wudang Mountains entrance.

• By Train: Shiyan Railway Station is a major hub with high-speed trains from Xi'an (~2.5 hrs), Wuhan (~2.5 hrs), and other cities. From the station, take a taxi to the scenic area (~30-40 mins).

Step 2: Enter the Scenic Area & Choose Your Path

You must purchase an entrance ticket for the Wudang Mountains Scenic Area. This ticket usually includes access to the shuttle buses that are essential for getting around.

Once inside, you need to get to the starting point for the West Route. There are two main approaches:

Option A: The Direct Hiker's Route (Recommended)

1. Take the scenic area shuttle bus to Qiongtai Zhongguan (琼台中观). This is the same station for the cable car up to the Golden Peak.

2. DO NOT take the cable car. Instead, from the Qiongtai bus stop, you need to find the path leading to the West Route. Look for signs pointing to "Five Immortals Temple" (五仙祠) or ask a local vendor "Wǔ Xiān Cí?" while making a hiking motion. The path is well-established but less advertised.

3. The hike from Qiongtai to the Five Immortals Temple is a steep and continuous climb, taking approximately 2-3 hours depending on your fitness level.

Option B: Via the Main South Slope

1. Take the shuttle bus to the Prince Slope (太子坡) transfer station.

2. From Prince Slope, switch to a shuttle bus heading to Qiongtai Zhongguan.

3. From Qiongtai, follow the instructions in Option A above.

What to Expect on the Hike

The trail is a classic stone stairway path winding through dense forest. You'll pass ancient gates, small shrines, and enjoy incredible views away from the crowds. The temple itself is built into a cliffside cave, a classic feature of Taoist architecture seeking harmony with nature. It's a place of quiet power, not grand spectacle.

A Crucial Navigation Point:
You will likely pass the slightly larger Lingguan Temple (灵官殿) on your climb. Keep going! The Five Immortals Temple is further up and to the side. The final approach involves a steep staircase leading directly to the temple's entrance built into the rock face.

Essential Tips for Your Visit

• Time Management: Allocate a full day for this hike. The last shuttle buses down the mountain leave around 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Do not miss them!

• Fitness Level: This is a strenuous hike. Be honest about your abilities. Bring plenty of water and snacks, as facilities on the West Route are minimal.

• Cash: Have small bills (RMB) on hand for buying water or small offerings at the temple.

• Combine Your Trip: Most people visit the Five Immortals Temple on their way to or from the Golden Peak (金顶) for sunrise/sunset. You can descend the West Route from the Golden Peak, but it's very steep and challenging.

• Respect the Culture: This is an active place of worship. Speak quietly, be respectful of those praying, and ask permission before taking photos of any monks or rituals.

Sample Itinerary suggestion

• 7:00 AM: Arrive at the Wudang Mountains entrance gate.

• 7:30 AM: Catch the shuttle bus to Qiongtai Zhongguan.

• 8:30 AM: Begin the hike from Qiongtai towards the West Route.

• 11:00 AM: Arrive at the Five Immortals Temple. Explore, rest, and soak in the atmosphere.

• 12:30 PM: Begin your descent back to Qiongtai.

• 2:30 PM: Have a late lunch at Qiongtai.

• 3:30 PM: Take the shuttle bus to another site, like Prince Slope or Nanyan Temple, before heading down.

Finding the Five Immortals Temple is more than just a visit; it's an adventure. It connects you to the hermetic and mystical roots of Wudang Taoism. Happy travels!

Disclaimer: Information on transportation and opening times can change. It's always wise to double-check with your hotel or the official tourist information the day before your visit. Conditions on the West Route can be weather-dependent.

Visiting TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) doctor in Wudangshan Town (武当山镇) Zhou Oracle 8:31 AM

 As we all know most western food is not real food any more - it is more like food-like-stuff. So now we call real food organic food and the rest is food-like-stuff.

Similarly the medicine that was practiced in China for thousands of years is now called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) after western medicine made inroads into Chinese main-stream.

TCM is inseparable from the Daoist philosophy - some of the core concepts of TCM such as the concept of Qi (气/氣) (life energy in TCM, outside of TCM Qi is a cosmological concept with very wide field of meaning) have been around probably more than 2500 years.

Some popular TCM herbal formulas have been in use for hundreds of years.

TCM is well established corpus of theoretical concepts and practical application which undoubtedly can benefit in many real-life situations when real root-cause of the disease must be addressed.

Western medicine, on the other hand, appears to be mainly focused on the management of symptoms and treatment of acute life-threatening conditions (if someone gets badly injured in a car accident TCM won't be his first choice for medical treatment, for example).

Nowadays  China is successfully integrating TCM and western medicine in hospitals like this one in the northern part of Beijing:

During the past 20 years I visited China many times and visited many different parts of this great country. During my travels I often stepped into TCM herbal stores with TCM doctors on site and asked them to check my pulse, tongue etc and tell me if everything was ok with my health. This exercise was fun for me because I did not have any serious health problems and I enjoyed watching Chinese doctors carefully listening to my pulse searching for signs of disbalance in the functioning of my internal organs. Usually they would tell me that my kidney yin energy was deficient and later they would tell me that my liver Qi was not how it should be due to prolonged stress etc. But at that time I was young and I ignored most of the advice I got from them.

This year I traveled in China one more time but this time in the middle of summer (August of 2025) - first shock for me was Shanghai humid +35 C that feels like +45 C - I felt I would suffocate right there on the street.

After a few days things got a bit better but after one week in Shanghai in those hellish conditions we decided to visit Wudang Shan because the weather there was much more agreeable.

However on the mountains we did a lot of walking up and down those infamous Wudang Shan stairs and I felt that my body was not getting rid of the liquid properly (I notice signs of edema on my face) so we decided to look for medical advice from a Daoist doctor on the Wudangshan Mt (I already mentioned that in my previous post) and later when we came to the Wudangshan Town (武当山镇) which is at the foot of the Wudang Mt, we visited a real TCM doctor in a local hospital.

In the text below I will describe my visit to the TCM doctor in Wudangshan Town (武当山镇).

Wudangshan Town has one main road leading from the Wudang Shan ticket office all the way down to the Wudang Shan West train station. 

Maybe a kilometer from the ticket office down that main road, you will notice a very nice wide, car-free road intersecting the main road and leading to Yuxu Gong (玉虚宫), which translates to the "Jade Void Palace" or "Palace of the Jade Emperor." 

So the intersection of the main road and the street that leads to Yuxu Gong (玉虚宫) will be used as the orientation point when I give you directions in the text below.

If you head from that intersection back to the ticket office, two blocks away you will find a bus stop (on the right side of the road looking towards to direction of the ticket office) where hospital buses stop and pick up passengers and take them to the newly built hospital in Wudangshan Town. The ride to the hospital is free.

Taxi ride from here to the hospital is maybe 15RMB ($3CAD) it takes 10-15 minutes to get there, in case you do not want to wait for the bus.

So in around 15 minutes you will be in front of the Wudangshan Town hospital 

and close to the hospital entrance door you will find information regarding all doctors who work in this hospital. Three of them are TCM doctors:

I am not sure if you can pick which doctor will see you, as we just entered the hospital paid 14 RMB (I think) and the nurse receptionist booked me to see this doctor

Doctor's name was Dr. Su Ren Qiang and he left very positive impression on me. I have dealt with several TCM doctors in Vancouver, Canada in the past and I can say if a TCM doctor is asking right questions, checking right things etc.

I think Dr. Su is knowledgeable and professional, he took time to collect information (my wife was interpreting for me - Dr. Su does not speak English well enough to communicate with patients without an interpreter) and to listen to my pulse, checked my tongue, skin etc.

Finally he prescribed Chines herbal formula for me which consisted of around 20 different plants etc and interestingly enough this was the first time that those plants came as herbal powder in small plastic bags so I just had to pour boiling water over the powder, mix it, wait 10-15 minutes to cool down and I could drink it (old fashion way involves boiling TCM herbs for hours until 6 cups of water boiled down to 2 cups of thick liquid, then new 6 cups of water was added then boiled for hours again before only two cups were left again).

The TCM prescription was fairly expensive, it cost me around $100 CAD (for one week supply of herbs) and I am not sure if that was the price both for Chinese and western patients or they charged more because I do not have Chinese medical coverage. Either way I think the medication worked.

As I said earlier, visiting TCM doctor in China can be interesting learning experience for those who have never had such experience and on top of that they may help with your health condition (if you have one). 

If you visit Wudang Shan and the town nearby you can certainly check out their new hospital and ask for a TCM doctor since the hospital was practically empty and we did not wait more than 10 minutes to see the doctor.

I hope this helps!

I Ching consultations in Wudangshan Town (武当山镇) Zhou Oracle 11:16 AM

 

At the foot of  Wudang mountain, in Wudangshan Town (武当山镇, also called Taihe Town 太和镇) very close to the Wudang Mt. ticket office one can find this fancy I Ching consultation business.

Right when you step in you will enter one big room with a woman sitting in the far right corner, in another room (a smaller one) to the left you will find a man in his early 30-ies.

I asked him in broken Chinese if he offers I Ching consultations, he sad yes, I asked how much he charges for consultations, he said 1800 RMB ($347.24 CAD).

A week later my wife (who is Chinese) asked the same question (because I thought maybe I did not understand his response properly) and she was told that the fee is 1000 RMB and up. I think she spoke with the lady in the first room who told her that the person who is doing I Ching consultations is a blind (?!) old man. I am not quite sure how a blind man can consult I Ching but according to my wife that is what the woman in this building told her.

This is a very busy tourist spot so the price is inflated however my impression is that any similar business (apart from the street-level fortune tellers) would charge significant amount for I Ching consultations regardless of their location.

On Wudang Mt. I spoke with a local man who was using the Yi Jing regularly, he even showed my his record of readings for the past several months/years. He never heard of Yarrow stalks (shi cao 蓍草) as a tool for casting hexagrams, he said this is an ancient method that is not used today, he said he uses three coins exclusively.

From his records it was clear he was using Wén Wáng Guà 文王卦 method to interpret the received hexagrams. He even showed my an old book from which he learned how to use Wén Wáng Guà 文王卦 in I Ching divination.

I told him I would appreciate if he could connect me with one of the Wudang Daoist monks who is using the Yi, he said he knew one, but later it turned out that person was martial arts expert, not the Yi Jing expert.

My impression was that the Yi Jing (as a divination tool) is still a taboo in China, seen as a serious superstition by the ruling class and their media machine. Ordinary people will be very unlikely to admit to you that they use I Ching for divination purposes.

Several days later I went to the National Museum of China to see one of their permanent exhibitions - Ancient China and interestingly enough in one corner they displayed all Classical books from pre-Han period EXCEPT the Yi Jing. One would almost think there is someone shadow-banning the Yi jing from the ordinary people's consciousnesses. 

Trip to China (Shanghai 上海, Wudang Mountain 武当山 and Beijing 北京) 2025 Zhou Oracle 7:11 AM

In August 2025, my family and I spent a month in China. We visited Shanghai, Wudang Mountain, and Beijing.

In the next a couple of post I will share some pictures and some observations from that trip,

This is the Yi Jing dedicated blog so I will try to keep it relevant in that regard however I may go off topic a bit - I hope you won't mind.

These are some of the Yi Jing "souvenirs" I brought with me from China - a new set of Yarrow stalks (shi cao 蓍草)  - interestingly enough practically no one on WuDang Mt knew what Yarrow stalks (shi cao 蓍草) were, even in the store that specializes in selling "esoteric" items, close to the Wudang gondola. My wife ordered them online from a vendor in Shandong. These are wild yarrow stalks and they look better than the ones I already had and used for years (and which worked fine).

The next one is a super beautiful hulu (葫芦) or bottle gourd with painted trigrams on it - I got it on Wudang Mt. I just love it!

Then several coins etc also purchased on Wudang mountain.