Xuan Wu statue's Taiwan tour comes to an end

Photo taken on Nov 7, 2014, shows a group of government officials and Taoist monks welcoming Xuan Wu back to the Wudang Mountains from Taiwan. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The 600-year-old Xuan Wu statue concludes its 22-day Taiwan tour on Nov 5 and moves back to the Wudang Mountains on Nov 7, 2014. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The photo taken on Nov 7, 2014, shows a parade greeting Xuan Wu as it returns back from Taiwan to the Wudang Mountains in Hubei province. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The 600-year-old Xuan Wu statue from the Wudang Mountains in Hubei province, one of the highest-ranking Taoist deities, concluded its 22-day Taiwan tour on Nov 5 and moved back to Wudang on Nov 7.

During its tour, the statue visited 26 temples around 12 cities in Taiwan with about 600,000 Xuan Wu followers taking part for worship.

The tour, themed "Joint Worship for Xuan Wu, Good Fortune for Two Sides," started with golden lion and dragon dances, the beat of deafening gongs and drums, and glamorous wushu performances on Oct 14 to promote prayer to Xuan Wu for happiness and good fortune among people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

The statue received a warm welcome from Taiwan Taoist monks when arriving at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport on Oct 15.

On Oct 17, a welcoming ceremony was held in Taiwan's Xinbei city, during which Lin Join-sane, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), greeted the arrival of the Xuan Wu statue. On the same day, a forum on Xuan Wu faith and Taoist culture, a cross-Straits painting and calligraphy exhibition, and a Wudang photography exhibition were also held to help Taiwan people better understand the profound Taoist culture and appreciate Wudang's splendid scenery.

Li Qimao, a 98-year-old renowned painter in Taiwan, wrote an inscription and drew a picture to celebrate the remarkable event.

The statue was moved to Zhenqing Temple of Guima Mountain in Taipei's Xinbei city on Oct 20, after receiving worship from over 5,000 believers in Hesheng Temple on Oct 19.

Officials from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, including Xiao Hong, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council; Li Faping, vice-mayor of Shiyan city; Li Guangfu, president of the Wudang Taoist Association; and Yang Xibin, head of Zhenqing Temple, jointly planted conifers and sakols to express their wish for a long-lasting friendship between the two sides. Afterwards, they unveiled a stone monument to greet Xuan Wu's tour in Zhenqing Temple.

Apart from Zhenwu Temple, Xuantian Temple and Dashangdi (Great God) Temple, Xuan Wu also visited four other temples in Tainan on Oct 27 and 28, including Wulong Temple, Long'an Temple, Yuxu Temple and Beiji Temple.

When the statue came to Shouzhen Temple on Alishan Mountain on Oct 29, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou extended congratulations on the arrival of Xuan Wu. Lien Chan, Kuomintang (KMT) Party chairman, also wrote an inscription for the event – "Common Prosperity for Both Sides."

In addition, during Xuan Wu's visit to Shouzhen Temple, the sun and moon appeared together in the sky, which was believed to be a symbol of good fortune for Taiwan people.

In recent years, the Wudang Mountains have made cultural communication with Taiwan a priority by enhancing cross-Straits cultural exchanges and martial arts communication. The event will further promote friendship between the two sides.

Contributed by Wang Liang and Jiang Yuanbo from Wudang Mountains Tourism Bureau