The Record of Ascending to the Summit of Wudang

On the day of Ren Yin in the fourth month of Ding Si of the Yanyou era, the fleas rose and climbed to the summit of the Zhenqing Palace on Wudang Mountain. At first, I crossed the thick forest and found a narrow path, which was about five li long. The rocks were high and clear, and the bad trees crisscrossed. The path gradually became sparse and the ground rose and fell. The trees crisscross each other, with leaves as big as a basket, as small as a 箿, reaching hundreds of feet tall, or as sparse as a bamboo 輵, all of which have never been seen before. Even among all the savages, no one could fully express their reputation. The flower snake earth 蝮, upon hearing human voices, tends to avoid. Only the leeches in the mountains are especially sick, hiding in the withered leaves and sandy soil. When they look at the shoes, they will rise up when they are warm. At first, they are like hair, but once they are filled with blood, they will grow twice as long. Therefore, every few steps, the practitioner must examine his own feet. When he sees them, he should quickly remove them. Otherwise, the toxins will turn into sores 痏, which cannot be cured in ten days or months 瘳. The mountain leeches are mostly found in the shells of giant snakes and pythons. Their stinging ability is no greater than that of leeches. Seven li later, he crawled along the green wall and the vines. Looking back, the inlaid rocks are deep and secluded, the grass and trees are lush and green. Only the gurgling sound of water can be heard, but one cannot catch a glimpse of the bottom. Coughing and laughing, the valley responds. Strange birds are flying, as big as chickens and wild geese, as small as sparrows and doves, with brilliant colors and clear and resonant cries, which are never heard before. If a name is given because its voice sounds like that of a human, it will be "not empty but empty", which is particularly distinctive. The herb Fu Rong is mainly composed of Polygonatum odoratum, ligusticum 䓖, aconite, and rhubarb. Another seven li leads to the Lower Heaven Gate. The sheer cliff was as sharp as a cliff, with braided bamboo tied to its top. When lowered, it could reach six zhang in length. The rest, with their side feet on the stone, climbed up against the bamboo. At first, there is fear and trembling; in the middle, there is courage and vigor; once there is a arrival, there is tranquility and playability. The Heavenly Gate is so flat that it can be found within ten feet. When two stones are opposed to each other, they are united at the top and open in the middle. It is also appropriate to call it a gate. At this point, neither mountain leeches nor snake vipers could be seen. Shan Zhiyun was governed by the emperor for the two heavens of Tai 'an Huangya and Xianding Jifeng. Five li above is the Three Heavenly Gates. Its momentum is to look down at the lower gates of heaven, to level the barbarians, and then to broaden and double them. The tall pines and strange rocks, the cold wind in the sky, the long baskets unfurl, their fragrance overwhelming. In the past, it was never as steep as ever, winding and twisting for a hundred miles and several miles, even reaching the summit. The stone grinding platform is square, thirty feet from east to west and half from north to south. The hall was made of copper from China Metallurgical Group Corporation. All the beams and Windows were incomplete. It was seven feet and five inches wide and the same height. Inside are nine bronze statues, with Yuanwu in the middle, the Divine Parents on the left and right, and the Two Heavenly Emperors on the left and right. There are four guards. There is one copper VAT and two copper furnaces in front. The VAT can produce one dendrometer of oil, and the lamp burns for a long time. One stove was placed inside the hall and the other in front of the altar. Looking around, all of a sudden, the Han River's encirclement was like a sash, and for the remaining hundreds of miles, the mountains, rivers, and cities seemed distinguishable. Looking down at the mountains, every scale stands at the foot of the mountain, presenting a myriad of postures and forms, as if they were coming and going, as if they were obeying orders and serving them. The sky is clear and bright, and the scenery is breathtaking. Perhaps when the clouds rise above the five drums to gaze eastward at the sunrise, it is particularly spectacular. Then one realizes that it is not only Mount Tai, the Temple of Heaven, or Mount Heng that is so. In the past, I was too scared to sleep in the open air and had no time to verify this. After lingering for a long time, they returned hesitantly. By the time of Zhenqing, the midday Yin had slightly turned, with a general rate of only thirty li. And from Zhenqing down to the Fendao Pass, there were another twenty-five li of clouds on the flat land.