Dozens of exquisite medicine bottles have been discovered in a bird's nest in Huanglong Cave on Wudang Mountain, a famous Taoist resort in Central China's Hubei Province.

Words on the bottles showed they were used to store eye medicines during the Song (960-1279), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

A board, 127 centimetres long and 56 centimetres wide, was found in a pavilion below the grotto, which specifies the functions of eye medicines made by a Taoist named Yunxia, explaining they could cure 72 kinds of eye ailments, including cataracts and presbyopia.

The advertisement also told buyers to pay the exact fees listed, since the "sacred cave is far above and words can hardly be heard."

According to historical records, Yunxia died in AD 928, as the eighth-generation leader of the famous Danding Taoist sect in Wudang Mountain, which was the earliest Taoist sect on the mountain.

Nine out of 10 Taoists were doctors, said 83-year Zhu Huaying, who claimed to be a disciple of the Danding Taoist sect.

In history, Taoists near Huanglong Cave were famous for prescribing medicines, according to local archaeologists in charge of the relics on Wudang Mountain.

Huanglong Cave lies on a cliff about 300 metres from the pavilion, in which is set a statue which Taoists respected as the "King of Medicines."

Close

Today's Top News		Top National News
+China's richest village: It takes brains and guts ( 2003-08-19) +Relief for indigent college students ( 2003-08-19) +Leaders meet Australian PM ( 2003-08-19) +New security official promises open mind ( 2003-08-19) +Government to rationalize auto sector ( 2003-08-19)		+Public bidding to purchase medical equipment ( 2003-08-19) +Support urged for national organ donation ( 2003-08-19) +Offenders get wider re-education ( 2003-08-19) +Measures to ease emergencies ( 2003-08-19) +Rodents hit northwest China ( 2003-08-19)