Wudang's statue of Xuan Wu to start tour around Taiwan

The photo taken on Oct 14, 2014, shows the statue of god Xuan Wu, one of the highest-ranking Taoist deities, in the Wudang Mountains, Hubei province. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The photo taken on Oct 14, 2014, shows a ceremony in the Wudang Mountains, Hubei province, that marks the beginning of the 600-year-old Xuan Wu statue's tour around Taiwan. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The Wudang Mountains in Hubei province held a ceremony on Oct 14 to mark the beginning of the 600-year-old Xuan Wu statue's tour around Taiwan. Xuan Wu, the Northern Emperor, is one of the highest-ranking Taoist deities.

Themed "Joint Worship for Xuan Wu, Good Fortune for Two Sides," the 22-day event promotes prayer to Xuan Wu for happiness and good fortune for people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. From Oct 15 to Nov 5, Xuan Wu's statue will tour around over 30 temples in Taiwan, during which Taiwan residents will also be treated with various activities, such as religious ceremonies, Taoist music and Wudang martial arts.

In addition, from Oct 16 to 17, a forum on Xuan Wu faith and Taoist culture, a cross-Straits painting and calligraphy exhibition, and a Wudang photography contest will be held to offer Taiwan people a better experience of profound Taoist culture and Wudang's glamorous scenery.

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.

The ceremony was presided by Li Guangfu, president of the Wudang Taoist Association, and attended by government leaders, including Long Mingbiao, director assistant of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council PRC; Zhao Bing, deputy director of the Hubei Provincial People's Congress; Liu Kaichun, director of the Hubei Provincial Taiwan Affairs Office; Chen Jiayi, chairman of the CPPCC Shiyan municipal committee; and Li Faping, vice-mayor of Shiyan city.

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