Last October 2021 I had the immense pleasure (and challenge!) of learning some Chinese martial arts in one of the most ancient and special places for learning Wushu: Wudang Mountain area in Hubei. Wudang martial arts, sometimes referred to as Wudang Kung Fu, are martial arts collections that have originated from the Wudang Mountain in the central part of China.  Its Taoists martial arts are recognized globally, but it’s actually different from the equally popular Shaolin Kung Fu.

I spent several days in Wudang filming this video that is part of the Hubei Travel series I started hosting for China Plus and the Hubei Tourism Bureau last March 2021.

Watch the full video on Facebook or on the CRI website here.

At Wudang Mountain the Taoist culture and martial arts can be seen everywhere. The mountain landscape and the spirit of the people combined with a long history have formed a unique heritage in Wudang. Below is a preview of all the places and people I met in Wudang!

Jake Pinnick, an American Kung fu teacher in Wudang

First I met Jake Pinnick, an American who moved to China’s Wudang Mountains in 2010 to study Kung fu with Master Yuan. He is now a teacher, and his daughter is also training In Wudang. He has been featured on various media platforms such as SCMP and Shine.

The Wudang Mountain Prince Slope

The ancient building complex in Prince Slope was designed according to the story of Zhenwu cultivation. The ancient building masters skillfully used the mountain terrain to build a wall like undulating waves, known as the Jiuqu Yellow River Wall. 

The Golden Palace on Wudang Mountain

The Golden Palace or Golden Peak (金殿) on Wudang Mountain is also named Taihe Palace (太和宫) which means Palace of Harmony, and is the highest summit at about 1,613 meters high. The Golden Palace is the soul and symbol of Wudang Mountain, so it is the must-visit place for visitors coming here. It is commonly said that one really visits Wudang Mountain only if stepping in the Palace of Harmony. Standing in front of Golden Palace, you can have a panoramic view of Wudang Mountain, as far as 400 kilometers away.

Working With a Film Crew In China

Ever since I first hosted the Old Masters Series in 2020, I’ve learned so much about being a travel host, working with a travel crew, and what happens behind the scenes being a foreign host in China. It is SO different than when I travel by myself. Here are a few shots of the crew.

(Would you be interested in hearing more about the behind the scenes of traveling with a film crew in China? I may do another post about this!)

Visiting Wudang Mountain in Hubei was such an enriching cultural experience. These students and masters train SO hard and have dedicated their lives to these practices. If you’re interesting in Wushu (martial arts) and Taoism in China, I highly recommend visiting!

Check out some of my other filming experiences in China:

• Exploring Wuhan Cherry Blossoms During Spring
• 2021 Year in Review: Travels in China and Life in Beijing
• Enshi Pingshan Grand Canyon in Hubei 屏山峡谷

*Note There is a similar sounding canyon called ZhangYe PingShanHu Grand Canyon 平山湖大峡谷 in Gansu Province, but it’s completely different than this one.

You need to descend down 666 steps to get into the lower canyon area. The cliffs rise up high above you, and sunlight streams down creating lovely light reflections and refraction. The most popular thing to do here is to take a boat ride through the canyon to experience the scenery. I was able to dress in a traditional Tujia/Miao clothing while here, which added a really fun element to this trip.

I just wanted to share a few photos and videos from my trip here!

For more about my daily life in China, follow me on Instagram!

And to read more about my travels around China in 2021, check out my other posts:

• Pengjiazhai Village 彭家寨 in Enshi, Hubei
• Tibetan Dancing and Xianzi Instruments in Litang County, Sichuan
• Xinduqiao Town in Kanding: Photographer’s Paradise of Sichuan

About Penjiazhai

Pengjiazhai 彭家寨 is located in Enshi City in the Hubei Province. In the village you’ll find the ancient Tujia stilted buildings called Diaojiaolou. Because of its historical and cultural significance Pengjiazhai is included on the List of Outstanding Minority Villages. Entering the village is quite unique, because you need to cross over a bridge – it’s the only way in!

The Diaojiaolou Buildings in Hubei

Entering the village is unique – it’s inside a fenced in area (which I was surprised to see). Then to reach the village you must walk over a suspension bridge over the Longtan River. As you walk across the river you’ll see the Diaojiaolou buildings up ahead – I learned that the oldest stilted structure here is almost 200 years old. These diaojialou houses are usually three stories high, and are well suited for mountainous terrain because of how sturdy they are. The first floor is usually for storing firewood, the second floor is the living area, the third floor is for storing food and other provisions.

The village itself is not big but quite charming, and you can easily walk around in an hour or two. What made the visit particularly unique for me was a little eight year old girl who bravely approached me and begin chatting with me right away in China. Asking me where I come from, what I was doing here. She quickly brought me a denglou, one of the little lanterns hanging around the village. From that moment we were friends, and she became my guide around the village. She would follow me as I took photos of the bridge, as I walked up into the diaojiaolou, as I looked for the bathroom. We laughed and giggled about silly things.  When I ate lunch she chatted with me, then a dancing party began. There’s a popular dancing style you’ll often see people doing here during live-stream videos.

The Tujia Ethnic People in Hubei

Hubei is home to many people form the Tujia ethnic minority. They will still hold traditional performances here, mostly involving special call-and-response love songs between men and women. I tried on some of the traditional Tujia clothing and met some of the lovely ladies here – their clothes are usually bright and colorful with many patterns and designs on them!

Visiting Pengjiazhai Village in Enshi, Hubei

It was a completely surprising day! I loved seeing this little village, but mostly I really loved interacting with the people here. The little girl who guided me through the village really just made my day. It was a nice reminder of how the people you meet on these travel journeys are what add more to your experience.