| In general, this paper applies explanatory historical research paradigm with the "scenery supporting from" theory in landscape architecture as its core. Firstly, the landscape condition and landform as well as building sites of the Wudang Mountains is ascertained through field investigation and measurement. Secondly, the basic names and scales of the Taoist temples built by Emperor Yongle is clarified by way of close reading and comparison of historical documents, thus the research scope and object is conformed clearly. Thirdly, various aspects of document literature related to the landscape construction of the Wudang Mountains is collected and organized, including political management, religions thought, social life, travel notes, local records and historical map, from which we find out the synchronic and diachronic related information. Then the study probes into the context of historical geography, imperial ideology, religious belief and aesthetic ideal by way of narrate and integrality based on the identification and analysis of the information as well as the speculation of rebuilding Taoist temples environment. Finally, the planning and design theories of the "scenery supporting from" theory in the Wudang Mountains is explained from several aspects, including target determination, naming, raising design idea, site selection, planning layout, slight adjustment and artistic conception. The research results of this paper are as follows.1. Early in the development of ancient China and Taoism, the Wudang Mountains situated between the civilized and uncivilized area was by no means remote or inconvenient. In fact, its location---- with the main land and water traffic arteries on its east under then traffic conditions, and in the southwestern edge of Center Plains Culture circle---- makes the Wudang Mountains more accessible to be the Taoist mountain landscape resources. There is a positive correlation between the exploitation of landscape resources as well as the emergence and development of scenic spots construction and the religion development and construction history of Taoism. Furthermore, some results of this study---- Kunlun Mountains is the ancestor of the Wudang Mountains, Zhongnan Mountain is its secondary ancestor mountain, and Qinling Mountains is its dragon vein----which disagree with some modern scholars’ opinions are exactly consistent with the early development history of Wudang Taoism and the historical geographical location of the Wudang Mountains.2. This paper finds out that the Wudang Taoist buildings constructed by Emperor Yongle differ significantly in the denomination, economic supply, administrative affairs management of temples, scale grade of important Taoist rites and historical documents. On this basis, it can be verified specifically that the amount of the Taoist buildings constructed in Yongle Period is 36 and there are 33 Taoist buildings with the emperor’s supply. Overall, the number of the main Taoist buildings can be abbreviated in "seven palaces & eight Taoist temples". This conclusion can settle the relevant disputes in present academia.3. The construction of the Wudang Mountains in Ming Dynasty directly results from the political, religious and scenic purposes of Emperor Zhu Di. This study argues that the master planning of the Wudang Mountains with the basic goal to construct Zhenwu Taoist place is rooted in the unity of heaven, earth and human as well as the harmony of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Site selection and view naming takes full advantage of the favorable conditions of history, environment and human. Following the clue of the Taoist story that Zhenwu cultivates immortality, gains the Tao, then flies up to heaven and finally goes back to heavenly palace, the spatial layout is planned in the order of mortal world, celestial mountains and paradise based on Taoist cosmology and cultivating immortality theory. This layout which reflects the space image of "immortals in the mountains with three settlements and three regions" is the embodiment of the blend and unity of the imaginary space of temporal imperial power as well as religious authority and the real scenic space.4. This study first discovers that the image of practicing Taoism and cultivating immortality contained within the overall planning and layout of the Wudang Mountains makes the best use of natural conditions and implies the process of cultivating immortality through terrain, buildings, celestial way, Horizontal Inscribed Board based on the inheritance and development of the landscape architecture pattern in the practicing Taoism paintings in Song and Yuan Dynasty. This image is a metaphor for the Taoist inner reverse model, which embodies the chart of inside view of practicing Taoism in three-dimension space. In addition, the layout structure with three settlements and three regions which symbolizes mortal world, celestial mountains and paradise also corresponds to the three practice state of Zhenwu inner reverse training Based on above, this paper makes an innovative explanation of an unsolved mystery, why the Wudang golden temple is seated toward east.5. This study confirms that the layout of Taoist buildings is traditional and innovative with the design concept of bringing artificial beauty in nature. The construction of the environment of Taoist temples attaches great importance to geomancy and combines it with engineering means including drainage and disaster-prevention with high artistry and innovative technology. On one hand, the plane layout of Taoist temples conforms with the basic functional organization and axisymmetric form according to Taoist scriptures. Besides, the main worship space centers on the Hall of Emperor Xuanwu, in front of the Hall of Holy Parents, with left and right imperial edict pavilions respectively on both sides of the central axis. This layout, as a unique typical sign of Wudang central palace, reflects the impact of imperial ideology and Confucianism. On the other hand, the vertical design tends to construct Taoist temples to simulate paradise by borrowing the topographic condition of the Wudang mountains ingeniously, which fully embodies the combination of the artificial and the natural. Moreover, this paper discover the important evidence that Wudang Sect is influenced by Quanzhen Sect in late Yuan and early Ming Dynasty----the practice space of the four center areas with the celestial mountains image has the characteristics of the symbolic meditation of Quanzhen Sect.6. It is verified that there is an upsurge in imitation of the Wudang Mountains and construction of Zhenwu temple throughout China after the mid-Ming, and it continues to late Qing Dynasty. Since then, there have remained a large amount of national and local scenic pots imitating the Wudang Mountains and the ones named after North Wudang, Little Wudang and Better Wudang, a significant fraction of which are currently designated national or provincial scenic spots or cultural relics protection units. This study affirms that the Wudang Mountains as well as its imitative scenic spots is a relative cultural and landscape phenomenon, and preliminarily presents these related scenery mountains. This work is really of pioneering significance. |
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