The 3,100ft underground shaft near the village of Tian Xing in China where climbers spent two months exploring for four to five days at a time

  The abyss: The cave is said to be one kilometre deep   The picture was taken by photographer Robert Shone, 28, of Manchester, who spent two months with the climbers documenting-their explorations.
More...  EXTERNAL LINK: The world's most amazing caves   Camping underground for four to five days at a time, the team were able to explore the extensive network of caves and tunnels.

   Mind the gap: An explorer watches a waterfall from a slippery perch

  Between a rock and a hard place: Explorers crawl through the cave network

   Breathtaking: The team, below, were able to explore the network of cave and tunnels in the underground shaft

 The Team.

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Visible from Space, The Great Wall of China is the largest man-made feature on the planet, however, contrary to popular legend (and according to astronauts Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Jim Irwin) it is not visible from the moon.  The Great Wall is 6’700 kilometers in length, running east to west and crossing five provinces.  Appearing as a long, serpentine dragon, it winds across lands including deserts, grasslands and even mountains. Every type of material available at the time was used. From mud and reeds, to the finest mortar bricks ever made. ( still intact centuries later ) The history of the Great Wall spans more than 2000 years, and it is now considered to be one of the greatest wonders on earth.  Though there are sections of the wall that have now fallen into ruin, or that have even completely disappeared, it remains one of the most sought attractions in the entire world due to both its majesty as well as its great significance.  In 1987, UNESCO listed the Great Wall of China among the prestigious World Heritage sites.  Though it is not known exactly when the construction of the Great Wall of China began, it is commonly believed that it was built as a military fortification to protect against tribal intrusions across the borders during the Zhou Dynasty.  In the late Spring and Autumn Period, which ran from 770 BC to 476 BC, the ducal states extended their defense works and began building “great” structures for prevention of attacks from neighboring states.   In 221 BC after conquering most of its neighboring states, Ying Zheng, the ruler of the Qin State declared himself Qin Shihuangdi, the first Emperor of The Qin Dynasty. The word Qin in pronounced "chin" and is the source of the name China. Thus began the reign of the First Emperor of China, and the beginning of the Great Wall. Qin Shihuangdi began the construction of the Great Wall by connecting many of the existing border walls to protect the northern border of his kingdom from invasion. The construction continued for centuries and employed the work of millions.  The Great Wall took approximately 10 years to complete, and ran from Linzhao - in what is now the eastern part of the Gansu Province) - east to Liaodong - which currently resides in the Jilin Province).  The wall not only provided incredible defense in the north of the country, but was a tremendous symbol of the emperor’s might.  After the Qin Dynasty, the Great Wall experienced many extensions.  Emperor Wu (Han Wu Di) of the Han Dynasty wished to maintain safety against the Xiongnu, as they had been at war with this tribe in 127 BC, 121 BC and 119 BC, so he extended the wall to the west to guard the Hexi Corridor (in what is now the Gansu Province) as well as the Xinjiang region.  Later, many more constructions and extensions were made to the great wall within the successive Northern Wei, Northern Qi and Sui dynasties.  Presently, the Great wall that exists in Beijing is from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).  It was built from bricks and granite and included greatly sophisticated designs and passes, holding largely strategic importance.  The Ming Wall begins in Yalujiang River (which lies in today’s Heilongjiang Province) and stretches over 5’000 kilometers to Guansu. Today, the wall is considered a must-see for every visitor to China.

Click on Pictures below for Larger View In the early 1400's, the third Ming Emperor "Yongle" moved the capital of China to Beijing. In 1406 he began construction on his new capital. The Capital consisted of three main sections: The Forbidden City, which contained the Imperial Palace complex; The Imperial City, which was home to the government officials; and the Outer City which was south of the Imperial City and is where the rest of the people lived. The Forbidden City of China is also known as two other names – the Imperial Palace Museum and Gugong, although the Imperial Palace is an entity of the City.  Both the Ming and Qing Dynasties carried out their administrative duties and lived within the walls of this incredible City.  The Forbidden City, ( so named because common people were forbidden to enter ) was indeed a city. Over 800 buildings containing 8,886 rooms, and covering 250 acres. The entire complex is surrounded by a 32 foot high wall which is protected by a 165 foot wide drainage ditch forming a mote. The city is only accessible by entering through one of four gates which span the water. Today, the Forbidden City is a public museum, drawing the attention of millions of people from around the world. It is here that you can see traditional architectural pieces up close and marvel in the treasures of the Imperial family and its court.  You will find this magnificent piece of history sitting directly across from the Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing.  Here you will find the main entrance into the museum although smaller entrances are still open through the east and north gages. The majority of structures found within the walls of the Forbidden City are post-18th Century architecture.  While some of these buildings have experienced levels of damage caused by the Gobi winds, the Manchus, and the 21st Century looting by the Japanese and Kuomintang forces, most of them are still standing firm.  The operation of the Forbidden City has stretched over five centuries during which time, 24 Emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled.  It was in these 500 years that the Forbidden City was considered “off limits” to the world, which even included the Chinese population.  However, that has all changed and today, people mill about every day through the cluster of buildings, free to enjoy the fascinating structures, tranquil gardens, and unbelievable designs.  When you visit the Imperial Palace, you will have two choices.  The first is a short, two-hour tour and the second is an all-day guided tour that will take you through each of the rooms.  If you prefer the shorter tour, you will still gain valuable insight from the plaques that mark each piece, providing historical information as well as the item’s relevance of importance.  With the color yellow being the symbol for the royal family, you will find it to be dominant throughout the City.  For example, the roofs have yellow glazed tiles, palace decorations are painted yellow, and the bricks found outside are yellow.  The only exception to this is the royal library called Wenyuange.  This portion of the Forbidden City was built with a black room to resemble water.  It was believed that if the palace should ever catch fire, the water could help extinguish it.  Either tour is a culturally rewarding experience that you will not soon forget.  A wonderful part of the Forbidden City is the Hall of Preserving Harmony.  This Hall was at one time used as a banquet hall for influential dinners.  The artistry seen as you approach the building is truly mesmerizing, validating the rich history.  The steps that lead down into the main corridor are covered with intricate dragons and other Chinese figures.  Making the stone even more intriguing is the fact that each step was initially part of a massive stone.  To transport the stone to the palace, the Chinese people had to be ingenuous in that moving it in a traditional manner simply would not work.  Therefore, during one winter when the roads flooded and then froze, they saw their opportunity.  The stone was slide down the road until it finally reached its home at the Hall.  Another important part of the Forbidden City is the Hall of Supreme Harmony.  This Hall was used for large gatherings where important guests were entertained.  To honor these guests, the Hall was decorated extravagantly.  As you tour through this particular building, you will find 308 bronze vats located throughout the palace.  During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, these very vats were filled with water in case of fire.  The Imperial Palace is by far the most beautiful structure of all within the Forbidden City.  Each walkway is magnificently designed with stone and enriched with beautiful rose gardens.  If you like, you can rest in any of the courtyards or pavilions and feel the enchantment of this powerful place.  For a small fee, you can climb the steps of the Tiananmen Gate and once at the top, you will have the opportunity to look out over the Square.  Here you will see the same panoramic view that Mao enjoyed while in reign.  Because this was Mao’s favorite place to watch the people walking below, in his honor a gigantic portrait of him hangs there today.  Everyone has heard the history of the Great Wall of Chine and sadly, some areas of this great wonder are in poor condition.  What many people do not know is that the Great Wall of China had a vital link to the Forbidden City.  You see, the Wall was designed and constructed with watchtowers all along its structure.  It was from these watchtowers that smoke signals were sent as a way of communicating with the Forbidden City.  The word “Beijing” translates to mean “Northern Capital”.  Today, Beijing is the home to more than 12 million people.  This city has undergone many transformations throughout the centuries and to most people visiting, they are often surprised at what they see.  The Forbidden City and Imperial Palace are just two examples of the rich history remaining in this part of China for all to enjoy. Click on Pictures below for Larger View The description of this trade route to the west as the `Silk Road' is misleading. In fact, no single route or road was taken. In crossing Central Asia, several different branches developed, passing through different oasis settlements. The name `Silk Road' is relatively new in historic terms, and was actually coined by a nineteenth century German scholar named von Richthofen It is often thought that the Romans had first come in contact with silk on one of their campaigns against the Parthians in 53 B.C. It is said that the Romans learned from Parthian prisoners that silk came from a mysterious tribe in the east, who they referred to as the silk people, or `Seres.'  Caravans heading towards China carried gold and other metals, ivory, precious stones, and glass to trade. In the opposite direction, besides silk, furs, ceramics, jade, bronze objects, lacquer, and iron were carried.  The most significant commodity carried along this route though, was not silk, but religion. Buddhism came to China from India, along the northern branch of the route and Christianity also made an early appearance on the scene.  Prosperous as the Silk Road was, it was always influenced by the political atmosphere of the day. A stable political environment meant that trade went smoothly, a turbulent state of affairs meant that trade was hindered. The height of the importance of the Silk Road occurred during the Tang dynasty in the seventh century, when, at that time, many favorable policies were adopted that encouraged trade. The later demise of the Silk Road was caused by the development of a trade route by sea from Europe to Asia. It was becoming easier and safer to transport goods by water rather than overland. Ships had become stronger and more reliable, and the route passed through promising new markets in Southern Asia. The overland problems of `tribal politics' between the different peoples along the route and the presence of middlemen, all taking their cut on the goods, took their toll on the Silk Road, and prompted many traders to choose the sea routes.   As trade with the West subsided, so did the traffic along the Road, and all but the best-watered oases declined. The grottos and other religious sites were long since neglected, now that the local peoples had espoused new religions, and the abandoned towns and sites became buried deeper beneath the sands. Renewed interest in the Silk Road only emerged among Western scholars towards the end of the nineteenth century, when archaeologists sought the Silk Road's treasures from the past. But, on May 25th, 1925, a student demonstration in the port of Shanghai resulted in a riot and the British opened fire, killing a number of rioters. This created a wave of hostility towards foreigners throughout China, and effectively brought the explorations of the Western archaeologists to an end. The Chinese authorities started to take a much harsher view of the foreign intervention, and organizing archaeological trips became very difficult. The Chinese demanded that all artifacts be turned over and this effectively ended foreign exploration of the region. The treasures of the ancient Silk Road are now scattered in museums in about a dozen countries. The biggest collections are located in the British Museum and in Delhi, India.  Today, the Silk Road is increasing in importance once again. The construction of roads and the discovery of large oil reserves under the desert is encouraging development. The area is rapidly becoming industrialized. The trade route itself is also being reopened, and trading is being encouraged by the recent trend towards a `socialist market economy' in China. Since China opened its doors to foreign tourists at the end of the 1970s, tourism is recognized as a lucrative commodity. This has encouraged Chinese authorities to strive to protect the remaining historical sites and restoration of many of the sites is underway. This ancient trade route has seen many changes since its birth before Christ, through its brightest days in the Tang dynasty, until its slow decline approximately seven hundred years ago. Once again though, because of changes in the political climate, the Silk Road may yet see international trade again, but on a scale never thought possible in the days of traveling by camels and horses. In 1974, workers in China were busy digging a new well when they made the most amazing discovery.  They came upon a pit where initially, they unearthed 1,000 pieces of pottery figurines, a few bronze chariots, horses, and weapons that would have been used during that era.  However, they soon discovered this pit was massive and the resting place of more than 6,000 full-size soldiers made from terra cotta, all standing in formation, many with their horses ready for battle.  Archaeologists were ecstatic about this find and intrigued that the horses all faced east and the soldiers each had unique facial expressions, making them appear uncanny but realistic.  To date, 96 horses and 11 chariots have been uncovered but archeologists believe this is just the beginning.  The Army of Terra Cotta Warriors depicts a very clear picture.  In 221 BC during the Qing Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang was the Emperor in reign.  The Terra Cotta Army was built as a way of creating an illusion of strength and manpower.  It was believed that as enemies approached, they would be overwhelmed with the powerful army supporting Emperor Qin and turn away.  It took more than one million workers to create the army and to lay your eyes on the masterpiece is indescribable.  In all, three pits have been discovered but diggers continue working, as there is strong evidence even more pits exist, just waiting to be discovered.  The pit holding the 6,000 plus soldiers is obviously massive.  However, the other pits are not just small holes in the ground but more like underground cities.  Pit One  Within this first pit, workers found a peculiar rectangular formation of army troops and chariots.  This pit measures 755 feet going east and west and 203 feet going north and south.  The entire pit was built using only wood and the earth.  Its appearance is similar to a cavern with five entrances sloping down into the pit.  Ten walls are erected that serve as partitions to separate the rows of soldiers.  These walls are all reinforced with wood beams covered with reed and earth and the floor of this pit is paved with black bricks.  Three columns of soldiers face the east as a way of protecting the vanguard.  The squads are each 70 strong, which equates to 210 troopers.  The troopers flank to the south and on the west side is rear guards armed with crossbows.  Pit Two  This pit shows a winding formation of army troops, cavalries, and chariots.  Located only 66 feet from the first pit, the size of this particular pit is an astounding 3.74 miles.  The pit is divided into an “L” shape with four separate sections that reveal 1,000 soldiers, 500 horses, and 89 wooden chariots.  The sections all serve a specific purpose:  ·         Section One – Inside are 334 archers lined in groups of eight.  The archers are all armed with crossbows that have amazing detailing.  Of the archers, approximately half are wearing heavy, protective armor.  The archers in the front are in a kneeling position while the archers in the back are standing so they can shoot their crossbows over the heads of the kneeling soldiers. ·         Section Two – In this section are 64 chariots, again lined in groups of eight.  The chariots are manned by an archer and then protected with a soldier on either side.  To provide reinforcement to the rear, infantrymen stand. ·         Section Three – Located at the center of the pit there are 19 chariots and around 100 soldiers.  Within this pit, the groupings are in three that cover the right, left, and rear.  The groups consist of a chariot to the front and then archers and messengers milling about as if going about their daily business. ·         Section Four – Standing due north, the groupings in this section are three.  These groups consist of six chariots, 124 horses, and 124 soldiers.  Each of the chariots carry two people – one the charioteer and a scout.  The expressions on the soldiers found in this section look exceptionally mean and each of them is holding a bow, ready for battle.              Pit Three  It was determined that this final pit was the command headquarters of Emperor Qin since it contained many fine pieces of pottery, jewelry, and other relics that would have been considered personal items. It was originally believed that each was an original work. They were actually made from a variety of molds containing the various body parts which were then assembled. In assembly line fashion, hundreds of labors made and assembled the warriors in various poses and passed them down to the craftsman to complete. The artists would then cover the entire piece with thin layers of clay and sculpt the final details giving each soldier a unique appearance and personality. The entire army stands at attention, as if awaiting the command to attack...somewhere in the next world. Sacred Mountains of China National Geographic   Temple of Pu Tuo Shan, China   With accurate historical records of events that occurred over three thousand years ago, China has some of the oldest recorded history of any country on earth. It is from the legendary era however, long before historical records were compiled, that we find the first mention of sacred mountains in China. Why were certain mountains believed to be sacred? Perhaps the most primitive reason was the belief that mountains, especially the tallest ones, were pillars separating heaven from earth. According to one ancient Chinese cosmology, the realm of heaven covered the realm of earth and from this belief arose the idea that heaven could fall down if not supported. The mountains were believed to perform this function. In the myth of the 'Reparation of Heaven', the Goddess Nu Wa, having repaired the broken sky, killed a huge turtle and erected its four feet as supporting pillars in the four quarters. These four pillars allowed the world to again enjoy a peaceful and harmonious life, and later came to be regarded as the earliest sacred mountains. Another reason for the sanctification of particular mountains is the legends and myths of both shamanism and early Taoism. These legends speak of sages and mystics, often called 'immortals', who lived deep in the mountain wilderness, existed on diets of rare herbs and exotic elixirs, and lived to be 400 to 800 years old. The mountain areas where these sages dwelled came to be regarded as sacred places, as access points to the heavenly realm, and also as the abodes of magical spirits and powerful deities (in the Chinese context a sacred mountain can mean a single peak, a cluster of hills, or a whole mountain range). The Shu-ching, a classic of traditional history compiled around the fifth century B.C., mentions how the ruler Shun (2255-2206BC) went every five years on a pilgrimage to the four mountains that defined the limits of his realm. Offering a sacrifice on the summit of each mountain, he began a tradition that has lasted to the present age (it is interesting to note that the Chinese phrase for pilgrimage - ch' ao-shan chin-hsiang - means 'paying one's respect to a mountain'). While only one of these mountains, Tai Shan (originally called Tai Tsung), was referred to by name in the Shu-ching, from other sources we learn that the following five mountains were highly venerated by the Taoists in ancient times: Tai Shan, Taoist mountain of the east, Shandong province, 1545 meters. Heng Shan Bei, Taoist mountain of the north, Shanxi province, 2017 meters. Hua Shan, Taoist mountain of the west, Shanxi province, 1997 meters. Heng Shan Nan, Taoist mountain of the south, Hunan province, 1290 meters. Song Shan, Taoist mountain of the center, Henan province, 1494 meters. These mountains were not, however, the only or even the most important of the Taoist sacred peaks. Writing in Pilgrims and Sacred Sites in China (listed in the bibliography under Naquin), John Lagerwey comments: "A note on what is meant by "Taoist mountain" is perhaps in order here. It is traditional to regard the Five Peaks (wu-yueh) as Taoist, in contrast with the "four most famous (Buddhist) mountains" (ssu-ta ming shan). While both history and cosmology can be called on to justify this identification of the Five Peaks with Taoism, these mountains already constituted a distinct group in the Former Han dynasty before Taoism had taken on an organized ecclesiastical form, and it is only from the late sixth century on that Taoists made a concerted effort to claim these mountains as theirs. The Taoists were never entirely successful in pressing this claim, and of the five only Hua Shan and T'ai Shan, albeit in a very different manner, play a significant and ongoing role in Taoist religious history. Perhaps even more to the point, even these two mountains are nowhere near as important to Taoist history as are such mountains as Mao Shan and Lung-hu Shan, centers, respectively, of Shang-ch'ing and Cheng-i Taoism. Together with Ko-tsao Shan (in Kiangsi), the ordination center of Ling-pao Taoism, these mountains constituted the "tripod" on which officially recognized forms of Taoism rested from the early twelfth century on." In the 1st century A.D. merchants returning from India via the Silk Route began the introduction of Buddhism into China. Over the next few centuries’ adventurous Chinese pilgrims traveled to India to visit the sacred places of the Buddha’s life. The most famous such pilgrim was Hsuan-tsang (596-664), the Tripitaka Master, who spent sixteen years in India. These pilgrims returned with translations of Buddhist texts and, equally important, with an affinity for the Buddhist tradition of monastic life. Like Taoist hermits, the Buddhists monks favored quiet mountains and deep forests for their meditative practices. Small hermitages and later great monastic complexes sprung up at many peaks (some previously held sacred by the Taoists) and over the centuries the Buddhists began to regard four peaks as having primary sanctity:  Pu Tuo Shan, Buddhist mountain of the east, Zhejiang province, 284 meters. Sacred to Kuan-Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Wu Tai Shan, Buddhist mountain of the north, Shanxi province, 3061 meters. Sacred to Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Emei Shan, Buddhist mountain of the west, Sichuan province, 3099 meters. Sacred to Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of Benevolent Action. Jiu Hua Shan, Buddhist mountain of the south, Anhui province, 1341 meters. Sacred to Kshitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of Salvation. Each of the Buddhist sacred mountains is considered to be the dwelling place of a Bodhisattva. These particular Bodhisattvas are mythological spiritual beings that have dedicated themselves to the service of assisting all sentient creatures in the transcendence of worldly suffering and the attainment of enlightenment. These Buddhist mountains and the Taoist peaks listed above became the primary pilgrimage destinations of both China's masses and also the ruling elite. Over many centuries the monastic centers developed into great centers of scholarship, art and philosophy, with hundreds of temples and thousands of monks and nuns. This extraordinary way of life continued unbroken until the Communist Revolution of 1949. During the 'Great Leap Forward' in the 1950's and the 'Cultural Revolution' of the 1960's, both Buddhism and Taoism were brutally suppressed and more than 90% of China's temples and great cultural artifacts were completely destroyed. Since the 1980's the Communist apparatus has taken less a destructive approach to religious culture and both Buddhism and Taoism are reviving. Some of the monasteries and temples have been reconstructed but much of the reconstruction work is poorly done and lacking in artistic beauty. Readers interested in a more in-depth study of sacred sites and pilgrimage in China are recommended to consult the works of Naquin and Yu (and their extensive bibliography), Birnbaum, and Geil.    Stairway to Heaven, Pilgrims ascending sacred Mount Tai Shan Mount Tai Shan Tai Shan is not merely the mountain home of the Gods such as Mt. Olympus or Mt. Sinai; it is considered a deity itself and has been venerated by the Chinese as their most sacred peak since at least the third millennium B.C. The emperors of ancient China regarded Tai Shan as the actual son of the Emperor of Heaven, from whom they received their own authority to rule the people. The mountain functioned as a God who looked after the affairs of humans and who also acted as a communication channel for humans to speak to God. Seventy-two legendary emperors are said to have come to Tai Shan, but the first known evidence dates from a rock carving left on the mountain in 219B.C. by Emperor Shih-huang who is remembered for having begun construction of the Great Wall. Historical record tells of the sometimes enormous retinues that would accompany an emperor on his pilgrimage to Tai Shan, lines of people might stretch from the bottom to the top of the mountain, a distance of over six miles. Besides royalty, artists and poets have also favored the holy peak. The walls lining the path up the mountain are covered with poems and tributes carved in stone, proclaiming the importance and beauty of the surroundings. Confucius and the poet Dufu both wrote poems expressing their respect, and legend tell that those who climb the mountain will live until they are one hundred years old. Over 7000 steps lead to the summit, and the slopes are dotted with numerous temples, inns, small restuarants and shops for the millions of annual pilgrims.Two important temples are situated at the top of the peak; the Temple of the Jade Emperor, the heavenly ruler of this world; and the Bixia, the Temple of the Princess of the Azure Clouds, the daughter of the Jade Emperor. The temple of the Princess is perhaps the preeminent place of pilgrimage for Chinese women. Thousands make the long climb each day, and occasionally one will still see very old women with the tiny, bound feet of pre-communist times. Mothers whose daughters have been unable to conceive come to pray for grandchildren, and two attendant goddesses standing next to the Princess are miricle working images, one for curing eye ailments, the other for children' diseases.   Pilgrims climbing Mount Hua Shan, China Mt. Hua Shan The five peaks of Hua Shan are thought to resemble a five petalled flower hence its common name, the 'Flowery Mountain.' Originally it was called Xiyue - meaning 'Western mountain' - because it was the westernmost of the five Taoist peaks. A tortuous 15 kilometer stepped path leads to the Green Dragon Ridge (Bilong ji) where other trails lead to the major peaks. Of the five peaks, the southernmost (2,100 meters) is the highest, closely followed by those in the east and west. Formerly the five mountains were dotted with temples but now few remain. Today Hua Shan is a popular hiking destination for Chinese youth on vacation but the mountain routes are still trekked by devoted pilgrims and wandering monks. In order to reach certain temples and the caves of the sages great courage is needed. Pilgrims must scale cliffs with only a linked chain for support and to fall is certain death. These routes have been given the humorous, but quite accurate names such as 'Thousand Feet Precipice' and 'Ear Touching Cliff'.   Pilgrims preparing to enter Puji Si temple, Pu Tuo Shan, China Puji Si Temple, Pu Tuo Shan   Putuo Shan, the lowest of China's sacred mountains, is located on a small island of only twelve square kilometers, five kilometers east of Zhoushan island in Zhejiang province. The peak of Putuo Shan, meaning 'beautiful white flower,' is 291 meters above sea level and is reached by a stone staircase with 1060 steps. A holy place before the arrival of Buddhism, the island is full of mystic caves, tranquil valleys, overhanging cliffs and golden beaches. Putuo Shan and its temples are sacred to the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, a goddess of compassion. Legends tell that Avalokitesvara attained supreme enlightenment upon the island and that Sudhana, another Bodhisattva, came to Putuo Shan to pay homage to Avalokitesvara. Mount Putuo first became a Buddhist Sanctuary during the Tang Dynasty. Legends tell of an Indian Monk, arriving late in the 9th century, who had received instruction and a seven-hued precious stone from the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. In 916, the Japanese monk Huie was stranded at Mount Putuo while bringing a statue of Avalokitesvara from Mount Wutai to Japan. He prayed to the Goddess for help and his call was answered. In gratitude he built at temple upon Mount Putuo to enshrine the statue of the Goddess he had been carrying. This is the so-called Bukenqu (Reluctant to Go) temple in Mount Putuo. Hsuan Tsang, the celebrated monk of the Tang Dynasty is also known to have visited Putuo Shan on his pilgrimage to India. Avalokitesvara (also known as Kuan Yin or Guanyin) was originally a male Bodhisattva in India and Tibet, who changed gender after reaching China. Since the Yuan Dynasty, the image has gradually been converted into that of a young woman, and in Putou Shan she is sometimes depicted holding a vase in her hand, pouring out holy water to ease the suffering of people. This Bodhisattva, in either of its gender forms, is a deity of mercy and gentleness, and its association with Putuo Shan, according to the author's general theory, indicates that the energetic character of this sacred place is conducive to the development of compassion in the human heart. The three major temples on Putuo Shan, Puji, Fayu and Huiji, are among the most impressive and elaborate of temples in China. First built in 1080, during the reign of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Puji Temple covers a space of 14,000 square meters and has nine halls, twelve pavilions, and sixteen chambers. Chinese legend has it that Avalokitesvara was born on February 19th of the lunar calendar, achieved enlightenment on June 19th, and achieved nirvana on September 19th. On these dates, pilgrims from all over the country congregate at Mount Putuo to pay homage to the Goddess. A festival of Kuan Yin on or around April 3 also draws many thousands of pilgrims. A folklore tradition on the holy island says, "Every nook and corner of the mountain contains a temple, and a monk appears whenever someone has lost his way."   Monasteries of Wu Tai Shan, China Wu Tai Shan   Because of its isolated location deep in the high mountains of north China, Wu Tai Shan was mostly untouched by the destructive machinery of the Communist Revolution. Perhaps nowhere else in all of China can one view so clearly the traditional ways and the superb temple architecture of old China. The center of Chinese Buddhism for two thousand years, Wu Tai Shan was originally a Taoist sacred mountain known as Tzu-fu Shan, meaning 'Purple Palace Mount,' and was believed to be the abode of various Taoist immortals. Wu Tai Shan actually encompasses a number of different mountains, but long ago Buddhists chose five particular flat-topped peaks as the perimeter of the sacred area, hence the name which means 'Five Terrace Mountain'. The highest peak, at 10,033 feet, is called Northern Terrace and the lowest, at 8153 feet, is called Southern Terrace; between these two peaks stretch twelve miles of mountains. The first temples on Wu Tai Shan were built during the reign of Emperor Ming Di, 58-75 AD and textual sources describe an estimated 200 temples erected during the Northern Ch'i dynasy of 550-577 AD, but subsequently destroyed. Today, fifty-eight temples built after the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 684-705) still stand as well as the oldest wooden temple in all of China, the Nan Chan Si temple built in 782 AD. There are forty-eight temples of Chinese Buddhism and ten Tibetan Lamasaries. Taihuai town, in the center of the Wu Tai mountains, is surrounded by the five peaks. Most of the temples are located near the town. The peaks of Wu Tai and all the surrounding temples are sacred to Manjushri, the Buddhist Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Virtue. Scholars trace the beginning of the Manjushri association with Wu Tai Shan to the visit of an Indian monk who visited in the 1st century AD and reported a vision of the Bodhisattva. Manjushri (called Wenshu Pusa in Chinese) is believed to reside in the vicinity of Wu Tai Shan and numerous legends speak of apparitions of the Bodhisattva riding a blue lion in the high mountains above the monasteries. Wu Tai Shan is widely known not only to the people of China but also to Buddhists in Japan, India, Sri Lanks, Burma, Tibet and Nepal. Wu Tai's Buddhism is indissolubly tied up with that of Japan and had a great influence on that country. Seeking after the Buddhist truth, such famous monks as Ennin and Ryoosen in the Tang Dynasty, and Choonen and Seisan in the Song Dynasty made long pilgrimages to Wu Tai Shan. The Tantric master Amoghavajra also came to meditate here.   Statue of Bodhisattva Manjushri, Wu Tan Shan, China For centuries, China's holy mountains were protected by Taoist and Buddhist monastries and the respect of the pilgrims who visited them. Now, in the face of growing tourist and business pressures, a new effort is being made to save them from destruction. Martin Palmer reports. To climb some of the great and ancient sacred mountains of China is to risk life and limb. Not just because some of them, like Hua Shan in Shaanxi Province, are amongst the most dangerous in China, but because of the crowds. Even a relatively straightforward climb such as that at the most important of all the Chinese sacred mountains, Tai Shan in Shandong Province, is made risky by the swirling hordes of visitors. Suspended temples of the Taoist sacred mountain area of Heng Shan, China. © CIRCA Photolibrary Sacred Mountains in China are big business and a major threat now exists to the delicate balance of ecology on many of these mountain ranges. For centuries they have attracted pilgrims. Now they are attracting tourists but, more worryingly, big business interests as well. China has nine senior sacred mountains, five of which are associated with Taoism, the indigenous religion of China, and four with Buddhism. They range from the small mountain island of Pu To off the coast near Ningbo to the massive 200-mile-long range of Heng Shan in Hunan Province. Then there are scores of lesser sacred mountains dotted across the landscape of China, each with its own aura of the holy which has helped to protect them down the millenia of Chinese civilisation. But now they are under threat. Commercial pressure In traditional Chinese society, sacred mountains were places of retreat from the world: places of pilgrimage, of learning, of a model of co-existence with nature. They were owned and run by the great monasteries, Taoist and Buddhist, and they offered a place of refuge to wildlife, a model of sustainable forestry and agriculture to local communities, and a vision of a more harmonious relationship with nature to pilgrims. In the last 100 years, through revolution, communism, turmoil and anti-religious persecution, much of this ancient balance has been destroyed. It seems likely that the rampant growth of the entrepreneur culture may put the final nail in the coffin. Over the last few years colleagues and I have visited all of the major sacred mountains to conduct an enquiry into the environmental and religious wellbeing of these vast sacred natural reserves. For despite the ravages of change, these places still have an aura and a local respect which means they have not been exploited to the same alarming degree as much of the rest of China. As Xiao Xiaomin, one of our Chinese colleagues puts it, "The gods still offer protection and local people respect these gods." But the pressures are mounting. Logging, hunting, tourism and pollution are taking their toll, for the land no longer belongs to the monasteries and thus in theory the lands are open to use. Yet the old reverence has hung on and the mountains are still protected by a veil of sanctity. But this is being attacked on many fronts, not least by Chinese tourists wishing to visit Chinese sites. The sacred temples of Heng Shan, China, are popular with tourists and pilgrims. © CIRCA Photolibrary The religious authorities are trying to find a way of balancing these demands. "These places are meant to be hard to climb, arduous to explore," says Zhang Hua Ne of the China Taoist Association, "for in that struggle lies humility. To build cable cars is not just to disturb the natural balance. It is to deprive us of a sense of awe." The sacredness of many of the mountains is important to local cultures. China has scores of ethnic communities and most of these live in the mountains, because of colonisation of the lowlands by the Han Chinese. Preservation of the sacred mountains is crucial to the survival of many of these minorities. Their symbiosis with the mountain ecology has meant a balance has been established which the presence of the religious communities has enhanced. Indeed, many of the mountains were originally shamanic sacred sites belonging to the indigenous peoples, stretching back over at least 5,000 years. The need to preserve these mountain ranges is spelt out by Han Wu Di of the state tourist authority in Shangdong Province, which includes Tai Shan, the greatest of the sacred mountains. "Once the symbol of China was the dragon and the phoenix. Now it is the crane - and I am not referring to the bird." China is experiencing an extraordinary boom. Everywhere is a building site. Everywhere resources are being drained to make quick profits. Ironically, Chinese economic freedom may do more damage to the sacred mountains of China than the Cultural Revolution. Certainly this is the view of one of the Grand Masters of Taoism, Wu: "For centuries, Taoism has protected the sacred mountains by making them places of refuge, places where nothing was done. We have been passive. Now we must be active. We must work to preserve that which we love. We must educate people about our need for nature." This shift from passive to active is most clearly to be seen in two linked actions. Firstly, in 1995, the Taoists of China issued a statement on ecology for the first time in their two thousand year history. In a clear rejection of consumerist values, they state: "Taoism has a unique sense of value in that it judges affluence by the number of different species." Mountain project At the same time, in collaboration with the Alliance of Religions and Conservation's (ARC) programme on working with religions, the Taoists have launched a Sacred Mountains Project. ARC, in a joint effort with the Taoists, the Government Bureau of Religious Affairs and the tourist authorities, co-ordinated a major survey of the ecology of the five main and three lesser Taoist mountains and is planning a full survey of the four key Buddhist mountains. Based upon this survey, development plans will be drawn up through consultation with local people, priests, monks and nuns as well as with the relevant provincial and state government departments, which will try to ensure the survival of a balanced way of life on the sacred mountains. This is a partnership between faiths, government, ministries, local communities and the wider environmental movement. It is forging new ties in a country with many major environmental problems. Walking the sacred mountains is a fascinating experience. Here great areas of natural beauty and diversity still exist. Local people retain a sense of respect and awe for the mountain and all it gives them. To walk the old pilgrimage routes is both to explore the physical and to journey into the metaphysical. This combination has produced a uniquely godly environment which has protected wildlife and peoples through the millenia. It might continue to do so for millenia to come if this project works. High on O Mei Shan in Sichuan Province lives a Buddhist hermit. He has lived in his cave for some fifty years. Perhaps he should have the last word: "For me, the mountain is the Buddha and the Buddha is the mountain. No one wishes to harm the Buddha, so why do you harm the mountain? Come, visit, listen. But also respect all life on this mountain, for the mountain is you and you are the mountain." Martin Palmer is Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and religious adviser to WWF.