The Stupa of Shakyamuni in Wutai mountain.		Sunrise from the third eye of the sleeping Buddha.

Wutai Mountain and the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri are the subject of countless Buddhist scriptures,sutras and tantras. Mahayana Buddhism began arriving on Wutai Mountain as early as the first century Han Dynasty and temple building began as early as 25AD which continues to this day. By the fourth to sixth centuries there were over two hundred monasteries and during the Tang Dynasty 700AD China's Chan Buddhism (Zen) became the most prolific form of Buddhism in the Far East. Chan Buddhist temples sprouted forth like wild flowers on a warm Spring day illuminating innumerable sentient beings into the vast expanse and Wutai Mountain became a well spring of Chan teachings. Further monastic developments were made on Wutai Mountain during the Song and Ming Dynasties and due to the inconceivable efforts of the Nirmanakaya Buddha Padmasambhava Vajrayana Buddhism came to Wutai Mountain during the Tang, Yuan and Qing Dynasties. The Mongolians of the Yuan Dynasty 1100AD united all of Central Asia under its rule and established their capital in Beijing. They disbanded the Nyingma monarchy of Tibet, made the Dalai Lama its governor and spread the Gelug teachings throughout Mongolia, Beijing and Wutai Mountain.

The Manchurians of the Qing Dynasty 1600AD were one of the greatest of the Vajrayana Races and ruled China based on the Buddha's Inconcievable Longivity Sutra for over two hundred and sixty years. Several of their emperors were reincarnations of Manjushri and the Manchurian people were considered his emanations. The Qing Dynasty created a field of merit from Beijing to Lhasa and Wutai Mountain was their main center of pilgrimage becoming a beacon of light for all three vehicles of the Buddha Dharma. Manjushri has also taken reincarnation as the greatest of the Tibetan kings, Trisong Detsun and many other famous Buddhist masters in Asia. Under the patronage of these enlightened rulers Buddhism spread throughout the Far East like the rising sun on a fresh Spring morning. Since ancient times it has been quite common for pilgrims to meet Manjushri and receive his blessings directly when making the pilgrimage to Wutai Mountain. Three of our own pilgrims on Sacred Journeys have seen him so far.

	The bronze home of Manjushri		Festival at a Mongolian Lamasery

Today Chinese, Mongolian, and Tibetan monasteries cover the landscape of Wutai Mountain and they all attend each other’s teachings and share with each other the great wealth of their wisdom traditions. Besides the overwhelming amount of temples on Wutai Mountain there are many great little magical spots every where you look. The main stupa of the monastic city center is the largest and holds relics of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The second largest stupa holds the relics of Majushri. There are many other stupas on Wutai Mountain that houses the relics of great masters including the 7th Zhajiang Tulku and late great Dilgo Kyentse who taught the Dharma to many people in the West. There is also other types of sacred spots such as Reaching Buddhahood Wall and the Bodhisattva Peak where the Qing Dynasty Emperor's Kangxi and Qianlong lived and Jigme Puntsog also turned the wheel of the tantric mysteries. You can easily spend a life time exploring the great wealth of the Buddha Dharma on Wutai Mountain and with all of the monasteries and nuneries blooming with so much Dharma like a crystal lotus on a sunny morning, we encourage you to do so.

Our pilgrimage objective to Wutai Mountain is to recieve the Manjushri Empowerment and teachings on the Manjushri Tantra in the heart of the Manjushri Mandala, Wutai Mountain. We will also heartily practice the Prajnaparimita Heart Sutra, esoteric yoga, Buddhist qigong, martial arts, Taiji and Bagua. We will seek empowerment, blessings and teachings from some of the great masters that live on Wutai Mountain and some of the masters in retreat or on pilgrimage. If you would like to extend your stay on Wutai Mountain, enter retreat, take vows, become a lay or monastic practitioner we’ll be happy to arrange it for you. There's no better place to do it!!!