Jiang Hao and Zhou Xinyan, dressed casually, entered Laoshan with the other tourists. As they walked, Jiang Hao explained Laoshan's history to Zhou Xinyan.
"In the first year of Jianyuan, Zhang Lianfu founded Sanguan Nunnery at Taiqing Palace. A few thatched huts marked the beginning of Laoshan Taoism, nearly two thousand years ago."
"At the beginning of the Song dynasty, Great Ancestor of Song donned the Yellow Robe and issued an imperial decree conferring the title Huagai True Person upon Liu Ruozhuo. He built the Shangqing and Taiqing Palaces, along with several other residences. From then on, Laoshan gradually flourished."
"During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, traditional Taoism declined while Quanzhen Taoism rose. Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, and the other Seven Quanzhen Masters personally came to Laoshan and each founded their own branches here. Zhang Sanfeng also cultivated the Dao here."
"Where there are famous mountains and great rivers, if Taoists fancy the place, monks naturally will too. This is prime ocean-view property, so monks built temples here."
Ocean-view property? Zhou Xinyan laughed at Jiang Hao's description.
"Patriarch Chunyang of Taoism absorbed theories from the three teachings. Laoshan inherited Quanzhen traditions, while Buddhism and Taoism absorbed and blended with each other, gradually forming what we see today. Still, the conflicts of interest and struggles over orthodox lineage between sects back then were extremely brutal."
As Jiang Hao recounted the history, the two reached the mountain and toured several Taoist temples. Jiang Hao felt slightly disappointed. The commercial atmosphere was far too heavy; there was not the slightest air of an immortal mountain. It was far inferior to Maoshan and Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Maoshan and Dragon Tiger Mountain also promoted tourism, but they ultimately distinguished between the front and rear mountains. The Taoists had a space of their own, whereas Jiang