武當山古建筑群堪稱我國古代建筑史上的奇觀，被譽為“中國古代建筑成就的博物館”，在眾多宮觀建筑中有一處宮殿更是被稱為“掛在懸崖峭壁上的故宮”，它就是南巖宮。
The ancient architectural complex of Wudang Mountain is considered a marvel in the history of ancient Chinese architecture, renowned as the Museum of Ancient Chinese Architectural Achievements. Among the many Taoist temple and palace buildings, one palace that stands out is famously referred to as the Forbidden City Hanging on a Cliff, which is the Nanyan Palace.
圖/荊楚網
南巖，位于金頂之北，因它朝向南方，故稱“南巖”。它是武當山三十六巖中風光最美的一處，被譽為“氣吞泰華銀河近，勢壓岷峨玉壘高”的無雙勝境，南巖宮就建于此處。
Nanyan, located to the north of Golden Summit and facing south, is thus named Nanyan. It is the most picturesque spot among the thirty-six cliffs of Wudang Mountain, acclaimed as a unique and unparalleled wonder where "Its grandeur rivals that of Mount Tai and Mount Hua, and its majesty surpasses that of Mount Min and Mount Emei as well." The Nanyan Palace is built in this extraordinary location.
南巖宮建筑群不僅是武當山古建筑中最具個性和創意的建筑景觀之一，也是道教文化的重要遺產。整體修建鑲嵌在懸崖峭壁上的宮殿樓閣，是中國人文與自然景觀完美結合的典范。
The architectural complex of the Nanyan Palace is not only one of the most distinctive and creative landscapes within Wudang Mountain's ancient buildings but also an important cultural heritage of Taoism. The overall construction of the palace, with its towers and pavilions embedded in the cliffs, is a perfect embodiment of the harmonious integration between Chinese human culture and natural landscapes.
圖/湖北文旅小紅書
接下來，跟著湖北文旅一起親臨南巖，開啟一段問道武當、仙山祈福的旅程。
Next, follow Hubei Cultural Tourism to experience Nanyan in person, where you can embark on a journey to seeking Taoist wisdom and praying for blessings on the sacred mountain.
圖/武當山
南巖宮，全稱為“大圣南巖宮”，是武當山人文景觀和自然景觀結合得最完美的一處?。
The Nanyan Palace, officially named the Dashing Nanyan Palace, also called the Great Saint Nanyan Palace, boasts the perfect blend of cultural and natural landscapes on Wudang Mountain.
圖/荊楚網
南巖宮，始建于元代，元仁宗延祐元年（1314）賜額“大天乙真慶萬壽宮”；明永樂十一年（1413）重建，賜匾額“大圣南宮”；嘉靖三十一年（1552）擴建到460間；清同治元年（1862）大修殿宇，宮貌一新；現存建筑及遺址占地面積61187平方米，廟房83間，建筑面積3539平方米。
The Nanyan Palace was originally built in the Yuan Dynasty, with the name the Datianyi Zhenqing Wanshou Palace (the Great Tianyi Zhenqing Longevity Palace), granted by Emperor Renzong in 1314, the first year of the Yanyou era. It was rebuilt in 1413, the eleventh year of the Yongle era, receiving the plaque titled the Dashing Nanyan Palace (the Great Saint Nan Palace). In 1552, the thirty-first year of the Jiajing era, it was expanded to 460 rooms. In 1862, the first year of the Tongzhi era, the palace underwent major renovations, giving it a new appearance. The existing buildings and ruins cover an area of 61,187 square meters, with 83 temple rooms and a total construction area of 3,539 square meters.
圖/荊楚網
圖/十堰市博物館
南巖宮的歷史可以追溯到唐朝，當時八仙之一的呂洞賓曾在此修道，并留下了他的詩作。在元朝，武當高道張守清在前人的基礎上進行了大規模的建設，使得南巖宮的建筑“隱林中之煊赫，聳層樓十二”，道人數量達到一千人。張守清因修建南巖和弘揚武當道教而受到皇帝的賜封為“體玄妙應太和真人”。
The history of the Nanyan Palace can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, when Lv Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals, practiced Taoism here and left behind his poetry. During the Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Shouqing, one of Wudang Taoist masters undertook large-scale construction based on the work of his predecessors, making it a grand architectural complex “magnificently hidden amidst the forest, towering with twelve stories", and at that time, the number of Taoists here reached one thousand. For the efforts in constructing the place and promoting Wudang Taoism, Zhang Shouqing was granted the title Tixuan Miaoying Taihe Zhenren (True Man of Supreme Harmony in Pursuit of Taoism Wisdom) by the emperor.
圖/十堰晚報
明朝時期，南巖又進行了大規模的擴建，殿堂道房多達八百多間，但不幸的是，1926年的一場大火燒毀了包括玄帝大殿在內的二百多間殿房?。
In the Ming Dynasty, the Nanyan Palace underwent another large-scale expansion, with more than 800 temple halls and Taoist quarters. Unfortunately, in 1926, a devastating fire destroyed over 200 halls, including the Hall of the Emperor Xuan.
圖/十堰晚報
圖/湖北文旅小紅書
南巖宮以其建筑神奇和峰巒秀美而著名，相傳南巖是真武修行四十二年，得道飛升之地，歷來被道家尊為圣地。
The Nanyan Palace is famous for its miraculous architecture and stunning peaks. Legend has it that Nanyan is the very place where Zhenwu, also called the Emperor of the North in Taoism, attained immortality and ascended to the heavens after forty-two years’ cultivation, and it has long been revered as a sacred site by Taoists.
圖/荊楚網
圖/湖北日報
圖/鄧麗芬 攝
南巖宮的修建，將真武信仰巧妙貫穿其中，整體建筑手法如真武的人生一般，不斷在絕境中一路尋求突破。
The construction of the Nanyan Palace skillfully incorporates the belief in Zhenwu, with the architectural design mirroring Zhenwu’s life journey in constant pursuit of breakthroughs amidst adversity.
圖/湖北文旅小紅書
圖/湖北日報
南巖宮的整個建筑充分利用山頭、埡脖、峭壁、巖洞等險境，建造了一座座宮殿、亭臺、山門等，與周圍環境融為一體，相映成趣。
The entire architectural complex of the Nanyan Palace makes full use of challenging natural features such as mountain peaks, narrow passes, cliffs, and caves. Palaces, pavilions, gates, and other structures were built to harmonize with the surrounding environment, creating a picturesque and integrated landscape.
南巖宮建筑群大致可分為兩部分：南邊懸崖絕壁巖洞中主要建筑有皇經堂、兩儀殿、龍頭香、天乙真慶宮石殿、太子睡龍床、古棋亭等；北坡主要建筑有左右碑亭、龍虎殿、配殿、大殿等。
The architectural complex can be roughly divided into two parts: the main buildings nestled on the southern cliffs and caves include the Huangjing Hall (the Emperor Scripture Hall), the Liangyi Hall, the Longtouxiang Stone Beam (the Stone Beam with Dragon-headed Incense Burner), and the Stone Hall in the Tianyi Zhenqing Palace, the Wood Sculpture Series of Prince Zhenwu' Sleeping in Dragon-shaped Bed, and the Ancient Chess Pavilion; while the northern slope features the left and right Stele Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger Hall, the Auxiliary Hall, and the Main Hall.
圖/荊楚網
圖/湖北日報
南巖宮建筑群打破傳統對稱布局模式，化自然險峰、巖洞峭壁為建筑特色，讓建筑與環境達到“你中有我，我中有你”的高度和諧，創造出極富變化的空間格局。屋頂鋪象征北方玄武的黑瓦綠剪邊，這在古代廟宇建筑和皇家建筑中極為罕見，而這僅僅是南巖建筑風采的一隅。
The architectural complex of the Nanyan Palace breaks away from traditional symmetrical layouts, transforming natural features such as steep peaks, caves, and cliffs into unique architectural elements. The buildings and the environment achieve a harmonious integration, where "the environment shapes the architecture, and the architecture complements the environment”, creating a dynamic spatial pattern. The roofs are adorned with black tiles trimmed with green edges, a symbol of Northern Xuanwu, a mythical creature in Chinese culture, which is a rare feature in ancient temple and royal architecture, and this is just one glimpse of the architectural splendor of the Nanyan Palace.
圖/荊楚網
建筑師法自然，經過漢、唐、宋的發展，到明代，中國在材料應用上已相當成熟，金木土石革草等都屬“百宮”用材，武當山大多為磚木結構，而如此體量“破格”使用石制的建筑極少。
Inspired by nature, and after developments during the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, by the Ming dynasty, Chinese architects had matured significantly in material application. Various materials such as metal, wood, earth, stone, leather, and thatch were all classified as "hundred palace" materials, mainly used in imperial buildings. Most of Wudang Mountain’s structures were built with brick and wood and there were very few large-scale buildings that used stone in such an unconventional manner.
圖/湖北日報
圖/荊楚網
南巖石殿上書“天乙真慶宮”，坐北面南，建于懸崖之上，為石雕仿木構建筑，其梁柱、檐椽、斗拱、門窗、瓦面、匾額等，均用青石雕琢，榫卯拼裝。面闊3間11米，進深6.6米，通高6.8米，是武當山現存最大的石殿。
The Nanyan Stone Hall, inscribed with "Tianyi Zhenqing Palace," sits on the cliff, facing south. It is a stone structure designed to resemble traditional wooden architecture, with its beams, columns, eaves,Dougong brackets, doors, windows, roof tiles, and plaques all intricately carved from blue stone and assembled using mortise and tenon joints. It spans three bays, measuring 11 meters in width, 6.6 meters in depth, and 6.8 meters in height, making it the largest existing stone hall on Wudang Mountain.
圖/荊楚網
殿體堅固結實，斗拱雄大，而門窗紋飾則刻工精細，技藝高超。由于石構件頗為沉重，且又在懸崖峭壁上施工，故難度很大。因此，可以說南巖石殿的建造充分體現了中國古代工匠的聰明智慧和高超技藝。
The hall is solid and sturdy, featuring magnificent Dougong brackets, while the door and window decorations are finely carved with exceptional craftsmanship. Due to the heavy weight of the stone components and the challenges of working on the steep cliffs, the operation was extremely difficult. Therefore, the building of the Nanyan Stone Hall fully exemplifies the ingenuity and exceptional craftsmanship of ancient Chinese artisans.
圖/武當山
圖/武當山
南巖之巔，龍頭香爐煙裊裊，摩崖石刻一筆一畫篆刻著古人的智慧。南巖，一個聚集著自然奇觀和人文精粹于一體的地方，訴說著千古的信仰與追求。
At the summit of the Nanyan Palace, the smoke from the dragon-headed incense burner wafts gently, while the stone carvings on the cliffs, meticulously inscribed stroke by stroke, depict the wisdom of the ancients. The Nanyan Palace, a place that gathers both natural wonders and cultural essence, narrates the ancient faith and eternal pursuit of humanity.
圖/荊楚網
圖/湖北日報
當人們穿過兩儀殿，就會發現南巖宮的“破題之眼”——龍頭香，它橫空伸出懸崖，宛如一條巨龍昂首欲飛，是大名鼎鼎的天下第一香。
As people pass through the Liangyi Hall, they will discover the essence of the Nanyan Palace—the Longtouxiang Stone Beam (the Stone Beam with Dragon-headed Incense Burner) .It juts out horizontally from the cliff, resembling a giant dragon poised to soar with its head raised, renowned as the world’s best shrine for burning incense and praying for blessings.
在此仰視只見摩天巨崖，俯視只感深壑動魄。龍頭香在此橫空挑出，傳說它是真武大帝的坐騎，古時朝拜者為表達對神的虔誠，冒險步入龍背祈福上香。
Looking up from this point, one sees towering cliffs, while looking down, breathtaking deep gorges. The stone beam extends dramatically outward. According to legend, this dragon was the mount of Emperor Zhenwu. In ancient times, devout worshippers, to demonstrate their sincerity and devotion to the deity, would risk stepping onto dragons’ backs to pray for blessings and light incense.
圖/湖北文旅小紅書
圖/湖北日報
龍頭香用青石雕鑿而成，通體長2.9米，寬0.3米，橫空挑出，下臨深壑，龍頭朝向金頂，龍頭上放一小香爐，探身俯瞰毛骨悚然。龍身浮雕祥云，造型美觀，線條流暢，是古代石雕藝術中極為珍貴的佳作。
The Longtouxiang Stone Beam is carved from bluestone, measuring 2.9 meters in length and 0.3 meters in width. It extends horizontally over a deep ravine, with the dragon's head facing Jinding (the Golden Summit). On top of the dragon head sits a small incense burner, and leaning forward to look down is an absolute spine-chilling experience. The dragon’s body is carved with auspicious clouds in relief, featuring an exquisite design with smooth, flowing lines, making it an incredibly valuable masterpiece of ancient stone carving art.
圖/荊楚網
圖/武當博物館
圖/十堰晚報
沿著大殿后神道前行，左行50米處有一座小山門，走進山門“壽福康寧”四個大字躍然眼前。剛健雄渾的字體，詮釋了古人積極向上的人生觀。這四個字也開啟了武當山石刻藝術的大門。
Along the sacred path behind the main hall, about 50 meters to the left, there stands a small mountain gate, through which the four characters "Shou Fu Kang Ning" (Longevity, Fortune, Health, and Peace) leap into view. The robust and vigorous calligraphy reflects the ancient people's optimistic outlook on life. These four characters also mark the beginning of the stone carving art of Wudang Mountain.
圖/湖北日報
圖/武當山
據專家考證，“壽”字為明嘉靖十六（1537）年七月禮部儒士王颙所書；“福康寧”三字為嘉靖二十年（1541）八月禮部尚書、武英殿大學士夏言所書。
According to experts, the character "Shou" (Longevity) was written by Wang Yong, a Confucian scholar from the Ministry of Rites, in July, 1537, the 16th year of the Jiajing reign. The other three characters, "Fu Kang Ning" (Fortune, Health, Peace), were written by Xia Yan, Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, in August, 1541, the 20th year of the Jiajing reign.
武當山現存各類碑刻、摩崖1300通，這些遺存的碑刻中不僅蘊含著明王朝的宮廷文化，同時也吸納了諸多民間文化的精髓，反映了武當山在歷史朝代更迭中對國家政治、經濟、社會的地位和影響，這些碑刻是承載武當山歷史文化，甚至時代記憶的活化石。
Wudang Mountain currently preserves 1,300 stone inscriptions and cliff carvings. These relics not only embody the court culture of the Ming Dynasty but also incorporate the essence of folk culture, reflecting Wudang Mountain's position and influence on national politics, economy, and society throughout the changing historical dynasties. These stone carvings serve as living fossils that witness the historical culture of Wudang Mountain and even preserve the memories of the era.
圖/荊楚網
圖/武當山
南巖宮的歷史文化氣息，不僅表現在古建筑的獨特風格上，還蘊藏于價值珍貴的文化藝術遺存之中。在這千仞懸崖之上，我們可以探視到一段歷史的深處，也可以感悟到建筑的智慧、古人的匠心。在晨鐘暮鼓里，這一方壯麗的絕壁之上，永遠回蕩著鬼斧神工的贊歌。
The rich historical and cultural atmosphere of the palace is not only reflected in the unique style of its ancient architecture but also in its precious cultural and artistic relics. On these towering cliffs, we can glimpse deep into history and appreciate the wisdom hidden within architecture and the craftsmanship of the ancients. Amid the morning bells and evening drums, these magnificent cliffs echo eternally with praise for the artistry of nature and human’s divine craftsmanship.
險峰古境，武當風華。登南巖之巔，聽風吟古韻，感歷史之溫度，品文化之厚重，南巖宮靜候你的到來。
Perilous peaks, together with majestic landscapes unveil the charm of Wudang. Standing atop Nanyan and listening to wind whisper the ancient melodies, you will feel the warmth of history and savor the richness of culture. The Nanyan Palace awaits your arrival in full anticipation.
