Recently, a man ventured to explore the Tianxianyan cliffs of Wudang Mountain and unexpectedly witnessed two “spiritual beasts” flying squirrels native to Wudang Mountain.
A video clip has been circulating on Chinese social media platforms showing a man climbing the steep cliffs of Tianxianyan in Wudang Mountain, Hubei Province. He spotted a red and white flying squirrel casually perched on the cliff, doing its business.
The camera then pans to the bottom of the wooden ladder the man is climbing, revealing a nest of a small flying squirrel with a baby squirrel inside, staring innocently at the camera with its round eyes, exuding a cute charm.
The videographer, Mr. Cao, who is an outdoor hiking enthusiast, shared that on November 25, while exploring the Tianxianyan cliffs of Wudang Mountain, he encountered the mythical flying squirrels.
“At an altitude of over a thousand meters, I found two flying squirrels in the top-level cave of a wooden structure. They are the spiritual beasts of Wudang Mountain,” Mr. Cao said. “I saw there was also a little baby inside the nest, a family of three. The flying squirrels are agile, adorable, and lovely.”
Wudang Mountain is a sacred site of Chinese Taoism, and the red and white flying squirrels are known for their climbing skills, gliding abilities, and spirituality. They are revered by the Taoists in Wudang Mountain as “spiritual beasts” and often inhabit the cliff caves or crevices. The Thirty-Six Caves of Wudang are considered ideal residences for flying squirrels.
The droppings of flying squirrels are a precious medicinal material known as “Wuling Zhi” in traditional Chinese medicine. The renowned Ming dynasty medical scholar Li Shizhen described it as having a gel-like appearance, absorbing the essence of the five elements. It has a sweet and warm nature, non-toxic, and is believed to promote blood circulation, alleviate pain, dispel blood stasis, stop bleeding, promote digestion, and detoxify. It is used to treat conditions such as blood stasis, menstrual disorders, abdominal pain, snake bites, and insect stings.
When the man encountered the spiritual flying squirrels at Tianxianyan in Wudang Mountain, the little squirrel on the cliff was defecating, leaving a pile of “Wuling Zhi” on the cliff.
Some netizens humorously remarked: “Flying squirrel: Nothing impressive to offer, please have some poop.”
“Why are you still looking? Quickly check if there is any Wuling Zhi nearby.”
“You can pick up quite a lot of Wuling Zhi there.”
“Red and white flying squirrel: Are you here to steal poop?”
The “spiritual beasts” flying squirrels of Wudang Mountain seem unafraid of humans. On July 21, 2023, at the Nan Yan Palace in Wudang Mountain, a spiritual flying squirrel suddenly appeared, eliciting delighted exclamations from visitors.