The Nanyan Temple clings to a sheer cliff face on the south side of the mountains, at a spot where the rock overhang itself serves as part of the roof of the main shrine hall. The design — taking advantage of natural cave formations and cliff overhangs to create sheltered worship spaces that appear to grow organically from the rock — is one of the most dramatic expressions of the Wudang Mountains' guiding aesthetic: the sacred buildings should not dominate the landscape but belong to it.
The approach to Nanyan follows a path cut into the cliff, with stone railings on the exposed side and the rock face close enough to touch on the other. The main hall, set back under the overhang, contains bronze statuary and has an atmosphere of genuine isolation unusual for a site that receives substantial visitor numbers. The view south from the Nanyan terrace, across forested valleys, is one of the finest on the mountain. Allow extra time for the approach and return, which are more exposed than the trails around Zixiao Palace.