The ancestral mountain retreat of Mao Shan 茅山 has always played an irreplaceable and indispensable role in studies of Shangqing Daoism 上清派, whether focusing on the doctrines or spread of said religion. In contrast with traditional studies on Mao Shan, this paper attempts a “reverse” analysis, beginning with an examination of the overall layout of the religious buildings located on Mao Shanduring the Yuan dynasty and going on to the consider the existing restoration of contemporary Mao Shan, based on data from field work completed by the author in the summer of 2012. Mao Shan’s religious geography is captured in a number of maps which relate the sequence in which buildings were constructed, their features of distribution, and the multitude of faiths which have made use of the mountain over the centuries. Finally the paper examines historical literature, mainly Zhengao 真誥 and Mao Shan Zhi 茅山志, in order to make comparisons and find evidence for the conclusions of this paper. Using Mao Shanas a study case from the angle of religious geography may provide a new pattern for analysing the dynamic process of the construction of all Daoist sacred spaces, and not just Mao Shan.
1. Introduction
2. Conclusion
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