The Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains was first built in the Sui and Tang dynasties, was expanded in the Song and Yuan dynasties, and flourished in the Ming dynasty. The Wudang Mountains are the only famous Taoist mountain in which the building complex was planned and built once and for all by the government. The building complex is the largest, top-ranking and most intact surviving ancient Taoist building complex in China.

Another reason why the Wudang Mountains became a famous mountain is its association with the worship of Zhenwu (Xuanwu) Emperor, a deity anthropomorphised in the Song dynasty, later becoming associated with the imperial family of the Ming dynasty and finally becoming the god of the Wudang Mountains.