Leaving the Mountains

Leaving the Mountains follows the story of a Daoist lineage from its Yuan and Ming dynasty origins, through the fall of imperial China and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, and right into the brackish waters of the present. Chronicling several generations in both biography and memoir, the narrative follows a historically secretive and obscure lineage’s descent from its misty mountain grottoes into the pulsating neon-glow of modernity. Focused as much on martial arts as meditation and mysticism, it is as brutally sober as it is humorous, thought-provoking, and inspirational. With evocative elucidations of esoteric Daoist concepts and startling questions about the nature of reality woven through its multifaceted narrative, the book deftly explores the profane and the sacred, the mundane and the profound, and that blurry line where they become indiscernible. Meticulously researched and enriched with unique personal insight, it is at once an historical chronicle, contemplative exploration, and deeply personal reflection. Leaving the Mountains is a refreshingly honest take on Daoist cultivation, the potency of lineage, and the indispensable value of tradition for our times.