Abstract

A young woman, Lindsey Wei, graduates from high school in America and sets out to find her roots in China, questing for who she is and where her life path belongs. She discovers in herself a skill for martial arts and seeks the hidden knowledge of meditation. After three years of study in various martial styles and unveiling false teachers, she is finally led to the ancient Wudang Mountains. Here she meets a Daoist recluse, Li Shi Fu, who has renounced the world of the 'red dust' and long since retired into an isolated temple to cast oracles and read the stars. The coming together of these two extraordinary characters, master and disciple, begins a spiritual relationship taking the young adept on an unforgettable journey through the light and dark sides of modern China and deep into herself. Battling between earthly desires and heavenly knowledge, she makes the transformation into a dynamic and complete woman.

A coming-of-age, personal account, the book describes the lived experiences of a profoundly sincere, bitter yet ultimately liberating female quest. It is written for anyone who ponders the true meaning of Chinese wisdom and the way of the Dao in the hope of discovering a deeper strength within themselves.

I don't know of a better written book about what it is like to cultivate the Dao in China today.
Red Pine/Bill Porter, author of Road to Heaven - Encounters with Chinese Hermits and Zen Baggage
This is book that promises not just a glimpse into the re-emergence of Daoism in China today but some deep insights into the struggle between earthly desires and heavenly knowledge. The Valley Spirit is unique... This book gives an intimate account of a journey towards enlightenment that is inevitable tainted by sexuality, age and upbringing.
Ancient to Future blog
A timeless tale of internal martial arts, wild medicine, healing and Daoist wisdom - the most interesting and thought-provoking book I have read for some years.
Alex Kozma, author of Esoteric Warriors and Warrior Guards the Mountain
Lindsey Wei is a disciple of Li Shi Fu in a traditional Daoist lineage which stretches back thousands of years. She divides her time between living as a renounced practitioner in Wudang Mountain and teaching a select group of students in North America.
Ms. Wei's ability to bring her readers on a spiritual journey that is at once confusing, challenging, and beautiful makes "The Valley Spirit" an enlightening read for all who seek their own life path.
Deerfield Magazine (Deerfield Academy, MA)