明代中后期，马文升等人四次题请从曲阳迁移国家北岳祭祀地点到浑源，引发朝廷层面断断续续近二百年的移祀争议。既有研究在知晓北岳最终移祀的背景下，将明代的争议解释为山西、河北两地北岳信仰一兴一衰，彼此替代的过程。

事实上，这不足以解释国家祭祀的变迁。明代官修总志两载北岳地望，又特别强调国家岳祠只有曲阳一处，现存资料中所见北岳祠庙多达98所，也未呈现出替代关系。真正决定国家祭祀地点的是正祀话语。浑源恒山通过改造曲阳“飞石传说”，经行都司长官的祈雨活动，获得所谓“古北岳”地方正祀身份。此后，“古北岳”的“历史”借景观塑造得以丰富，成为兼具政治意涵和名山雅趣的神圣“地方”。马文升创造出北岳因“宋失河北”而移祀曲阳的全新叙事，呼应了当时普遍流行的边疆安全忧虑与民族主义情绪，浑源北岳作为“边方正祀”，逐步得到朝廷承认。

金元之际，恒山全真教盛极一时，留下关于浑源“古北岳”的最早记述。明代官方打压道教以弘扬正祀，但双方一直互相利用。民间的信仰实践与国家正祀格格不入，而地方官员倾向于利用北岳信仰治理地方，民众也主动学习正祀话语，争取支持。正祀话语被局部改造，北岳信仰在官民互动，而非一方的刻意引导下广泛传播，打下了移祀的社会基础。

终明一代，曲阳北岳庙的地位始终不曾改易。清初统治者更迫切地渴望论证自身合法性，赋予北岳移祀全新意义。在具体历史情境下，五岳地理位置再次更新。

In middle and late Ming Dynasty, Ma Wensheng（马文升） and others suggested to move the national Northern Yue sacrifice site from Quyang（曲阳）to Hunyuan（浑源）for four times, causing an intermittent court controversy for nearly 200 years. Under the circumstance of knowing the end of this argument, former studies interpreted the controversy in Ming Dynasty as a process in which the worship of two Northern Yue rose and fall, finally replaced each other.

In fact, former studies cannot solve all the problems.Ming dynasty’s official geographic book both recorded Quyang and Hunyuan temple, meanwhile emphasized Quyang temple as the only national sacrifice site. In existing material, there are up to 98 Northern Yue temple can be seen, which did not present an alternative relationship. It is the discourse of Zhengsi（正祀）really determined the sacrifice site. Through remaking the “flying stone” legend from Quyang, and a successful prayer for rain raised by the chief of Shanxixingdusi（山西行都司）, Hunyuan Mount Heng（恒山）obtained the so-called “ancient Northern Yue” local Zhengsi identity. Since then, the “history” of the “ancient Northern Yue” gradually enriched by conscious landscape shaping, turning into a sacred “place” with both political implications and famous mountain’s elegance. Ma Wensheng created a new narrative—the reason why Northern Yue moved to Quyang was Song dynasty lost the territory of Hebei, which echoed the popular border security concerns and nationalist sentiment at that time. As a result, Hunyuan Northern Yue got the meaning of “frontier Zhengsi”,  recognized by central government.

On the occasion of Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Quanzhen religion（全真教）flourished in Mount Heng, leaving the earliest account of the "ancient northern Yue" of Hunyuan. Ming Dynasty suppressed Taoism to promote Zhengsi, but the two sides relied on each other and made use of each other. The folk belief was incompatible with national sacrifice, while local officials tend to use the belief in Northern Yue to govern people. The people also take the initiative to learn the discourse of Zhengsi to win the support.The discourse of Zhengsi was partially transformed, and the belief of Northern Yue widely spread under the interaction between officials and the people, rather than deliberate guidance, which laid the social foundation for changing the site.

However, during Ming Dynasty, the status of the Quyang Temple had never been changed.The new rulers of the Qing were more eager to demonstrate their own legitimacy, giving Northern Yue new specific meaning.In specific historical situation, the geographical location of Five Yue updated again.