Longchuan Grand Canyon

Longchuan Grand Canyon

Located within the Wuyi Mountain Nature Reserve, Longchuan Grand Canyon features undulating peaks, vibrant blossoms, rare birds and beasts, as well as cascading springs and waterfalls. A fusion of diverse sceneries greets you with the sounds of birds and flowing springs, and views of rugged mountains and clear streams. The moment you enter the scenic area, you step into a world of potted plants and waterfalls. Towering ancient trees and entwined vines, enriched with centuries of spiritual essence, showcase breathtaking waterfalls that gracefully cascade down the grotesquely shaped rocky cliffs like silver chains. The splashing water sparkles under the sunlight, reflecting enchanting rainbows off the Danxia-hued cliffs—truly a fairyland-like spectacle. Among Wuyi Mountain’s lush natural attractions, it stands out as fiercely unique. Meandering through the emerald hills, it exudes the poetic charm of Wuyi. Bathed in this mesmerizing landscape, we revel in boundless greenery, immersing ourselves in nature’s most primitive romance, becoming one with the mountains and waters, intoxicated by their beauty.

The red rock formations in Longchuan are consistent with Wuyi Mountain’s overall Danxia landform. Due to the complexity of the terrain and long-term erosion and cutting by flowing water, there are two waterfalls with a height difference of nearly 100 meters within a span of just 1 kilometer, along with over ten smaller waterfalls, caves, hidden pools, and rock cavities. The red rocks of Longchuan Grand Canyon were formed as a result of the Yanshan Movement (approximately 135 million years ago) during the late Mesozoic era, when Wuyi Mountain rose from the seabed to become land. Later, around 25 million years ago, the Himalayan orogeny caused the uplift of hills and mountains in the region. The red sandstone from the Late Cretaceous period forms the main body of the canyon’s fiery Danxia cliffs, belonging to the pre-Sinian and Sinian systems of metamorphic rock.

Known as the Thousand-Layer Waterfall, this feature earned its name due to its heavily folded structure, resembling “layered terraces on crimson cliffs.” The Dragon’s Nine Turns derive their name from their visual resemblance—where the stream winds through the crimson cliffs in a serpentine, twisting path. This meandering flow resembles a snake slithering along the fiery Danxia cliffs, though geologically, it represents fracture lines formed during the orogeny.

The Guanyin Waterfall is the second-largest waterfall in Longchuan, with a drop of 58 meters. Viewed from the Xianfan Bridge, two large and small uniquely shaped rocks can be seen midway. The larger rock on the west side depicts Guanyin Bodhisattva meditating with her back to the wall, while the smaller adjacent rock represents her attendant, the “Dragon Girl.” The kind-hearted Wealth-Bringing Boy is said to have gone to deliver children to families who “accumulate virtue through good deeds,” as entrusted by Guanyin. Wuyi Mountain is known for its ten oddities: trees growing outside of stones; live snakes sold preserved in liquor; bizarre mountain shapes in protected areas; rocks that seemingly fall in love; a utopia still existing today; leaves roasted and served as dishes; Tongmu black tea—unique; cliffside cliffside settlements; every household selling tea; and bamboo raft drifting loved by all.

The Red Cliff Waterfall has a drop of 98 meters and a width of 38 meters. Cascading from a nearly 100-meter-high cliff, it inspires the reflection: “Savoring the red cliffs and glancing back, I linger at the flying waterfall, unwilling to leave.” The Siyuan Waterfall, the highest point in Longchuan Grand Canyon, derives its name from the concept of “remembering the source of the waterfall.”

The local name for Longchuan Grand Canyon is Dawanggong, while the current hiking trail is called Changlingkeng. Before the road was built, this was the essential passageway for villagers from all directions, who made a living through hunting, fishing, and logging. The summit of the Siyuan Waterfall was once a bustling residential area called Hezhi, complete with a marketplace. Locals often floated timber downstream to cities like Fuzhou for sale, as the wood’s high quality fetched premium prices—earning the saying “an inch of wood is worth an inch of gold.”

Legend has it that in ancient times, the ancestors of the dragon race fled maritime disasters, relocating with their entire kin across lands until they found this secluded grand canyon in Wuyi Mountain, where they temporarily settled. Blessed by the dragons, the area enjoyed perpetual favorable weather, and the trees grew particularly lush and vibrant. Birds, beasts, insects, and fish flocked here to dwell, while villagers from nearby regions, guided by dreams, relocated to settle along both banks of Changlingkeng. It gradually developed into a lively market town. The chieftain guarding Changlingkeng, surnamed Zhang, had eight sons and one daughter—all sons were brave and strong, adept at hunting in the mountains and fishing in the waters, leading to a joyous and happy family life. Their eighty-year-old grandmother, despite her age, had the complexion of a young girl and could sing beautiful mountain songs like a maiden. The dragon family grew deeply attached to this place, with dragon sons and grandsons often transforming into young men and women to work and live joyfully among the villagers.

It was under these circumstances that the young dragon met Princess Changling of the Zhang family and fell deeply in love. However, tragedy struck—when the old Dragon King reported the human world’s calamities to the Jade Emperor, his blunt honesty angered the deity. Coupled with the slander of treacherous ministers, the old Dragon King was severely punished and ordered to return to the sea within a deadline. Enraged but helpless against the divine decree, he led his dragon kin in a reluctant return to the ocean. Yet the young dragon refused to go back, choosing instead to be petrified so he could stay with Princess Changling. In the end, he turned into stone and remains in the Hidden Dragon Pool of Longchuan.

Address: Longchuan Grand Canyon Scenic Area, Wuyishan City, Nanping, Fujian Province

Type: Canyon, Forest, Waterfall

Recommended Visit Duration: 2–3 hours

Phone: 0599-5305118

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00

Transportation

By Car:

1. Fuzhou to Wuyishan Self-Drive Route: Around 3 hours

Fuzhou – (via Fuzhou–Nanping Expressway) – Nanping – Wuyishan National Tourism Resort.

2. Xiamen to Wuyishan Self-Drive Route: Around 6 hours

Xiamen – Quanzhou – Fuzhou – Nanping – Wuyishan National Tourism Resort.

Tickets

Adult Ticket: 60 RMB.

Free Admission: Children under 1.1 meters tall.

Xingcun Town: Located southwest of the city, Xingcun Town lies within both the Wuyi Mountain National Scenic Area and the Wuyi Mountain National Nature Reserve, approximately 18 kilometers from downtown. It borders Xingtian Town and Wuyishan Subdistrict Office to the east, Jianyang to the south and southwest, Yangzhuang Township to the north, and adjoins Guangze County and Yanshan County of Jiangxi to the northwest.

Historically part of the administrative divisions of Shangrenyi and Xiaorenxi Townships, it governed Zhoucunli, Jiangcunli, Jieheli, and Jianpingli—corresponding to present-day Xingcun, Huangcun, Liyuan, and Chenghu areas.

Yuan Dynasty, Dade 4th Year (1311)... More details on Xingcun Town++

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