Hidden Screen Peak

Hidden Screen Peak

Guide: The path up Hidden Screen Peak is extremely steep and rugged, nicknamed the "Chicken Breast" and "Dragon’s Spine." It was originally carved out by Ming Dynasty Taoist priests Wang Sanbao and Liu Duanyang. At the summit are the ruins of the Xuan Yuan Taoist Temple and Qing Wei Taoist Temple, as well as scenic spots like the Realm Between Mortals and Immortals, Immortal Chess Pavilion, and Southern Sea Shrine, collectively known in ancient times as the "True Realm of Hidden Screen."

On the south side of the peak, by Pinglin Ferry, lie the remnants of the "Wuyi Academy" built by Zhu Xi. The path spirals eastward toward the summit, leads north to Tianyou Peak, and descends southeast to the base of Immortal Fishing Platform.

Hidden Screen Peak is located in the middle section of the Nine Bend Stream in Wuyi Mountain, hidden deep within the forests of Wulin Yuan. Shrouded in mist and towering vertically like a sheer screen, it earned its name. Viewed from a raft, only half of the peak emerging above the treetops can be seen. Only by ascending to Evening-Facing Peak on the south side of the stream can one take in the full view.

Hidden Screen Peak can be accessed by climbing from Tea Cave on the southern wall of the peak. To the west of the peak is a strikingly sharp rock with three horizontal fissures halfway up, known as Joint Bamboo Peak. The path up Hidden Screen Peak is extremely steep and rugged, nicknamed the "Chicken Breast" and "Dragon’s Spine," and was originally carved out by Ming Dynasty Taoist priests Wang Sanbao and Liu Duanyang.

At the summit are the ruins of the Xuan Yuan Taoist Temple and Qing Wei Taoist Temple, as well as scenic spots like the Realm Between Mortals and Immortals, Immortal Chess Pavilion, and Southern Sea Shrine, collectively known in ancient times as the "True Realm of Hidden Screen." On the south side of the peak, by Pinglin Ferry, lie the remnants of the "Wuyi Academy" built by Zhu Xi. The path spirals eastward toward the summit, leads north to Tianyou Peak, and descends southeast to the base of Immortal Fishing Platform.

Midway up Hidden Screen Peak lies a rock cave several zhang wide, called "Xiantian Cave," also known as "Fuxi Cave." Below the peak is a rock with a bald top and round shoulders, standing upright like a statue of Maitreya placed in a niche—this is Arhat Rock. Beneath the rock is a cave called Arhat Cave. Nearby is another cave, twisting and deep, pitch-black upon entry but gradually revealing the colors of the stone after a short while, hence named "Black Cave."

At the cave entrance stand two tall rocks, with a long horizontal stone above them, called Cloud Bridge. Outside the bridge stands another stone covering the path, known as "Cloud Path Stone." The summit originally had the Qing Zhen Taoist Temple, built in the fifth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1577 AD), now in ruins. Descending from the peak’s south side, halfway down the cliff is a cave called Southern Sea Shrine. Here lies the remains of the Taoist Liu Duanyang, with a stone tomb and shrine still present. Below the peak is the Liuyun Study, once the reading place of Dong Tiangong, compiler of the Wuyi Mountain Annals, now collapsed. At the base of the peak is a large stone inscription from the Ming Dynasty Wanli era by Xiong Mingyu, Minister of Justice, titled "Record of Visiting Wuyi Mountain."

The summit of Hidden Screen Peak once housed the Qing Zhen Taoist Temple, also called Qing Wei True Hall, built in 1577 (fifth year of the Wanli era) but soon destroyed. In the fifteenth year of the Shunzhi era (1658), Taoist priest Jin Xiang rebuilt it, naming it "Hidden Screen Immortal Abode," but this too has long been ruined. The peak now retains a patch of primeval evergreen broadleaf forest, a typical vegetation type of the central subtropical zone, with a canopy density of 0.7. There are over 130 species of woody plants, mainly including Cyclobalanopsis glauca, Castanopsis eyrei, Engelhardtia roxburghiana, Pasania edulis, and Lithocarpus glaber, along with precious species such as Taxus chinensis, Magnolia officinalis, and Quercus phillyraeoides. The forest is home to over 40 species of birds, including Passeriformes and Falconiformes, as well as animals such as goats, muntjacs, and pangolins.

The most Taoist-inspired feature is the two characters "Buyu" (Stepping into Emptiness), engraved at the entrance of the cloud ladder leading up Hidden Screen Peak. Meaning "Flying Steps into Emptiness" or "Lingbao Stepping into Emptiness," it refers to the music and chants Taoists imitate from celestial dances of immortals, also used in Taoist ritual ceremonies.

Address: Wuyishan National Tourist Resort, Wuyishan City, Nanping (Access via Tea Cave on the southern wall of the peak)

Type: Mountain

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 hour

Phone: 0599-5131890

Official Website: http://www.whwy.org/

Opening Hours:

7:30-17:30

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area ticket.

Transportation

The distance from Wuyishan City to the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area is 15 kilometers. There are regularly stopping tourist shuttle buses along the way, or you may choose a taxi. Within the city, there are three bus stations: Hutao, Ximen, and Nanmen. Inside the scenic area, stations are located at Sangu, Wuyi Palace, and Xingcun. Parking lots are available at Wuyi Palace, Jade Maiden Peak, Nine Bend Hotel, Water Curtain Cave, One-Line Sky, Xingcun Wharf, Yongle Zen Temple, and Lotus Peak.

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area

Dahongpao Scenic Area

Da’an Yuan Ecotourism Area

China Wuyi Tea Expo Park

Nine Bend Stream

Qinglong Grand Waterfall

Wuyi Wisteria Self-Drive Theme Park

Wuyi Mountain Water Curtain Cave

Great King Peak

One-Line-Sky Gorge of Mount Wuyi

Wuyi Palace

Tiger Roaring Rock

Cloud Nest

Jade Valley of Mount Wuyi

Site of the Imperial Tea Garden

Jade Dragon Valley

Chengcun Han City Ruins

Liu Yong Memorial Hall