Horse Head Rock

Horse Head Rock

Wuyi Mountain’s Horse Head Rock, named for its rock formation resembling a horse’s head, stands at an elevation of 425 meters with a relative height of 83 meters. Nearby lies Leishi Rock, which looks like five galloping steeds and is also called “Five Horses Galloping to the Trough.” To the north is Sanhua Peak, resembling three blooming giant flowers. The area also features attractions such as Horse Saddle Rock, Tielang Fort, and Wuyuan Stream, as well as buildings like Leishi Nunnery and Ningyun Temple. To the north lies Tianxin, to the south Tianyou, to the east you can pass through Mazi Pit to reach the main touring route or go to Wuyi Palace and Lantang. It stretches from Dawang Peak in the east, Tianyou Peak in the south, Sanyang Peak in the west, to the Dahongpao Scenic Area (Jiulongke) in the north.

In the late 1970s, under the leadership of the former head of the Tea Research Institute, due to the high per-mu yield of Rougui (Cassia) and government subsidies encouraging its cultivation, many tea farmers cut down other famous cultivars to plant Rougui. The soil in the Horse Head Rock area contains a relatively high amount of gravel, has a thick yet loose soil layer with good aeration, facilitates drainage, and features steep cliffs and open terrains on the rocky ridges, with moderate sunlight in summer.

In winter, it blocks cold winds, while the valley bottom has fine seeping streams and rich surrounding vegetation, creating a unique soil fertility essential for authentic yan yai (rock tea). The distinctive landform gives Horse Head Rock Rougui its sharp cinnamon aroma and mellow, smooth, sweet taste. Today, “Horse Head Rock Rougui” has become one of the three major representative types of Wuyi Rougui.

There are too many tea mountain fields in Wuyi Mountain, and people generally don’t subdivide a specific area within the same mountain field. But because the Horse Head Rock area is quite large, it is roughly divided into several smaller zones, including Sanhua Peak, Taoshu Keng, Ma’er Shi, and Yunfeng. While they share some geographical similarities, each also has its own distinct characteristics due to differences in location and soil.

For example, Taoshu Keng behind Dawang Peak mainly consists of weathered rocks, with a shallow soil layer and abundant vegetation; Yunfeng’s soil is semi-weathered rock with a deeper soil layer and sparse vegetation; Hengkeng is located at the foot of Sanyang Peak, situated between two pits and two streams, with stream water flowing through and rich vegetation and biodiversity; the Rougui planted in Hengkeng mostly dates back to the 1980s, exhibiting unique old-tree qualities; Sanhua Peak’s soil is sandy, weathered rock, while Ma’er Shi is made up of semi-weathered rock mixed with yellow loam.

Tea produced in gullies and streams receives less sunlight, has sufficient moisture in the leaves, and rich leaf wax, making it relatively harder to process. During shaking, the aroma emerges more slowly, and the “water running off” process must be thorough — in the trade, this is called “applying stronger handling.” Otherwise, the final product can easily turn out under-processed. Sanhua Peak and Xiaotianyou fall into this category. Meanwhile, tea grown on hillsides and rocky terraces, receiving more sunlight and with less decaying matter and thinner leaf wax, is easier to process and tends to yield floral and fruity aromas, such as that from Taoshu Keng, Yunfeng, and Ma’er Shi. A skilled tea master must not only master every step of the tea-making process but also have considerable experience to apply different processing techniques according to the characteristics of the fresh leaves to produce high-quality tea.

Wuyishan Scenic Area

Dahongpao Scenic Area

Da’anyuan Ecotourism Area

China Wuyi Tea Expo Park

Nine-Bend Stream

Qinglong Waterfall

Wuyi Royal Purple Flower Self-Drive Theme Park

Wuyi Water Curtain Cave

Dawang Peak

Wuyi Mountain One-Line Sky

Wuyi Palace

Tiger Roaring Rock

Yunwo

Wuyi Jade Valley

Imperial Tea Garden Ruins

Yulong Valley

Chengcun Han City Ruins

Liu Yong Memorial Hall