Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area is a national scenic spot, a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction, a national nature reserve, and a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

Spanning around 70 square kilometers, Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area is characterized by classic Danxia landforms, where mountains and water blend seamlessly, and culture and nature integrate organically. It enjoys the reputation of being the "Emerald Water and Crimson Mountains, a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, and one of China’s first national 5A-level tourist attractions." The area offers a wealth of beautiful scenery, including majestic peaks, picturesque waters, tranquil valleys, and dramatic ravines, alongside a long cultural history and numerous historical relics that captivate visitors. The landscape remains picturesque year-round, changing with the seasons and weather, presenting ever-shifting vistas. The main scenic zones include the Cloud Gorge–Sky Touring Area, Nine Bend Stream Bamboo Rafting Area, One Line Sky–Tiger Roaring Rock Area, Wuyi Palace Area, and Big Red Robe–Water Curtain Cave Area.

Located in the central part of the Wuyi Mountain Range within Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area spans about 60 square kilometers. The approximately nine-kilometer-long Nine Bend Stream meandering through the mountains and the 36 peaks rising sharply along the cliffs form a breathtaking natural landscape of emerald waters and green mountains. It is a sacred mountain of three religions and also honored as the “Number One Mountain in Fujian.”

Wuyi Mountain

The scenic area has two main entrances, north and south. Key attractions include Sky Touring Peak, Nine Bend Stream, Big Red Robe Area, and Water Curtain Cave. Due to the vast size and scattered distribution of attractions, visitors typically use sightseeing buses to travel between sites, though hiking is also an option for those who prefer to walk.

Jade Maiden Peak is the iconic landmark of Wuyi Mountain, standing at an elevation of 313.1 meters. Located on the southern side of the second bend of the Nine Bend Stream, it earned its name for resembling a graceful maiden standing tall. As described in a poem, “A flower-adorned peak by the water, with the pure beauty of a maiden,” the peak is a symbol of Wuyi Mountain’s scenery. On the left bank is the bamboo raft dock, a crucial boarding point for the Nine Bend Stream tour.

Below Jade Maiden Peak lies the clear and verdant Bathing Fragrance Pool, believed to be where the Jade Maiden once bathed. In the pool sits a large square rock inscribed with the characters “Seal Stone,” said to be a love token gifted to the maiden by the King. To the right of the peak is a rock formation called “Rein-in-the-Horse Rock,” featuring the four-character inscription “Mirror Terrace,” each character measuring five square feet. With its neat and elegant calligraphy, the inscription can be seen from miles away and is the largest cliff carving in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area.

Sky Touring Peak is located on the northern side of the sixth bend of the stream, at the center of the scenic area, with an elevation of 408.8 meters and a relative height of 215 meters. It is one of the most representative peaks among Wuyi Mountain’s 36 peaks, renowned for its stunning scenery. On spring and winter mornings or after rain when the skies clear, mist envelops the mountains and valleys. The drifting clouds, stirred by the wind, rise and fall like ocean waves, creating a majestic spectacle. Standing atop the peak and gazing at the sea of clouds, visitors feel as though they are wandering beyond the heavens, hence the name Sky Touring Peak. The famous traveler Xu Xiake once remarked upon visiting, “Though not beside the stream, this peak offers the best view of the Nine Bend Stream—truly, it deserves the top rank.”

The Sky Touring Peak Scenic Area represents the most seamless integration of mountain, water, nature, and culture in Wuyi Mountain. Located at the heart of the entire scenic area, it spans around 4 square kilometers and includes major attractions such as the Imperial Tea Garden, Sky Pillar Peak, Cloud Gorge, Hidden Screen Peak, Sun-Drying Rock, Water Moon Pavilion, Tea Cave, Sky Touring Peak, Panoramic Pavilion, and Sky Touring Temple. Beyond its captivating natural beauty, the area is also a remarkable cultural landscape, featuring tea gardens, academies, and cliff inscriptions that showcase the perfect harmony between Wuyi Mountain’s natural and cultural heritage.

Echoing Rock belongs to the Sky Touring Peak Scenic Area and faces Cloud Gorge across the stream, while also aligning east-west with Wugang on the northern side, forming a trumpet-shaped valley. On the northern bank opposite the valley, peaks stand in a ring, and the laughter of visitors reverberates endlessly between the valley and the cliffs, giving the rock its name.

Echoing Rock faces Cloud Gorge across the stream. Since the cheers and laughter of visitors echo back when they shout in front of the rock, it is also known as “Sound in the Empty Valley.” The rock is covered with inscriptions, both ancient and modern, including three pieces by Zhu Xi, such as “Thus Passes All Mankind.”

Immortal Palm Peak, located on the sixth bend, is a massive rock formation with palm-print-like marks on its surface, hence its name. It also resembles white silk ribbons hanging down from the summit, earning it the alternative name Sun-Drying Rock. When the setting sun casts its glow, the peak’s reflection in the water resembles flowing silk ribbons, creating a highly poetic scene. This peak contains many attractions and is part of the Sky Touring Scenic Area. Legend says that the half-wall of Sun-Drying Rock bears several deep grooves resembling rosy palm prints, believed to have been left by immortals.

Cloud Gorge is located beneath the western wall of Jieyun Peak, surrounded by Echoing Rock, Furnace Rock, Immortal Trace Rock, Sky Pillar Peak, Dress-Changing Platform, Sky Touring Peak, and Cangping Peak. Huge rocks lean against the mountainside, facing the water, and the area lies at the heart of the most scenic section of Wuyi Mountain, making it the premier destination. Cloud Gorge contains over ten caves of various sizes. During early mornings and evenings in winter and spring, wisps of faint mist often emerge from the caves, drifting lightly among the peaks and rocks, sometimes gathering into clouds, other times dispersing, unfurling freely and changing unpredictably—hence the name Cloud Gorge.

Nine Bend Stream is located amid the peaks and valleys of Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province. Though not high, the mountains possess the grandeur of great peaks, and though not deep, the waters embody the essence of aquatic landscapes. The perfect harmony of mountain and water is the most distinctive feature of the Nine Bend Stream tourism route.

The winding Nine Bend Stream meanders through a series of Danxia cliffs and peaks, connecting 36 peaks and 99 rock formations like a jade belt stringing together pearls, forming a unique natural beauty of “one stream threading through the mountains, with fairy peaks lining both banks.” Stretching approximately 9.5 kilometers, the stream follows the contours of the mountains, with the water embracing the land and the mountains facing the water. The viewing angle is just right, with alternating shoals and pools. Visitors feel as though they are strolling through a fantastical scroll painting of landscapes.

Boarding a traditional bamboo raft and gliding through the mountain-and-water scenery, visitors can look up to see the peaks, gaze down to admire the waters, listen to the sound of the stream, and dip their hands into the clear waves. The experience captures the feeling of floating on water while traveling through a painting.

The Big Red Robe Scenic Area is named after Wuyi Mountain’s most famous tea, Big Red Robe. One of the area’s key attractions is the Big Red Robe tea tree itself, and the site is also part of the “UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage” designation.

Wuyi Mountain’s “Big Red Robe” is ranked first among Wuyi Rock Teas. The mother plant of Big Red Robe grows on the steep cliffs of Jiulongke in Wuyi Mountain. The area receives limited direct sunlight but ample reflected light, with significant temperature differences between day and night. The mountaintop is perennially moistened by fine springs. It is said that the brewed tea yields a bright orange-yellow liquor, with leaves exhibiting a mix of red and green, exuding a rich and lasting aroma, a mellow taste, and a lingering fragrance that stays on the palate.

The name of the Big Red Robe Scenic Area comes from the mother plant of Big Red Robe tea, considered the finest among Wuyi Rock Teas. It grows in Jiulongke in northern Wuyi Mountain. Today, only a few mother plants remain, making them extremely precious. Major attractions in the area include Niulankeng, Yongle Chan Temple, Big Red Robe, Sanhua Peak, Leishi Rock, Matou Rock, Wuyuan Cave, and Dujie Rock. The area primarily showcases Tianxin Yongle Chan Temple, the largest temple in Wuyi Mountain, and the legendary Big Red Robe tea.

Wuyi Mountain’s Water Curtain Cave is one of the famous Seventy-Two Caves of Wuyi Mountain. It is located north of Zhangtang Stream. At the entrance to the site, a small waterfall cascades down from Xiabin Rock, known as the Little Water Curtain Cave. Ascending the steps leads to the main Water Curtain Cave. The cave’s roof is formed by overhanging rocks, and the cavern is tucked into the recessed waist of the cliff. The cave mouth opens wide, offering shade from the rocky ceiling. Two streams of water plunge down from the overhanging rock face, more than a hundred meters above, resembling two dragons spouting water or two beaded curtains descending from the sky—hence the alternate name Pearl Curtain Cave.

Water Curtain Cave is the largest cave in Wuyi Mountain, measuring over 100 meters in both height and width. Two streams of clear spring water flow year-round from the rock face over a hundred meters above, cascading down like two suspended beaded curtains. Inside the cave, the space is spacious and bright, capable of accommodating hundreds of people. The cave walls are covered with cliff inscriptions, among which the two characters “Living Spring” are the most famous. To the right of the cave entrance steps lies the verdant Bathing Dragon Pool.

The two characters “Living Spring” on the cave wall were inscribed by Yu Hongliang, the deputy commander of Zhejiang Xiangshan Garrison and a supreme commander from Chu’nan during the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu reign. It is said that “Living Spring” is derived from a line in Zhu Xi’s poem “Reflections on Reading”: “Half a square pond opens like a mirror, with the light of the sky and clouds hovering together; how can it be so clear? Because there is a constant flow of fresh water from the source.” The ancient inscription of “Living Spring” here not only highlights the scenery of the Water Curtain Cave but also evokes thoughts of Zhu Xi’s scholarly spirit—striking the perfect balance. “Water Curtain in Sunny Snow, Pearl of Chibi” was inscribed by Ishikawa (details of the author are unknown). These two inscriptions combine motion and stillness, blending scene and emotion to vividly depict the landscape of the Water Curtain Cave.

Wuyi Palace Scenic Area is the core section of Wuyi Mountain National Scenic Area, also known simply as “Wuyi Palace.” The area is located at Qingchuan, the endpoint of the Nine Bend Stream bamboo raft tour. Also called Huixian Temple, Chongyou Temple, and Wannian Palace, it lies at the southern foot of Da Wang Peak in Wuyi Mountain, approximately 15 kilometers south of Chongan County, Fujian Province. Facing the mouth of the Nine Bend Stream, it was historically a site where emperors worshipped the Wuyi deity and was one of the six most famous temples in China during the Song Dynasty. Wannian Palace now houses the Zhu Xi Memorial Hall. Inside the palace are two thousand-year-old osmanthus trees, said to have been planted by Li Liangzuo when he built the temple in 944 during the Southern Tang Dynasty’s Baoda era. One tree later died, and in the Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi replanted one. The two trees, twisted like dragons and snakes, are known as the “Osmanthus Kings.”

According to the Records of Wuyi Mountain, Wuyi Palace was first built during the Tang Dynasty’s Tianbao era (742–755), making it the oldest palace on Wuyi Mountain, with a history of over a thousand years. Initially, it was not located at its current site but was built on a sandbar in the first bend, called Tianbao Hall. In 944 during the Southern Tang Dynasty’s Baoda era, Emperor Yuanzong Li Jing relocated it to its current site for his brother Li Liangzuo, who “retired from glory to pursue the Dao.” It was then renamed Huixian Temple. After its construction, successive feudal rulers who devoutly believed in immortality spared no expense in renovating and expanding the palace multiple times, renaming it Zhongyou Temple.

Wuyi Mountain’s One Line Sky is located at the southwestern edge of the Wuyi Mountain range and is the most extraordinary cave in Wuyi Mountain, often hailed as a “marvel of nature’s craftsmanship.” One Line Sky is situated in a secluded gorge on the southern side of the second bend of the Nine Bend Stream. Inside stands a towering rock, hundreds of zhang long and a thousand ren high, called “Lingyan.” The rock extends outward, covering three adjacent caves: Lingyan Cave on the left, Wind Cave in the middle, and Fuxi Cave on the right. Entering Fuxi Cave and venturing deep inside, visitors look up to see a crack in the rock ceiling, split as if by an axe, less than a foot apart and stretching over a hundred meters. A sliver of daylight shines through, resembling a blue rainbow spanning the sky—this is the breathtaking One Line Sky.

There are many legends about the origin of One Line Sky. Some say it was sliced open by Peach Blossom Girl using her embroidery needle, while others claim it was cleaved by the Fuxi deity with his jade axe. However, scientific analysis suggests that Wuyi Mountain’s red rock layers consist of interbedded sandstone, conglomerate, and shale, which are relatively brittle. During the uplift of the earth’s crust, these layers were subjected to uneven pressure, resulting in slight fractures known as “joints.” These vertical joints, or tiny fissures, gradually expanded and extended over years of erosion by flowing water. Meanwhile, the softer shale at the base of the rock layers eroded away, forming shallow caves. Thus, the natural wonder of three parallel caves with a single line of daylight emerged.

Inside Fuxi Cave, visitors can walk along the stone fissure to the right for dozens of steps to enter Wind Cave. Visitors must crawl sideways using their hands and feet. Rare mammals such as white bats are often spotted in the cave, adding an element of intrigue. The middle Wind Cave also connects to One Line Sky. Cool breezes blow through the fissure, and even in the height of summer, a short stay will make visitors feel a chill to their bones, as if sitting in front of a giant natural air conditioner. The two prominent characters “Wind Cave” on the cave’s stone wall were inscribed by Song Dynasty’s Xu Ziqiang. Exiting the Wind Cave and walking around a stone corridor leads to Lingyan Cave. Legend says a immortal surnamed Ge once subdued demons here, hence the cave is also called Ge Xian Cave. Inside the cave is an ancient well called Sacred Water Well.

At the Four Bends, the majestic Dazang Peak rises steeply, half of its sheer cliff sloping into the water, blocking out the sky and sun. At its summit lies the Golden Rooster Cave, home to the golden rooster that flew here from the Seventh Bend. Below the peak is Wolong Pool, its emerald waters still and unfathomably deep. To the west is the Immortal Fishing Terrace, resembling a massive 10,000-ton ship about to set sail. Other attractions include Pinglin Ferry, Imperial Tea Garden, Little Nine Bends, Sword-Testing Stone, and Poem-Inscribed Rock.

Pinglin Ferry was the crossing point to Tianyou Peak in ancient times. Carved on the stone wall are the inscriptions "Pang Gong’s Tea Spot" and "Too Busy to Take It All In." Pang Gong was a Ming Dynasty governor of Jianzhou, Fujian. Disguised, he visited this place and saw monks serving fine tea to guests. He sat down hoping to enjoy some, but due to the crowd and busyness, he had to wait a long time. After tasting the tea, Pang Gong wrote the words "Pang Gong’s Tea Spot," left them on the tea table, and departed. The monks, realizing he was the governor, felt they had slighted him. They carved his words onto the rock face and added "Too Busy to Take It All In" as an apology.

Eagle Beak Rock is located in the North Tianxin Scenic Area of Wuyi Mountain, Fujian. Walking west from Ancient Cliff Dwellings for a few hundred meters, you’ll see a massive rock resembling an eagle. Eagle Beak Rock is a monolithic formation with a bare summit; its eastern end juts forward, sharply curved like a beak, as if an eagle poised to take flight and soar through the skies. Especially striking is the hook-shaped "eagle beak," atop which grows an ancient juniper, adding a mystical and graceful charm to the rock, leaving visitors in awe. Hence, it is also known as the most peculiar rocky peak of Wuyi Mountain.

The Wuyi Mountain Cliff Tomb Cluster is situated within the Wuyi Mountain National Scenic Area in Fujian Province, along both banks of the Nine Bends Stream and in the northern scenic area of the mountain. There are nearly 20 existing sites, with around 20 coffins. The Wuyi cliff tombs are wooden coffins shaped like southern-style covered boats, also called "Jiahe Boats," "Immortal Oars," "Immortal Ships," "Open Boats," "Immortal Houses," "Golden Coffins," "Fragrant Boats," or "Boat Coffins." They were burial vessels used by the ancient Minyue people of Wuyi Mountain. The boat coffins resemble dugout canoes, consisting of a base and a lid, measuring 3–5 meters in total length. Carved from a single log, the sections fit together, wider and higher at the front, narrower and lower at the back, with both ends upturned like a boat.

Great King Peak, also known as Shaomao Rock or Tianzhu Peak, earned its name for resembling an official’s silk hat and exuding a uniquely regal presence. Located west of Wannian Palace, it spans majestically over the mouth of the Nine Bends Stream, serving as the first peak encountered when entering Wuyi Mountain. With an elevation of 530 meters, it is broad at the top and tapered at the base, exuding grandeur. From afar, it looks like a towering pillar holding up the sky and is often referred to as the “King of the Divine Gorges” among Wuyi’s Thirty-Six Peaks.

Legend has it that during the Warring States period, Wei Prince Qian built Wei King City at the southern foot of the peak and practiced alchemy at its summit, hence the name Wei King Peak. Towering and solitary, the peak resembles a pillar reaching into the clouds, thus also called Tianzhu Peak. The majestic peak dominates the southeast, with surrounding peaks seemingly paying homage, earning it another title, “King of the Divine Gorges.” During the Song Dynasty, the love story of the Great King and the Jade Maiden spread widely among the people, and the peak became a symbol of the Great King, leading to its current name.

Midway up the peak lies Zhangxian Rock, believed to be where the Han Dynasty figure Zhang Gai attained enlightenment. There is also Tianjian Pool, whose water is exceptionally clear and never dries up even in droughts. The stream above the pool is called "Cold Emerald Spring." Beside the pool is the hermitage site of Song Dynasty Taoist Lin Weneng. A short climb up leads to the former site of Shengzhen Temple. Ascending steps to the left of the temple takes you to Tongtian Platform. A few dozen more steps bring you to the summit of Great King Peak. The Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake named it one of the Three Most Treacherous Paths of Wuyi.

From the "Jingtai" platform south of the Second Bend of the Nine Bends Stream, cross a stone bridge, walk through fields, and climb a small hill to reach the base of Tiger Roar Rock. The cliffs bear the inscription "Tiger Creek Spiritual Cave." Nearby are the famous "Eight Scenic Spots of Tiger Roar": White Lotus Ferry, Cloud Gathering Pass, Slope Immortal Belt, Pumen Valley, Buddhist Rain Waterfall, Child’s Whisper Spring, Waveless Boat, and Binxian Cave. Among them, Child’s Whisper Spring produces sounds like a baby babbling, with cool, sweet-tasting water renowned far and wide. Located south of the Second Bend, at an elevation of 510 meters, the rock features towering cliffs resembling a crouching tiger, with a large cave inside. When mountain winds pass through, they create a roaring sound, hence the name. Tiger Roar Rock, steep and precipitous with both springs and rocks, is one of Wuyi Mountain’s finest scenic spots.

Hero’s Slope is named after Mao Zedong’s famous quote, “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true hero.” Entering the Tiger Roar Rock scenic area and walking forward, you’ll come to a fork. Going straight leads to a slope planted with Wuyi rock tea. Following the arrow to the alternate path, look up to see a towering peak rising into the clouds. The stairs, shaped like a zigzag, have a gradient of 60–70 degrees, are narrow, winding, and sometimes require crawling on hands and knees. Climbing these stairs feels like ascending a heavenly ladder. This is Hero’s Slope.

Wuyi Mountain

Wuyi Mountain

Wuyi Mountain

Wuyi Mountain

Recommended Itinerary:

Day 1 (Morning): Tianyou Peak, Tea Cave, Cloud Nest, Hidden Screen Peak, Immortal Palm Peak, Dongyuan Cave; Afternoon: Nine Bends Stream Rafting, Wuyi Palace, Song Street, Wanchun Garden.

Day 2 (Morning): One-Line Sky, Wind Cave, Immortal Towers, Eight Scenic Spots of Tiger Roar; Afternoon: Big Red Robe, Eagle Beak Rock, Sky Carousel, Water Curtain Cave.

Opening Hours: 8:00–18:00

Location: The scenic area’s north and south entrances are a 10-minute drive from the resort area.

Transportation: Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area is 15 km from Wuyishan City. Along the way, there are hop-on-hop-off tourist shuttle buses, or you may take a taxi. The city has three bus stations: Hutao, Ximen, and Nanmen. The scenic area’s stations are located at Sangu, Wuyi Palace, and Xingcun. Parking lots are available at Wuyi Palace, Jade Maiden Peak, Jiubian Hotel, Water Curtain Cave, One-Line Sky, Xingcun Wharf, Yongle Chan Temple, and Lotus Peak.

Opening Hours

Summer: 6:30–18:00; Winter: 6:30–17:30

Scenic Spot Location

Wuyi Mountain National Tourism Resort, Nanping City, Fujian Province

Further Reading:

· First Batch of National Scenic Areas

Big Red Robe Scenic Area

Da’an Yuan Ecotourism Area

China Wuyi Mountain Tea Expo Park

Nine Bends Stream

Qinglong Grand Waterfall

Wuyi Crape Myrtle Self-Drive Theme Park

Wuyi Mountain Water Curtain Cave

Great King Peak

Wuyi Mountain One-Line Sky

Wuyi Palace

Tiger Roaring Rock

Cloud Nest

Wuyi Mountain Jade Valley

Imperial Tea Garden Ruins

Jade Dragon Valley

Chengcun Han City Ruins

Liu Yong Memorial Hall

Wuyi Mountain Baiyun Rock