Mount Wuyi Scenic Area 武夷山风景名胜区

Mount Wuyi 武夷山 - Situated in the north of Fujian Province, Mount Wuyi is a picturesque and fascinating scenic attraction. Encompassing 60 square kilometers, this scenic area includes one stream 溪， seven shoals 滩，nine ponds 潭，eleven ravines 涧，thirteen springs 泉，thirty-six peaks 峰，sixty-one rocks 石，seventy-two caves 洞，ninety-nine cliffs岩，and one hundred and eight scenic spots 景点。Among them the most famous scenery is the Nine-Bend Stream. Stream Meandering around numerous queer peaks, the Nine-Bend Stream extends nine kilometers with crystal-clear water, which sometimes runs swiftly and sometimes remains clam. It is an exciting experience for tourists to cruise on a simple bamboo raft on the Nine-Bend Stream with 9 kilometers in a distance to enjoy the enchanting sight of exotic peaks and historical sites and relics along the bank while listening to the rafters for his beautiful legends and tales. The peculiar geographical position and climate at Mount Wuyi have resulted in different natural views for the four seasons in the area. Mount Wuyi faces the Huangbai Stream to the north and borders the Chongyang Stresm to the east with the Nine-Bend Stream flowing out from itself. As a relative humidity in this area is 78 ％vegetation is luxuriant and pines and bamboo flourishing. All in full bloom, the mountain flowers in spring, azalea in summer, orchid and sweet osmanthus in winter inject vitality to this scenic area.

The Mount Wuyi area was once the focus of intensive volcanic activity and large fault structures, further influenced by water erosion, weathering and collapse. These factors have led to the formation of a landscape with features such as winding streams, column and dome shaped cliffs and caves systems. There are numerous high peaks, 112 of with are higher than 1,000 meters above sea level. The eastern area, around the Nine Bend Stream, includes a large number of isolated and sheer-sided monoliths or red sandstone, which have been formed by natural erosion following the natural faults lines and joints in the rock. The Wuyi Mountains form a protective barrier against cold air masses from the northwest, while at the same time retaining the warm, moist air stream that comes in from the sea and gives the region its wet, humid and often foggy climate. The area includes a range of vegetation types, with differences largely occurring with higher elevations. The most extensive and important vegetation types are the evergreen broad-leaved forests, which include some of the largest tracts of humid subtropical forest in the world. The known fauna of Mount Wuyi has received international recognition for its high diversity and its large numbers of rare and unusual species. The Mount Wuyi area was the cradle of Neo-Confucianism, a doctrine that played a dominant role in the countries of eastern and southeastern Asia for many centuries and influenced philosophy over much of the world.

It is also a celebrated mountain historically and culturally. Over 30 boat-coffins belonging to the ancient Yue people mote than 3,000 years ago are still preserved in cliff caves up in the cliff side of the stream. According to archaeologists, this is one of the main places of origin of boat-shaped coffin burial in ancient China. The local people placed them on the steep cliffs over 3,000 years ago, but how the people transported the coffins to the high precipices still remains a mystery. In addition, there are over 400 historical sites including palaces, Taoist temples, monasteries and cliff carvings as well as the site of ancient kilns of the Song Dynasty, and the imperial tea garden.

Mount Wuyi Nature Reserve, a key site for national preservation covering an area of 99,975 hectares (247,038 acres) in the northwest region of Fujian Province, has been called the home of animal species (home to over 400 animal species), the paradise of birds (home to 300bird species), the world of insects (home to over 5,000 insect species), the kingdom of snakes (home to 64 kinds of snakes), the treasure of living things and the key to the research on the origin of living things in Southeast Asia, and has joined the United Nations Human Biosphere Organization. Wuyi Nature Reserve is one of the five major nature conservation areas in China. Traces of human activity as far back as 4,000 years have been discovered at the site.

The typical Wuyi local-style buildings such as Mount Manting Villa, Mount WuyiVilla, Bidan Restaurant, Wuyi Ancient Street, Cruising Raft Wharf, Wuyi Tea Temple and Mount Miaogao Villa have concentrated the distinguished features of people’s dwelling in North Fujian and modern tourist facilities, highly admired by Chinese and overseas tourists and commended as “the representative of post-modern architectural school emerged in China” by many architects.

Mount Wuyi Scenic Spot is one of the first State Key Scenic Attractions approved for establishment by the State Council in 1982. It is typical landform—growing areas and has long been crowned the beautiful names of “blue water and green hills” and “the best landscape in Southeast China.” Among the red hills, which resemble red clouds and by the streams flowing like blue ribbons there scatter such major scenic sites as the Nine-Bend Stream, 36 Mountain Peaks, 72 Caves, and 99 Rocks. Major scenic spots include the Nine-Twist Stream, Tianyou (Heaven Tour) Peak, Ancient Wuyi Palace, Taoyuan Cave, Heaven’s Heart, Water Curtain Cave, Ray of the Sky, and Tiger Roaring Rock. Standing BY the water, visitors can view the beautiful shape of the hills, while climbing up the hills, they can also enjoy the beauty of the streams. Taking a bamboo raft down the winding Nine-Twist Stream lined with variously shaped hills which are reflected in the clear water and passing by the 36 peaks, 99 rocks, tourists are marveled at this picturesque sight of water and hills interwoven together, and particularly at the age-old boat-shaped coffins hung high up on the cliffs.

Mount Huanggang is the highest peak towering 2,158 meters above sea level, the highest one in Southeast China. Forests cover 95.3 ％of the total area forming the largest and best –preserved subtropical forest ecological system on the Southeast China Continent. In the area are 2,466 high and 840 lower plant species, 475 vertebrate species and 31 insect orders with 4,557 species. This rich resource of animals and plants makes the area a green kingdom and window of biology for the world, which brings it the names of “the paradise of birds, “the kingdom of snakes,” “world of insects,” and the ideal place for the research of amphibians and reptiles in Asia. As it is a rare piece of treasure land that humans have in natural legacy, it was listed as a State Key Nature Reserve by the State Council in 1979, and as a world preserve of biological circle and then as a global multi-protection area by the United Nations in 1987 and 1992 respectively .And again, the World Heritage Committee inscribed Mount Wuyi (both cultural and natural heritage—dual heritage) on the World Heritage List in December 1999. Inscription on this List confirms the exceptional and universal value of a cultural or natural site, which requires protection for the benefit of all humanity.

Wuyi Rock Tea is celebrated at home and abroad because of its abundant rainfall and excellent climate with no pollution and has a lot of varieties, including Red Robe, Cassia Tea, and Iron Guanyin Tea. It was the earliest Chinese tea exported to Europe over 300 years ago. China produced 780,000 tons of tea in 2003.

Mount Wuyi in Fujian Province is described as an outstanding conservation area with 999.75 square kilometers, and a refuge for a large number of animals and plants.

Some new historic scenic spots recently opened in the Mount Wuyi area are attracting increasing numbers of tourists from home and abroad. Pottery kilns at Yulinting, discovered by archaeologists in 1958, are now open to the public. The kilns date from the Song Dynasty. Encompassing 60,000 square meters, the kilns are reportedly China’s largest and best preserved. Winding along the slopes of the mountain range, one of the stoves is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees. The 113-meter-long No 2 Kiln has been likened to two intertwined dragons, and dubbed “Dragon Kiln.” A Song style protection corridor has been built to shelter the kiln. Walking up the mountain slope along the corridor, visitors can access the kiln’s inner structure. At the kiln site, a bundle of glazed bowls dating back 800 years have been unearthed. It is said that the Song emperors used these sorts of bowls to make tea. Cultural relics from across the ages can be found in the Mount Wuyi area.

Also the former residence of Zhu Xi (1130-1200), a distinguished philosopher, educator, and man of letters, has been revamped.

Yuqing Bridge, built in 1889, is located at the Nanmen Street of Wuyishan city. With two abutments, two piers and two openings, the 79-meter-long bridge has the architectural characteristics of the Han, Song and Qing dynasties. Mao Yisheng 茅以升 (1896-1989), a famous specialist in bridge studies and educationist, said the structure of the bridge is rare. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of human activity in the territory as early as 21st century BC. Since that time, different stages in history have left many cultural monument s and relics in the area. Notable among these are the extensive remains of an ancient city of the Min Yue people, discovered in 1958, and dating back over 2,300 years. With an area of 480,000 square meters, it is probably the best-preserved ancient city south of the Yangtze River. Together with the cultural relics, Mount Lotus is another new tourist attraction in the Mount Wuyi area. The mountain is the same shape as a lotus, hence the name. It has various caves, long roads along the steep cliffs and ancient temples. The most noteworthy is a hall built on the mountain slope. Two-thirds of the space are a natural cave. One-third of the space is built in the Song Dynasty style, extending from the top of the cave to the outside. This sort of ancient building is rarely seen in China.

In 1979 the State Council approved the establishment of the Mount Wuyi Nature Reserve. In 1987 the reserve was nominated a biosphere reserve under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme.

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