Wuyi Mountain 武夷山

Wuyi Mountain is located in the northwest of Fujian Province, surrounded by valleys on all sides and not connected to other mountains. It is praised as "the most extraordinary and beautiful mountain in the southeast".

The Taoist culture of Wuyi Mountain has a long history. As early as the Pre-Qin period, primitive Taoist beliefs and legends were already prevalent here. There are two Taoist sayings about the origin of the name "Wuyi Mountain": Firstly, "In ancient times, a god was ordered by the Emperor of Heaven to govern and record the immortals on earth. He once descended to the top of the mountain and called himself Lord Wuyi, so the mountain was named after him." Secondly, the ancient immortal Jian Keng (also known as Peng Zu) lived on this mountain, "He had two sons, one named Keng Wu and the other named Keng Yi, hence the mountain was named Wuyi Mountain".

"There's no visiting Wuyi without climbing Tianyou Peak." Standing at an altitude of 410 meters, Tianyou Peak is known as "the premier scenic spot of Wuyi Mountain". It rises steeply thousands of feet high above the surrounding peaks, often shrouded in clouds and mist. Climbing to its summit feels like wandering in the heavenly palace, with a panoramic view of the wonderful scenery of the Nine-Bend Stream, hence the name "Tianyou" (Heavenly Tour).

Tianyou Peak is divided into Upper Tianyou and Lower Tianyou. The Yilan Pavilion (Pavilion of Panoramic View) at the southern end was built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566), originally named Xianzhang Pavilion (Pavilion of Immortal Palm). Standing in the pavilion, one can take in all the surrounding scenery at a glance.

Tianyou Temple within Tianyou Peak was rebuilt in the 5th year of the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing period (1526), featuring a palace-style pavilion. Inside, there are seated statues of Lord Wuyi, Keng Wu, and Keng Yi. Ancient people praised it with a poem: "Flying springs resound, making the clear sky seem like rain; ancient trees cast dense shade, making summer feel cool."

Located at the foot of Dawang Peak (King Peak) north of the First Bend of the stream, Wuyi Palace was first built during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (742–756). It is a place where emperors of successive dynasties offered sacrifices to Lord Wuyi and one of the ancient centers of Taoist activities.

As the oldest temple in Wuyi Mountain, it once saw envoys sent by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to set up altars here for worshipping Lord Wuyi. During the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (742–756), the Tianbao Hall was built on the islet in the First Bend of the stream. In the 2nd year of the Baoda period of the Southern Tang Dynasty (944), it was ordered to be moved to its current location and renamed "Huixian Guan" (Temple of Immortal Gathering).

In the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Wuyi Mountain was listed as the "16th Grotto-Heaven of Shengzhen Yuanhua" among the 36 Grotto-Heavens in the world. In the 2nd year of the Dazhong Xiangfu period of the Song Dynasty (1009), it was expanded by imperial decree with over 300 additional rooms, becoming grand and magnificent. In the 2nd year of the Shaosheng period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1095), the palace was renovated on a large scale and renamed "Chongyou Guan" (Temple of Purity and Blessing), ranking among the nine famous temples of the Southern Song Dynasty. Scholars of the Song Dynasty such as Lu You, Xin Qiji, and Zhu Xi once served here successively, writing books and composing poems.

"A water curtain a zhang long hangs over the red valley; sunny snow dances year-round by the green eaves." Also known as "Tangyao Dongtian" (Grotto-Heaven of Tang Yao), Water Curtain Cave is located 1 kilometer north of Tianxin Rock. Shaped like an overhanging eave, it is the largest cave in Wuyi Mountain.

The cave is spacious and bright, with two shrines dedicated to the great Song Dynasty scholars Liu Zihui (Zhu Xi's teacher), Zhu Xi, and Liu Gong. In front of the cave, two clear springs cascade down from a 100-meter-high cliff, like beaded curtains, falling into the Yulong Pool (Dragon-Bathing Pool) below. As described in a poem, "A thousand feet of red cliff, clear sky seems like rain; ten thousand pearls, a painted curtain hangs." Records of Wuyi Mountain calls it "the most splendid scenery in the mountains". There are many cliff carvings on the cave walls, among which the seal characters "Huoshui" (Living Water) are particularly eye-catching.

"In ancient years, a carved tiger roared in the quiet rock; a thousand li of cool wind ruffled the blue pool." Huxiao Rock gets its name from the legend that an immortal once rode a tiger here and the tiger roared on the rock. From a natural perspective, there is a huge cave on the rock. Whenever the mountain wind blows through the cave, it emits a sound similar to a tiger's roar. When the sound is soft, it just passes through the ears; when it is loud, it can reverberate through the mountains.

The four characters "Huxi Lingdong" (Tiger Stream, Spiritual Cave) are prominently carved on the cliff of Huxiao Rock, which is extremely elegant and steep, making it a rare tourist attraction.