The Chinese urban legend says that the story behind Wuyishan’s iconic mountain peaks come from a magical love story that did not end up with a happily ever after. A goddess named Jade Maiden fell in love with a mortal who was also a great king.
A monk called Iron Slab, who envied their love, went behind their back and told on them to the Heavenly Gods. The Gods wanted to teach them a lesson and turned them into two mountain peaks, placing Iron Slab in the middle for snitching on them.
This rocky love triangle is two of the famous mountains in Wuyishan. This is only one of the few mythical stories this area has to offer. The beautiful, magical, and oddly shaped mountains have a magical feel to them that make you wonder if the stories could be true.
This location has also been listed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list of 1999 that features China’s greatest intact forest. Mount Wuyi, or Wuyishan is home to the world’s largest theatre, and where some of the most expensive teas in the world are grown.
Wuyishan’s Best Hike
The Tianyoufeng Peak, or the Heaven Tour Peak towers over the area with a height of 410 meters and a sheer cliff side that overlooks the magnificent Nine-Bend Jiuquxi stream, as well as the neighbouring temples and farms.
This peak has been paved with 800 unsteady stone steps uphill and more than 1000 downhill along with handrails and numerous view and resting locations. This trail takes 3 hours to complete. The nine-bend stream is one of the most iconic streams in the area. You can travel on a bamboo raft through Wuyishan and explore the magnificent scenery, which includes the King Kong resembled rocks and the Opera House in Sydney.
Hidden Temple
The Zhi Zhi An temple is also on the must-see list but is often hidden away from most travellers. As you enter this tranquil temple that has been bound by bamboo and other trees, you will walk along a path that nestles the river that leads to the magnificent Zhi Zhi An stone gates. Many of the buildings inside the temples have been destroyed and rebuilt but the temple itself has a strong history that dates back more than 1700 years ago.