Wuyishan Cultures
Wuyi Mountain is known as a time-honored cultural mountain. As early as the neolithic age, people of ancient tribe began to live and multiply there. "The Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B.C) produces many scholar, amongst them is the legendary Confucius and later Zhu Xi in the southern Song Dynasty (1127—1279). The ancient Chinese culture was born in Mount Taishan and Wuyi Mountain." The remarks of Cai Shangsi, the well-known scholar, reveal the origin and status of Wuyi Mountain's history and culture.
In the Southern Song Dynasty, the famous Chinese philosopher, thinker and educationist Zhu Xi once lived, wrote books, gave lectures here for more than 50 years and created the Confucian school of idealist philosophy in the Song Dynasty, which constituted half of the ancient Chinese culture and made Wuyi become the cultural center in Southeastern China at that time.
In addition, other historical figures such as Li Shangyun, Yang Shi, Fan Zhongyan, Lu You, Xin Qiji, Liu Yong, Xu Xiake and Qi Jiguang,all left treasured pieces of calligraphy or painting in praise of Wuyi Mountain. There are still over 400 identifiable historical inscriptions on precipices in Wuyi Mountain.
Wuyi Mountain is also famous for its religious culture incorporating Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Wuyi Mountain has been granted by the imperial courts the title of famous Mountain and River in China and it has become a place yearned for and visited by celebrities and Buddhist monks from all over the country. More than 300 Buddhist and Taoist temples, palaces, academies of classical learning , pavilions, terraces and open halls have been built, which witness the historical glories and vicissitudes of Wuyi Mountain.
"Grown by the celestial being in the ancient time, the precious tea-plant by the streamside is the best in the world." The Wuyi Rock Tea has enjoyed a long history and a worldwide reputation for its unique rock tea flavor and traditional tea culture. The rock tea is the primordium of the Oolong tea, one of the top ten famous teas in China. It is the landmark in the development of tea industry, and Wuyi Mountain is entitled "The Hometown of Chinese Tea Culture."
The combination of rich folklore culture and abundant tourist resources in Wuyi Mountain, full of life and extraordinary splendor, creates a wonderful picture of regional culture.