Wuyi Mountain: The aroma of rock tea amid Danxia and clear waters

Wuyi Mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both nature and culture. For three days and two nights, from bamboo rafts along Jiuqu Creek to sea of clouds at Tianyou Peak, enjoy a true Da Hong Pao amidst Danxia's clear waters and the aroma of rock tea.

Drifting on a bamboo raft along the Nine-Bend Creek is the most classic way to open Wuyi Mountain. The stream water is emerald green, Danxia peaks rise on both banks, and raftworkers pole-pushing while telling legends of "Jade Maiden Peak" and "Great King Peak." The nine winding turns are like a painting at every bend.

Climbing Tianyou Peak, known as "Wuyi's Number One Danger." 848 steps clinging to the wall, and after reaching the summit, a sea of clouds spreads out beneath your feet, with the Nine-Bend Stream winding like a jade belt. Xu Xiake climbed it twice and praised it, saying, "Without facing the stream, one can fully appreciate the beauty of the Nine-Bend Stream."

Go to the Dahongpao Scenic Area to see those few mother trees. Six ancient tea trees over three hundred years old grow in crevices of the rock wall, producing only a few taels per year, once worth more than gold. The "rock bone flower fragrance" of rock tea comes from this Danxia and rotten stone.

Find a farmhouse in Yancha Village and watch tea farmers shake and roast the tea leaves. Brew a cup of Zhengshan Xiaozhong or Dahongpao by hand, smell the unique roasted aroma, and pair it with a plate of light cake—this is the most authentic afternoon in Wuyi.

Wuyi's elegance lies in the spiritual fusion of mountains and waters and tea. When you brew a pot of tea on a stone by the stream and watch the reflections of peaks merge into the water, you'll understand why the ancients wrote 'Zen tea as one flavor' to the extreme—turns out scenery can also be tasted.