Mount Wuyi


World Heritage Identification Number: 911

World Heritage since: 1999

Category: Mixed Cultural Heritage and Natural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇨🇳 China

Continent: Asia

UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific

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Mount Wuyi: A Unique Blend of Natural Beauty and Cultural Significance

Mount Wuyi, situated in the prefecture of Nanping within the northern Fujian province of China, stands as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of natural splendor and cultural heritage. This mountain range, with its highest peak, Mount Huanggang, reaching 2,158 meters above sea level, shares borders with Jiangxi province, making it the highest point of both provinces.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Mount Wuyi is the most outstanding area for biodiversity conservation in south-east China and a refuge for a large number of ancient, relict species, many of them endemic to China. The serene beauty of the dramatic gorges of the Nine Bend River, with its numerous temples and monasteries, many now in ruins, provided the setting for the development and spread of neo-Confucianism, which has been influential in the cultures of East Asia since the 11th century. In the 1st century B.C. a large administrative capital was built at nearby Chengcun by the Han dynasty rulers. Its massive walls enclose an archaeological site of great significance.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Natural criteria (vii) and (x): Mount Wuyi is one of the most outstanding subtropical forests in the world. It is the largest, most representative example of a largely intact forest encompassing the diversity of the Chinese Subtropical Forest and the South Chinese Rainforest. It acts as a refuge for a large number of ancient, relict plant species, many of them endemic to China and contains large numbers of reptile, amphibian and insect species. The riverine landscape of Nine-Bend Stream (lower gorge) is also of exceptional scenic quality in its juxtaposition of smooth rock cliffs with clear, deep water.

Cultural criteria (iii): Mount Wuyi is a landscape of great beauty that has been protected for more than twelve centuries. It contains a series of exceptional archaeological sites, including the Han City established in the 1st century BC and a number of temples and study centres associated with the birth of Neo-Confucianism in the 11th century AD.

Cultural Criterion (vi): Mount Wuyi was the cradle of Neo-Confucianism, a doctrine that played a dominant role in the countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Asia for many centuries and influenced philosophy and government over much of the world.

Encyclopedia Record: Wuyi Mountains

The Wuyi Mountains or Wuyishan are a mountain range located in the prefecture of Nanping, in northern Fujian province near the border with Jiangxi province, China. The highest peak in the area is Mount Huanggang at 2,158 metres (7,080 ft) on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi, making it the highest point of both provinces; the lowest altitudes are around 200 metres (660 ft). Many oolong and black teas are produced in the Wuyi Mountains, including Da Hong Pao and lapsang souchong, and are sold as Wuyi tea. The mountain range is known worldwide for its status as a refugium for several rare and endemic plant species, its dramatic river valleys, and the abundance of important temples and archeological sites in the region, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 107,044 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
(vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity

Coordinates: 27.7263888889 , 117.7252777778

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Image of Mount Wuyi

© 老过, CC BY 2.5 cn Resized from original.

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Mount Sanqingshan National Park
136 km — China
Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun
244 km — China
Lushan National Park
263 km — China
Mount Huangshan
272 km — China
Fujian Tulou
301 km — China

Country Information: China

Flag of China

Official Name: People's Republic of China

Capital: Beijing

Continent: Asia

Population (2024): 1,408,975,000

Population (2023): 1,410,710,000

Population (2022): 1,412,175,000

Land Area: 9,388,210 sq km

Currency: Chinese yuan (CNY)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Mount Wuyi are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Wuyi Mountains, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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