7:30–17:00 Raft Departure Schedule: Xingcun No.1 Wharf departs at 7:20, 8:30, 9:40, 10:30 and 13:20

Air-conditioned express trains run daily from Fuzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou directly to Wuyi Mountain. There are now two daily direct trains from Shanghai to Wuyi Mountain (trains bound for Fuzhou pass through Wuyi Mountain), eliminating the need to transfer in Shangrao. Private vans from the railway station to the scenic area usually quote 20 RMB, but the fare can be bargained down to 10 RMB.

For destinations without direct trains to Wuyi Mountain, take a train to Shaowu Railway Station in Fujian or Shangrao Railway Station in Jiangxi first.

Covering an area of about 8.5 square kilometers, Jiuqu Stream originates from the northwest corner of Tongmu Pass within the Sangang National Nature Reserve, with a total length of 60 kilometers. Tucked amid steep peaks and secluded valleys of Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province, the mountain range boasts 36 summits and 99 rock formations. Peaks and crags crisscross while streams wind through the terrain, with Jiuqu Stream cutting through the mountains for a stretch of 15 li. It earns its name for its nine twists and three major bends.

The meandering stream deeply carves through the Wuyi peaks, forming the stunning landscape of clear blue water looping around green mountain summits. Bamboo raft drifting along the stream to admire mountain vistas stands out as a signature Wuyi Mountain experience. In 1962, Guo Moruo composed the poem Boating on the Nine-Bend Stream of Wuyi Mountain: The clear nine-bend stream winds round Wuyi peaks, The boating ballads first chanted by Zhu Xi. Valley orchids scent the winding paths, Square bamboo blankets hills, dyeing streams green. “Six times six, three times three” read as Taoist verses, Cliffs and gullies vie in ethereal grace. Light rafts glide on water, wine cups lifted to flying birds; Even those unskilled at verse yearn to write.

In ancient times, visitors toured Jiuqu Stream by rowing upstream from Wuyi Palace following the sequence of each bend. The placid river stretch before Wuyi Palace marks the First Bend; rowing upstream all the way to Xingcun Town beneath Qiyun Peak brings you to the Ninth Bend, with picturesque scenery unfolding at every turn. Since the Chongtong Highway opened, tourists drift downstream from the Ninth Bend to the First Bend, gliding with the current for a lighter, swifter journey. The rafts for Jiuqu touring are bound from 8 to 9 peeled, baked bamboo poles. They draw shallow water yet provide great buoyancy, offering passengers a stable, comfortable ride with unobstructed views of mountain and water scenery. Drifting downstream with alternating gentle and rapid currents delivers a relaxing, thrilling experience free from real danger, making it a popular mild adventure activity for modern tourists. Locals nickname Wuyi Mountain the “Four Dishes and One Soup”, where the “one soup” refers to Jiuqu Stream.

According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Yao of the Tang Dynasty, Ancestor Peng led his clan to settle in Chong’an. At that time, catastrophic floods submerged the land, leaving people destitute. His two sons Peng Wu and Peng Yi led the villagers to dig river channels and pile up mountains to drain the floods. The waterway they excavated became Jiuqu Stream. To commemorate the brothers Wu and Yi, locals named the mountain Wuyi Mountain and built Wuyi Palace at the confluence where Jiuqu Stream joins Chongyang Stream.

Dawang Peak, Yunu Peak, Water Glow Rock, Iron Slab Cliff, Lesser Hidden Peak, Immortal Gathering Rock, Sunrise Peak, Rainbow Bridge Planks, Hanging Coffins, Great Hidden Peak, Golden Rooster Cave, Immortal Fishing Platform, Poem-Inscribed Rock, Sword Testing Stone, Site of the Imperial Tea Garden, Minor Nine-Bend Stream, Pinglin Ferry Landing, Hidden Screen Peak, Split Bamboo Peak, Wuyi Academy, Tianyou Peak, Cloth-Drying Rock, Resounding Rock, Three Upward Peaks, Heavenly Pot Peak, Tall City Rock, Twin Breast Peaks, Upper & Lower Water Turtles, Elephant Trunk Rock, Camel Peak, Human-Faced Rock, Penglou Rock, Qiyun Peak, Twin Lions Playing Ball Rock, Screen Unfolding Rock and White Cloud Nunnery