Mount Wuyi is a site of outstanding biodiversity in southeast China. Not only is it famous for its scenic landscapes, with the dramatic gorges of the Nine Bend River, Mount Wuyi is also the site with numerous ruins of temples and monasteries. This is where neo-Confucianism developed and spread, giving a lasting impact on the cultures of East Asia from the 11th century. The ruins of the administrative capital of the Han dynasty rulers, dating to the 1st century BC, can still be seen at nearby Chengcun. The remains include massive walls that have provided archaeologists valuable information on the site.
Mount Wuyi was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 23rd session of the World Heritage CommitteeIt is one of the few sites inscribed as a mixed property of both cultural and natural value.
The inscription of Mount Wuyi falls under the natural criteria vii and x and cultural criteria of iii and vi.
Mount Wuyi is regarded as an outstanding subtropical forest, representing the largest intact forest that encompasses the diversity of the Chinese Subtropical Forest and the South Chinese Rainforest. It is an important regufe for ancient plant species, many of which are endemic to China, as well as to a number of reptile, amphibian and insect species.
Under the cultural category, Mount Wuyi is the cradle of neo-Confucianism, and played an influential role in the development of philosophy and governance in Eastern and Southeastern Asia.