Wuyi Orchid

The Wuyi Mountains lie in the subtropics, with a mild climate and abundant rainfall. In the lush forests, many Wuyi orchids grow, giving off a delicate, far-reaching fragrance.

The orchids of the Wuyi Mountains were called "wind flowers" in ancient times. The area is rich in orchid resources, with more than a hundred known varieties. Divided by flowering season, Wuyi orchids generally fall into several groups: spring orchids, summer orchids, autumn orchids and cold orchids. Many of them are orchid treasures unique to China. "Lüyun" is a famous orchid variety: its petals are mussel-shell shaped, with 2-3 purplish-red stripes at the base; the lip is pale yellow with orange-red markings; the bracts are green; the leaves are deep blue and glossy; usually one stem bears two flowers, making it very precious. The plain-leaved spring sword orchid has stiffer leaves than ordinary spring orchids, with upright flower stems and more flowers. Its flowers are pale white-green and semi-transparent, making it a top-grade spring orchid. There are also rare and precious varieties of Jian orchid such as Silver-edged Dagong, Large Phoenix-tail Su, and Golden-thread Horse-tail Orchid.

To adapt to pollination by insects, the flowers of Wuyi orchids usually twist 180°, and they resemble certain insects: some look like bees, some like colorful butterflies, some like cicadas, and some like flying swallows. Their shapes vary greatly and are full of changes, sparking people's imagination and full of charm. Most flower colors are quietly elegant, but some have speckles on the petals, and even flowers of the same color vary in shade.

The fragrance of Wuyi orchids is mostly clear and intense, mellow and pure, subtle and far-reaching, and long-lasting, truly surpassing the ordinary. With orchids in a garden, a clear fragrance lingers; with orchids in a room, a delicate scent fills the hall. The ancients left many lines of praise, such as "fragrance arises and fragrance fills the road" and "clear fragrance is doubly subtle and far-reaching." They praised orchid fragrance most highly, honoring it as "the finest fragrance under heaven." When visitors boat along the Nine-Bend Stream, a rich orchid fragrance drifts toward them, instantly making them feel relaxed and happy. In the 1960s, when Mr. Guo Moruo traveled through Wuyi, he praised it: "Secluded orchids grow in the valley, fragrance arises along the path; square bamboo covers the mountains, green fills the stream."

The leaves of Wuyi orchids are graceful and upright, combining strength and softness, fresh and clear all year round, and elegantly varied. The ancients praised them with lines such as "orchid leaves are lush in spring," "sturdy jade-green leaves in profusion," and "clear wind sways the emerald rings, cool dew drips on pale jade," and even said, "looking at the leaves is better than looking at the flowers."

With their noble and strong character, outstanding and unrestrained posture, and their drifting, subtle, ever-fresh, wonderful elegance, Wuyi orchids have won people's affection. The ancient book Zhenzhu Chuan praised them: "Bamboo has nodes but lacks flowers; plum has flowers but lacks leaves; pine has leaves but lacks fragrance; only the orchid has them all." The people of Wuyi have always loved orchids, and always like to place a few pots of orchids inside and outside their homes.

Besides being ornamental, orchids can also be used medicinally; the leaves, flowers and roots can all be used as medicine. There is also a local legend that growing orchids can ward off plagues.