Wuyi Mountains lay at the border between Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. The previous day, accompanied by Nick and local officials, they had visited a temple deep in the mountains where incense had burned without interruption for centuries.
The Min River divided the hundred-and-twenty-li mountain range in this region into two parts. Yishan stood on the northern bank, while Wushan stood on the Jiangnan bank, and tea gardens covered the mountains on both sides. The temple did not enshrine the Buddha or the Dragon King, but the Tea God. The first-picked tea was of the finest quality. Every year, Awakening of Insects, one of the twenty-four solar terms, was designated as the day for sacrificing to tea and calling to the mountains. That day was not only for worshipping the Tea God; it also marked the time when people could enter the mountains to pick tea.
The mountain calling was held at night, with thousands of people shouting, "Sprout! Send forth tea buds!" Their voices echoed through the valleys without end. Unfortunately, Nick had arrived after the solar term and missed the magnificent sight.
Tea was originally made from the tender buds of tea trees. Perhaps because tea picking was influenced by this area's unique climate, tea trees grew exceptionally well here. The weather had been pleasant during the first few days of their journey. From foothill to summit, the endless mountains were covered in lush green. Later, however, they frequently encountered rain and thunder. A thin mist made the mountain shapes hazy and indistinct, while peak after peak resembled surging waves rolling in from the sea. They passed many villages along the river, where villagers wearing straw rain capes called greetings to them. Several times, Nick had wanted the boat to stop before a village so he could go ashore