Hermits, people seeking enlightenment by training their mind and body deep in the mountains, away from all forms of society. They are mysterious people, thought to no longer exist in today’s world. In 1993, Bill Porter, better known as Red Pine, published a fascinating book, Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits (空谷幽蘭), documenting his journey over the past decade through China's Zhongnan Mountains (終南山) in search of hermits. During his quest, Porter discovered that the hermit tradition practiced by Buddhist monks, Taoist practitioners and scholars, who were seeking enlightenment in nature, had miraculously survived even after the Cultural Revolution. In fact, he managed to find thousands of hermits still living in the mountains, highlighting the enduring vitality of this ancient tradition.
Beyond Zhongnan Mountains, Wuyi Mountains (武夷山) has historically been another sacred hermit sanctuary. From ancient times, Wuyi served as a spiritual home for Taoist cultivation, attracting holy men and scholars who sought enlightenment among its dramatic cliffs and hidden valleys. There are many caves here, bearing traces of people who once lived in them, while also preserving legends of immortals and hermits from the past.
During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism also flourished here, with numerous temples constructed throughout the mountain range, including the famous Tianxin Yongle Temple (天心永樂禪寺). This made Wuyi Mountain an important place for Buddhist practice alongside its Taoist traditions.
Interestingly, both Buddhist monks and Taoist priests make their own cliff tea every year. It is said that during the Ming Dynasty, one monk from Tianxin Yongle Temple used his cliff tea to cure a sick scholar who was traveling to the capital for the imperial examination. Later, the scholar achieved the highest honor in the examination. Upon returning to Wuyi Mountain, he draped his red robe over the tea tree in gratitude. From that day on, this tea became known as Da Hong Pao (大紅袍).
Therefore, in Wuyi Mountain, the crafting of cliff tea is also regarded as a form of spiritual cultivation. This tea not only embodies the energy of sunlight, rain, dew, and the mountain, but also carries the lifetime of discipline, wisdom, and awakenings of the people who devoted themselves to its making. During my many journeys through Wuyi Mountain, I deeply felt the lingering presence of countless hermits from ancient times. To honor them, I was inspired to create this perfume.
Before everything else, the most important ingredient is the cliff tea oil. Each kilogram of Zhengyan (正岩) cliff tea yields slightly more than one tola of oil. I can only describe it as truly remarkable, profound and luxurious as aged Oud, while fully embodying the essence of Wuyi Mountain. Once blended with our vintage Oud, it forms a completely unprecedented base accord, unlike anything I have ever experienced before.
Secondly, hermits have always been associated with orchids. As mentioned in the book, they are like orchids in the valley, quiet, elusive, yet filled with spirit and grace. Last year, Ms. Olivia from LMR (a division of IFF, one of the world’s leading suppliers of raw materials for luxury perfumery), visited me in Singapore and kindly brought several essential oil samples, including an exceptionally beautiful Magnolia oil. Beyond its amazing floral character, it carried a profound orchid-like elegance and tranquillity that immediately reminded me of the hermits of Wuyi Mountain. For this reason, we chose this particular oil, allowing the delicate orchid notes to bloom from within the deep foundation of the cliff tea accord.
Finally, we incorporated a selection of floral and woody essences, to bring greater harmony and smoothness to the composition. It is as if, within a vibrant mountain valley, orchids quietly blossom one after another, carrying with them the wisdom and awakening of the hermits. Through this fragrance, you may glimpse a serene state of life, tranquil, profound, and deeply connected with nature and the spirit of cultivation.
Therefore, in Wuyi Mountain, the crafting of cliff tea is also regarded as a form of spiritual cultivation. This tea not only embodies the energy of sunlight, rain, dew, and the mountain, but also carries the lifetime of discipline, wisdom, and awakenings of the people who devoted themselves to its making. During my many journeys through Wuyi Mountain, I deeply felt the lingering presence of countless hermits from ancient times. To honor them, I was inspired to create this perfume.
