It is said this kungfu genre, made famous by the hit movie Ip Man, originated in a local kungfu skill known as the White Crane style.

Like many other Chinese martial arts, White Crane emphasizes tai chi, a Chinese exercise system that uses slow, smooth body movements to relax the mind and body, and requires a peaceful environment. The forests surrounding the county offer a natural arena for this martial arts.

South Shaolin Temple, in Quanzhou city, is just a two-hour drive from Niumulin, and is as famous as its Northern counterpart in Henan province, only smaller and less commercialized. But the kungfu here is no less dazzling, and includes some long forgotten skills such as "walking on water".

Yongchun's melodious Nanyin music is another major draw. The songs sung in the southern Fujian dialect, go back more than 1,000 years and in 2009, were included in UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.