In ancient times, Wuyuan was governed by Anhui. Merchants from this area spread throughout China around 500 years ago, forging trade relations with dealers from Qingdao to Qinghai. Such were their numbers and business acumen that in some areas, they practically ran the local economy. Historical records show that of the eight barons Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong received during a trip to southern China, four were from Anhui. Anhui merchants went on to dominate trade in China for some 400 years in terms of capital and trade outlets.

Back in their hometowns, these wealthy merchants would often construct majestic homes and elaborate ancestral temples so their families and forefathers could share in their success. Many of these still stand in Wuyuan. Hidden deep in the mountains, the town escaped the wartime devastation that obliterated many other parts of ancient China, and it remains in its original state today.