Fuzhou 福州

1

"Museum of Ming and Qing architecture"—China's largest and best-preserved historic and cultural district: Yijin Fang / Wenru Fang / Guanglu Fang + Yangqiao Alley / Langguan Alley / Ta Alley / Huang Alley / Anmin Alley / Gong Alley / Jibi Alley

2

One courtyard, two famous figures ('Letter to My Wife' was written here)

3

Late-life home of Yan Fu, translator of 'Evolution and Ethics' (a Qing-dynasty flower hall), with displays of his "natural selection" manuscripts

4

A water stage in a private mansion built in the Ming Wanli era (Fuzhou's only surviving private water stage); Min opera / pingshu storytelling performances

5

The "central axis of lane culture," with time-honored shops for Shoushan stone carving, oil-paper umbrellas, and bodiless lacquerware; a chinaberry-tree streetscape

6

The Tang-era "Jingguang Pagoda" (Wuta, stone octagonal seven-story) and Dingguang Pagoda (Baita, brick-built), Fuzhou's "Two Pagodas" landmarks facing each other from Yu Hill and Wu Hill (the "Three Hills and Two Pagodas" layout of the old city)

7

A consular district of 17 nations after Fuzhou opened as a treaty port in 1844 (a "museum of international architecture"); Cangshan's old Western houses (Shicuo Church / former US Consulate site); artsy boutiques and coffee lanes (Librairie Avant-Garde at 2 Aiguo Road)

8

The "museum of Fuzhou's traditional commerce" (Shanghang and Xiahang Roads, Taijiang); late-Qing and Republican-era merchant guild halls (Yongde Guild Hall / Jianning Guild Hall); nightscape of old houses along both banks of the Sanjie River

9

A European-style architecture island dubbed "Little Europe" (under renovation), starting point of the Min River night cruise (night cruise approx. CNY 80)

10

Illuminated riverbanks (Jiefang Bridge / Zhongzhou Island / Financial Street)

11

Founded in the Tang Xiantong era ("lychee trees through four dynasties, passed down from the Song"), one of Fuzhou's Five Great Chan Monasteries; Bao'en Pagoda (a 67 m multi-story stone pagoda); thousand-year-old lychee trees

12

Foremost temple of Fujian (founded in 915), with the 'Heshui Rock' legend (Master Shenyan's shout turned the mountain spring aside)

13

Two hill cultural parks: Yushan (White Pagoda / Qi Gong Shrine honoring Qi Jiguang / Dashi Hall), Wushan (Black Pagoda / cliff inscriptions of Zeng Gong's 'Record of Daoshan Pavilion')

14

1,700+ years of history (built in 282 in the Jin Taikang era), Fuzhou's best-preserved classical garden, one of the best viewpoints of the 'three hills, two pagodas and one river', with Kaihua Islet, Xieping Islet and Yudai Bridge

15

Experience spot of the 'Hot Spring Capital of China' (long-established hot spring house), jasmine pools / medicinal bath pools

16

History of hot spring culture ('Bathe in Fuzhou'), with displays of ancient hot-spring pool sites from the Tang and Five Dynasties

17

Fujian civilization (Minyue Kingdom artifacts / Song-dynasty lacquerware / Maritime Silk Road), with the Liu Hua tomb figurines and Dehua white porcelain

18

Exhibition on the treaty-port history

19

Fujian's largest island ("island county of a thousand reefs"), Tannan Bay & Longwangtou Beach / Beigang Village stone houses / Changjiang'ao wind farm, "blue tears" spectacle (nightly Noctiluca, April-August) with a blue-tears chasing map

20

Qingyun Mountain (gorge waterfall cluster / Jiutian Waterfall), Songkou Ancient Town (a National Historic and Cultural Town of China, Ming-Qing old streets with the Crane-shaped Road, hometown of Zhang Yuanqian)

21

Qishan Forest Park and Wanfo Temple

22

In 1866 Zuo Zongtang founded the Fujian Shipbuilding administration (cradle of China's modern navy), history of the Chuanzheng Academy (Yan Fu / Deng Shichang / Zhan Tianyou and others trained here) + Luoxing Pagoda (the "China Tower", an international navigation mark)