General Information:

Fujian Province, with Fuzhou as its provincial capital, lies in the south eastern China, facing Taiwan across the Straits and bordering Zhejiang Province, Jiangxi Province and Guangdong Province. It covers a land area of 124, 600 sq. km, and 136,000 sq. km in sea area, and has a population of 32,820,000. Although the mountainous landscape has caused much inconvenience to the transportation of this province, the mountain range that lies in the northwest of the province fortunately blocks cold winds from the north in winter. Being a province by the sea, the humid wind from the East brings the area abundant rainfall and cool summers. Enjoying such an ideal geographic location, the province is famous for these little fluctuating temperature changes, which make this a great place to come most of the year. The average annual temperature is between 15 - 22C. Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, is the political and economic center and the largest industrial city in Fujian, receiving much of its investment thanks to its proximity to Taiwan. The city boasts a total history of around 2,000 years, dating back to the third century AD when it was known as Yechang. It is also still substantially influenced by Buddhism--altogether there are six state-listed key temples in Fuzhou (Yong Quan Temple, Xichan Temple, Linyang Temple, Dizang Temple, Wanfu Temple and Xuefeng Temple), the largest number in China. The city is also known for its profusion of springs, some estimate up to a seventh of the urban area comprises of them, and from early times has been known as the "spring city". Nowadays much of the hotels claim hot spring water supplies, most notably the Hot Spring Hotel. Despite valuing a rich Chinese tradition, the people of Fujian are known for their nomadic tendencies; for thousands of years the locals have been upping their roots, untethering family ties and setting sail. Today, over 2.5 million overseas Chinese, in no less than 50 countries, claim to have ancestors from Fujian. Even in ancient times, when emperors attached great importance to slightly myopic policies of self reliance, Fuzhou used to be a major gateway to the outside world. Every year thousands of merchants would sail for months to and from Fuzhou to trade in tea, china and silk. Fuzhou is nowadays reemerging as a crucial seaport city and manufacturing center of southeast China. Although not the greatest city for travelers, Fuzhou does have a few redeeming factors. The Yu hill and West Lake Garden, are half decent parks and the giant banyan trees that are scattered about are of twisted beauty. True Maoists should also head to Wuyi Square to view the massive statue of the great helmsman presiding there. With a long history, Fuzhou people for generations have merged all kinds of culture together to create and perfect the Fuzhou dialect but has retained certain traditional folk customs. For example, people have "Peace Noodle" on the first day of the first lunar month every year and they have the "Ao Jiu Festival" during the first month of the lunar year etc.. As to the folk arts, there are the Min opera, ten pieces of ballad singing, rhythmic storytelling accompanied by bamboo clappers, storytelling in Fuzhou dialect and so on.

History:
It has been 2,200 years since the founding of Fuzhou city. In 202 BC, Ye city was built; in the Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), Ye county was built; Jin'an county was set up during the Eastern and Western Jin Dynasties. Fuzhou has a long history. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, the offspring of Gou Jian who was the emperor of Yue Dynasty, had made Fuzhou the capital. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Emperor Tang Xuan Zong set up the government office of commander-in-chief here and named it Fuzhouwhich it was called from that time on. The emperors of late Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD) and late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) came to the throne in Fuzhou and made it a provisional capital. At the beginning of the first century, Fuzhou had instituted maritime traffic with Southeast Asia. In the Ming Dynasty, the tax revenue agency was moved to Fuzhou and received foreign special envoys on behalf of the royal or imperial government. In the Qing Dynasty, Mawei Harbor became the largest shipbuilding and naval base in ancient China as well as the cradle of qualified scientists and technicians. In October 1946, Fuzhou city was formally established.