Preserving cultural heritage, building the ‘City of Blessings’

Fuzhou means ‘land of blessings’ in Chinese. This city, also known as the ‘banyan city’, is found in the southeastern part of China. The capital of Fujian Province, it covers a land area of 12,000 sq km and its current permanent population totals 7.74 million. Fuzhou is a beautiful and ancient city, founded more than 2,200 years ago and incorporating over 7,000 years of historical and cultural tradition. Named Yecheng City until the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.E to 220 C.E.), the city has grown six times larger while maintaining its central axis unchanged. Its layout featuring ‘three mountains, two pagodas and one main street’ is based on the philosophy of ‘achieving harmonious coexistence between human and nature’ in ancient Chinese architecture. In the preface of Fuzhou: Ancient Buildings, President Xi Jinping praised Fuzhou, saying ‘It is a city surrounded by waters and mountains. The mother river runs across the city and flows into the sea, while the mountains and hills are dotted around the whole city. It is a historic and cultural city with a superior natural environment and a beautiful landscape.’