Architectural buildings of Sanfang Qixiang and Zhuzi Workshop, Fujian, China

5mazhenping 5:00 PM Nov 29, 2010

A pleasant mix of original and fake
This pedestrian only street lies at the heart of Fuzhou's commercial centre, located just off Dong Jie, opposite Da Ming Lu. The area is now a conservation area due to it's unique combination of some of the best preserved Min style architectural buildings and it's historical link with some of Fuzhou's renowned scholars from years gone by. Until its restoration began, around 5 years ago, it had become a real mish mash and looked worthy of demolition, but local pressure groups ensured that the area was preserved as pretty much every other area of ancient housing had been greedily snapped up and demolished by real estate developers aided by corrupt local officials with scant regard for the city's history. Restoration has been a fascinating process to watch, with traditional, skilled craftsmen demonstrating that the woodworking techniques which made this area so special have not completely died out. To begin, the more recent buildings and additions were carefully demolished, leaving all the original buildings in situ, then the tarmac road was replaced by traditional stone paving, which looks great. The process of recreating and refurbishing then began. It was reminiscent of a dentist repairing a mouthful of neglected teeth, with the gaps needing to be filled and extensive repairs and renewal of the original buildings. Some of the newer additions are faked, using modern, steel-frame and concrete techniques, craftily disguised with wooden facades, but the restored buildings have been sensitively handled and now form the largest collection of complete and very stunning Min architectural style buildings in the province. The street has now become a tourist haven, with traditional and some not so traditional crafts highlighted. You can buy shou shan shi (stone carving of a rare, semi precious stone, found only in one location near Fuzhou), cow horn combs and back-scratchers and traditional Fujian lacquer ware as well as Chinese paintings and other small craft items. Interspersed are several coffee shops, snack bars and cafes as well as a couple of bars. A museum of a completely refurbished and extensive land-owners home dating back 3 centuries lies at the South end of the street and is well worth a visit. At the North end, a new arch has been erected at the entrance facing Da Ming Lu, along with very nice wooden, trellised seating to cool off on scorching Fuzhou summer days. This is also aided by fine water mist sprays which are festooned subtly along the street on buildings and in trees to keep the temperature down. The street is also decorated by bronze sculptures of traditional craftsmen at work doing the jobs that built Fujian's tradition as an art and crafts centre of China. All in all, this little gem at the heart of the city is well worth a visit and you can spend the best part of a morning or afternoon, rambling, window shopping, snacking and visiting the museums and historic buildings. several great photo opportunities will please those of that persuasion too.

4doublewongs 5:00 PM Apr 27, 2018

Blast to the past!
Upon entering this area, it simply reminds you of those what we would normally watch on TV. However, these are all real with lots of history to soak up. This is where all the scholars and ministers used to stay which you can literally go into their homes. On the streets, there's the usual eateries and souvenir shops. A must visit place! Don't forget to try their Fuzhou fishballs! Only then can you truly say that you've been to Fuzhou!