Mawei Shipbuilding Culture Scenic Area

Background

The Fuzhou Navy Yard at Mawei was founded in 1866 and run by the Fuzhou Navy Yard Administration, with a shipyard and a naval school training shipbuilders and navigators under it; most of the ships it built served in the Fujian Fleet, and in the late 19th century it was for a time the largest shipbuilding base in the country. In the 1884 Battle of Fuzhou (Mawei) during the Sino-French War, the Fujian Fleet and the shipyard were badly damaged. The shipyard later ceased shipbuilding, most of its buildings were destroyed by bombing during the War of Resistance against Japan, and old factory buildings such as the engine workshop survive. In recent years Fuzhou has restored and revitalized the Navy Yard's industrial heritage into the Chuanzheng Culture Scenic Area, which includes the China Navy Yard Culture Museum, the Mawei Naval Battle Memorial Hall and Luoxing Pagoda Park; the museum's new building opened in 2022 on the former shipyard site.

Local customs

• The scenic area consists mainly of industrial heritage sites and memorial halls, best explored on foot in the order "museum, old factory buildings, naval battle memorial hall, Luoxing Pagoda." A theater converted from the machine repair workshop stages immersive performances that require a separate ticket
• there are many study-tour groups, and weekday mornings are relatively quiet.

Religion & beliefs

• The Mawei Naval Battle Memorial Hall and the Zhaozhong Shrine commemorate the officers and men who died in the naval battle
• please visit in a spirit of remembrance and do not fool around or pose for photos in front of the monument and cemetery. The Shipbuilding Tianhou Temple is an active Mazu temple
• please be quiet when entering the hall and respect worshippers offering incense.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Allow half a day, about 3–4 hours. Mawei District is about 20 km southeast of downtown Fuzhou
• take Fuzhou Metro Line 2 toward Mawei and change to a bus or taxi, or take a taxi directly from the city. The museum and other venues generally require real-name reservation, some close on Mondays, and opening hours and performance times are subject to notices from the scenic area and venues. Link the Mawei Shipbuilding sites with Luoxing Pagoda, the Mawei Naval Battle Memorial Hall and the Zhaozhong Shrine
• back in the city, visit the Lin Zexu Memorial Hall or Three Lanes and Seven Alleys to compare Fuzhou's two faces in modern history. The site is large and you mostly walk between venues, so wear comfortable shoes. The sun is strong by the Min River in summer, so protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated. To learn more about the Foochow Navy Yard School and modern naval figures, spend extra time on the biographical exhibits in the museum.