Sanfang Qixiang

Background

Sanfang Qixiang ("Three Lanes and Seven Alleys") lies in downtown Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Nanhou Street runs north-south as its axis, with the three lanes of Yijin, Wenru and Guanglu to the west and the seven alleys of Yangqiao, Langguan, Ta, Huang, Anmin, Gong and Jipi to the east, arranged like a fishbone. The quarter is full of Fujian-style houses with grey brick, dark tiles, saddle-shaped walls and fine wood and stone carving, along with many former homes of famous people. The layout dates back to the lifang (ward) system of the Tang dynasty, and the quarter is called a "living fossil" of that system; it was placed on the World Heritage Tentative List in 2013. In 2015 it was designated a Chinese historic and cultural street and rated a national 5A tourist attraction, and the same year it received an Honourable Mention in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. Over the centuries about 400 notable people have lived here, including Lin Zexu, Yan Fu, Bing Xin, Lin Juemin and Lin Huiyin, and locals say that "one Sanfang Qixiang holds half of modern Chinese history".

Local customs

• Walk along Nanhou Street, exploring lane by lane and alley by alley to see the gatehouses and flower halls of the houses
• visit the former homes of famous people that are open to the public to learn about their lives
• look out for Min opera and other local opera performances at the waterside stage
• taste Fuzhou fish balls, rouyan (meat-wrapper wontons), taro paste and other local snacks
• and at night, see the old streets lit by lanterns.

Travel tips

• The quarter is free to enter, while some former homes and memorial halls charge separately
• ticket prices follow the official notices. Holidays and weekends are crowded, so try to visit off-peak
• the stone-paved streets are slippery in rain, so wear slip-resistant shoes. The old streets are also a residential area, so please keep noise down at night.
• Fuzhou's metro and buses reach downtown Gulou District, from where you can walk into the quarter
• visitors from elsewhere can first reach Fuzhou Railway Station or Changle Airport and then transfer to city transport. You can visit all year: spring and autumn are best for walking
• in summer guard against heat and watch for weather changes in typhoon season
• winters are mild, but keep warm on wet days.