Fuzhou

Fuzhou, China

The capital of Fujian province is one of the first 14 cities opened to the outside world as part of the country's ambitious roadmap for economic reforms started decades ago. The Min River flows peacefully through this 2200-year-old city. Located on the shores of the East China Sea, it was a pit-stop of Ming dynasty's ambitious seafaring voyages in the 15th century. Numerous religious sites for sea god worship reflect the region's close association with the sea.

Getting around

• Sanfangqixiang

  This 45-hectare neighborhood is an intricate patchwork of traditional Chinese lanes and homes. It's widely billed as the"Outdoor Museum of Chinese Ming and Qing Architecture".

• Gushan

  The scenic zone looked over by a 969-meter-high peak is one of the province's ten best mountainous destinations. Lives on the legend about a smooth-as-drum-surface huge rock whose sounds reverberate through the valleys when fierce wind moans and driving rain pelts, hence the name which means in Chinese"Mount Drum".

• Mount Qingyun

  With its clouds-piercing peaks, meandering streams, deep valleys, tumbling waterfalls, sheer cliffs and alpine meadows, this scenic area has been turned into a birds nature reserve and an appealing ecological tourism destination.

• Xihu Lake

  Locals love to hang around in this well-preserved charming classic Chinese garden. Wander around and watch old-timers in groups practice traditional local tunes.

• Kaiyuan Temple

  This 78,000-square-meter holy site of Buddhist worship dating back to Tang dynasty is the oldest of the kind in Fuzhou and the biggest in Fujian province. Worshippers kowtow and pray before the 50-ton giant Buddha statue on high pedestal.

  
  
  
• Fuzhou cuisine

  Fuzhou is a good place for a taste of what's known as"Mincai" (Fujian cuisine), one of China's eight most influential regional cuisines. One good pick from a standard menu is Fotiaoqiang, which means in Chinese"Buddha jumping over the wall" – the message is that the dish is just so tasteful that even a Buddha cannot continue his meditation but opts to jump over the wall in pursuit of the treat.