Century‑Old Tea Heritage Converges with Innovative Tourism: A New Chapter for Fuzhou Is Unfolding

The Hong Kong media delegation’s visit to Fujian concluded with visits to the Shangxiahang Historic District and the Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block (also known as The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys). They toured the Ming and Qing dynasty architectural complexes, learned about cultural heritage preservation and revitalisation, and explored opportunities for cultural and tourism cooperation between Fujian and Hong Kong, as well as spaces for youth exchange.

The Shangxiahang Historic District, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The delegation visited the Shangxiahang Historic District on Nantai Island in Fuzhou. Located near the Minjiang River, this area was once Fuzhou’s most important commercial port and a hub for overseas Chinese merchants. The district retains numerous warehouses, shops, and arcade buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China period. The bluestone paths and ancient wharf relics intertwine, telling the story of its bustling past with the flow of goods and remittances.

The Shangxiahang Historic District, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Today, through protective restoration and the integration of cultural and creative elements, the Shangxiahang Historic District is gradually transforming into a cultural space that blends historical memory with modern life. Visitors can stroll among the ancient houses and experience the profound commercial culture of Fujian.

The Shangxiahang Historic District, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The prosperity of the Shangxiahang Historic District is inseparable from the delicate fragrance of jasmine. Jasmine is the city flower of Fuzhou. A century ago, the streets of Shangxiahang were lined with tea warehouses, their fragrance filling the air. Tens of thousands of dan (1 dan ≈  50 kg) of jasmine tea departed from the docks, its aroma spreading far and wide. The city’s most representative tea‑making technique, the Fuzhou jasmine tea scenting process, became Fuzhou's first world‑class intangible cultural heritage item. In 2014, Fuzhou jasmine tea scenting process was included in the fourth batch of National Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2022, six national‑level intangible cultural heritage representative projects, including “Scenting Techniques of Jasmine Tea, Fuzhou” from “Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China,” were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Thus, Fuzhou jasmine tea possesses two highly valuable “world‑class” titles.

The Fuzhou jasmine tea scenting process, Photo by Bastille Post

The Fuzhou jasmine tea scenting process uses roasted green tea as a base, mixing in fresh jasmine buds. After several rounds of mixing and resting, the aromas blend, allowing the tea flavour and floral fragrance to permeate each other and become one. Fujian is the birthplace of jasmine tea, employing a “scenting” process. This involves piling jasmine flowers and tea leaves together, allowing the flowers to release their fragrance and the tea leaves to absorb it. Finally, the flowers are sifted out, leaving only the tea leaves. Therefore, Fujian's distinctive jasmine tea is “tea without flowers” – you taste the tea, but smell the delicate jasmine aroma.

Tea leaves, Photo by Bastille Post

The tea‑making process is meticulously timed. Jasmine flowers must be picked in the afternoon, around 2 or 3 pm when the sun is strongest, as the buds are full and the fragrance is most intense. After being transported back, they need to be spread out in a well‑ventilated area overnight, allowing the buds to naturally open and release their fragrance. The tea artisans then stay up all night to ensure the aroma is at its peak, locking the fresh essence of jasmine into the tea leaves. During the scenting process, layers of flowers and tea are alternately piled up. The tea absorbs the floral fragrance, and then the flowers are sifted out, completing one “scenting cycle”, which in the local tea artisans' dialect is called “yin”, a term passed down through generations in the industry. The minimum is three scenting cycles, considered an entry‑level process, while the maximum can reach nine. Nine‑scented jasmine tea requires three months to process. Between each scenting cycle, the tea leaves need to “rest” for several days to allow their properties to stabilise before proceeding to the next cycle. After scenting, the final step is roasting to lock in the aroma and moisture. The entire process is lengthy and complex, relying entirely on the tea maker's experience and patience.

The Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block (also known as The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys), Photo by Bastille Post

Another representative attraction in Fuzhou, the Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block (also known as The Three Lane and Seven Alleys), is a national‑level historical and cultural block, hailed as a “living fossil of the residential ward system.” Composed of three lanes, seven alleys, and a central axis, Nanhou Street, the block preserves over 200 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It produced a large number of influential figures in modern Chinese history, including Lin Zexu, Yan Fu, Shen Baozhen, Lin Juemin, and Bing Xin, hence the saying, “One Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block is half of modern Chinese history.” The block perfectly preserves its Ming and Qing architectural complex, with a well‑organised layout of lanes and alleys, and simple yet elegant residences, revealing the profound cultural heritage of Fuzhou.

Sanfang Qixiang's 'Love Tree," Photo by Bastille Post

Yan Fu's historic residence, Photo by Bastille Post

The delegation visited Yan Fu's historic residence, an old house built in the Qing Dynasty, which was the residence of Yan Fu, a modern Chinese enlightenment thinker, in his later years. Although the house is not large, its layout is rigorous, and the furnishings in the halls are simple, revealing the scholarly spirit of this translator of Evolution and Ethics. Then, the delegation entered the Waterside Performing Stage, a wooden stage built over a pond. This stage, once a place for officials and their families to hold banquets and watch plays, still retains its exquisite elegance.

Yan Fu's historic residence, Photo by Bastille Post

Besides the ancient architecture, the Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block also features Yanyuan restaurant, which serves the renowned Tongli Rouyan (also known as Tongli tiny wontons). Founded during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Tongli Rouyan has been passed down through five generations and are one of Fuzhou's most renowned time‑honoured brands. Rouyan, also known as “Taiping Yan,” is an indispensable traditional delicacy for Fuzhou people during festivals, weddings, and funerals. Its name, a homophone for “Taiping” (meaning peace and prosperity), embodies the Fuzhou people's good wishes for peace and good fortune.

Tongli Rouyan, Photo by Bastille Post

Chen Junfan, the fourth‑generation inheritor of Fujian's intangible cultural heritage of Rouyan craftsmanship, explained that Tongli Rouyan insists on traditional handmade production, selecting lean pork from the hind leg, repeatedly pounding it to create paper‑thin wonton wrappers, which are then wrapped around a special meat filling. The finished product is crystal clear and has a tender texture. He revealed that he will travel to Hong Kong to participate in this year's HKTDC Food Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, allowing Hong Kong citizens to experience the taste of Fuzhou.

Chen Junfan, Photo by Bastille Post

The delegation also observed the Shoushan stone carving technique up close. Shoushan stone is the foremost of China's traditional “Four Great Seal Stones,” produced in Shoushan Township, northern suburbs of Fuzhou. It was included in the first batch of National Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage lists in 2006. At the Shoushan Stone Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Base, the delegation saw a “Manchu-Han Imperial Feast”, including sea cucumber, durian, and even a hamburger carved from Shoushan stone.

The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast carved from Shoushan stone, Photo by Bastille Post

The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast carved from Shoushan stone, Photo by Bastille Post

The hamburger carved from Shoushan stone, Photo by Bastille Post

Ye Qin, an inheritor of Shoushan stone carving technique, explained that Shoushan stone has been mined since the Song Dynasty. Due to its soft texture and rich colours, it is particularly suitable for intricate carving, requiring great skill in design from the carver. She pointed out that the Song Dynasty was the most prosperous period for literati, and seals were widely used in calligraphy and painting. Shoushan stone, with its moderate softness, ease of carving, and ability to leave clear impressions, became the preferred material for seals. She emphasised that seals are a unique symbol of China's five‑thousand‑year culture, “This is the symbol of China.”

The stone seal, Photo by Bastille Post

Ye Qin further pointed out that Shoushan stone is a non‑renewable resource, with a formation cycle of hundreds of millions of years. With increasingly strict controls, its mining volume will continue to decrease in the future. “If you come to Fuzhou in 5 or 10 years, there may not be any more of this stone for carving, but the carving technique is eternal; only the medium of creation has changed.”

Sun Zhaoyong, another representative inheritor of Shoushan stone carving technique, said he is currently creating the “Fuzhou Fu” series, incorporating Fuzhou cultural symbols such as Wuyi rock tea and jasmine tea into Shoushan stone carvings.

Zhou Wei. Photo by Bastille Post

Zhou Wei, chief engineer of the Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block, stated that the block has adhered to the principle of “protection first, rescue first,” actively utilising digital means to empower cultural tourism experiences while repairing and protecting historic buildings. An AR tour project has already been launched, allowing tourists to interact with ancient architecture through their mobile phones, making the old houses “speak and interact,” telling the historic stories of the thousand‑year‑old alleys to the public in a more vivid way.

The ancient structures on site, Photo by Bastille Post

According to Zhou Wei, the Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block has established a mature research and study reception system. The block has a Fujian‑Hong Kong Youth Science and Technology Innovation Exchange Base, which regularly receives Hong Kong youth research groups. In 2025, the block officially received 10 groups of Hong Kong tourists, totalling over 200 people. The “Connecting Hearts, Meeting in Youth: Fuzhou & Hong Kong” event held this March attracted 100 Hong Kong youths to the block for study tours, enhancing their understanding of Fujian culture through visits to traditional houses and experiences in intangible cultural heritage.

He also mentioned that Fujian and Hong Kong have reached a cultural tourism cooperation agreement to jointly develop multi‑stop tours, joint promotion of intangible cultural heritage, and study tours of traditional houses for Hong Kong and Macau youth. The Fujian‑Hong Kong Youth Science and Technology Innovation Exchange Base established within the block continues to provide a platform for cultural exchange and entrepreneurial cooperation between young people from both regions.

The Hong Kong media delegation continued the visit to Fuzhou, Fujian Province on August 7, touring the Guling Tourism Resort and the Achievement Exhibition of the "3820" Strategic Project. They traced President Xi Jinping's strategic vision during his tenure in Fuzhou and the heartwarming stories of Sino-foreign friendship that have become hallmarks of Guling’s legacy.

The Guling Tourism Resort, Photo by Bastille Post

The Guling Tourism Resort is an internationally renowned cultural and tourism destination, built upon a century-old tradition of Sino-foreign exchange. Now a high-quality ecological and cultural tourism demonstration area, it traces its roots to the late Qing Dynasty, when many foreigners retreated to the mountains for summer respite, creating a unique community where Chinese and foreign residents coexisted as a classic model of Sino-foreign people-to-people friendship.

The Guling Tourism Resort is an internationally renowned cultural and tourism destination, built upon a century-old tradition of Sino-foreign exchange. Photo by Bastille Post

The delegation strolled through the Guling Tourism Resort, where its landmarks, including the restored Guling Post Office, Yixia Villa, a centuries-old cryptomeria grove, and ecological trails, recreate the cross-cultural atmosphere of the bygone era. According to the staff, the post office is still in operation, and many overseas visitors send postcards from there, carrying Guling’s warmth across the globe. The local public well bears witness to the daily lives of Chinese and foreign residents who once shared its water. And the 1,400‑year‑old “King of Cryptomeria” still stands tall and vibrant, a living monument to Guling's timeless beauty.

The restored Guling Post Office, Photo by Bastille Post

The public well, Photo by Bastille Post

The centuries-old cryptomeria grove, Photo by Bastille Post

Among the many stories of Guling, the most cherished is that of Mrs. Gardner’s trans-Pacific root‑seeking journey. American physicist Prof. Gardner spent ten years of his childhood in Guling with his parents. After returning to the U.S., he never forgot the land, calling out “Kuliang” (the historical name of Guling) until his final days. In 1992, to fulfil her husband’s last wish, Mrs. Gardner travelled to Fuzhou. With the help of Xi Jinping, who was then Secretary of the Communist Party of China Fuzhou Municipal Committee, she found Guling, the place her husband had longed for all his life.

The photo documenting Xi Jinping presenting a gift to Mrs. Gardner, Photo by Bastille Post

That story of searching for roots across the Pacific later became a vivid symbol of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples. In 2012, then‑Vice President Xi Jinping recounted the Guling story at the welcoming luncheon hosted by friendly organizations in the United States (Washington D.C.), moving all present and elevating “Guling ties” to a globally recognised model of China‑U.S. people‑to‑people friendship. In 2023, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event "Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum," concluding with the message: “The friendship between China and the U.S. peoples can stay forever strong and robust like the thousand-year-old cedar trees in Guling.”

The old photos capturing the friendship and exchanges between Chinese and American people, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Han Ying, Director of the Tourism and Culture Division of the Fuzhou Guling Tourist Resort Management Committee, said Guling has served as an international summer retreat for over a century. Since the late 16th century, foreign visitors have come to the mountains to escape the summer heat, living in harmony with local villagers and gradually forming a well‑functioning international community where diverse cultures intertwined.

Han Ying, Photo by Bastille Post

In recent years, the resort has delved deeper into Guling’s history, collecting old photographs and archival materials from overseas universities, updating the exhibition content, and restoring historical sites such as the Kuliang Club and the Guling Post Office. A dedicated “Sino‑Foreign Cultural Exchange Route” has been created for overseas visitors, who now account for roughly 20% of the resort’s total tourist traffic over the past year.

Han noted that the overseas market remains a high priority. The resort hopes to strengthen cooperation with travel agencies, community organisations, and schools for future promotional efforts. The resort's “Bond with Guling” activity brand has been launched to foster exchanges between Chinese and foreign youth, ensuring the Guling story continues to resonate with younger generations. She added that although the number of descendants of former foreign residents is limited, sustained storytelling and outreach in recent years have brought a steady rise in overseas visitors, expanding Guling’s international footprint.

Th letters and documents bearing witness to the friendship and exchanges between the Chinese and American peoples, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

To further broaden people‑to‑people exchange channels, Guling opened the Fuzhou Guling China-US Youth Friendship Park this year, where young people from both countries planted a friendship tree together on its opening day.

The delegation also visited the Achievement Exhibition of the "3820" Strategic Project. The project is a cross‑century urban development framework personally compiled by Xi Jinping, who was then Secretary of the Communist Party of China Fuzhou Municipal Committee. Its name reflects three phases of development goals: 3 years, 8 years, and 20 years. The strategic thinking, scientific approach and people‑centred vision embedded in the framework continue to shape Fuzhou’s development to this day.

The Achievement Exhibition of the "3820" Strategic Project, Photo by Bastille Post