Fuzhou lies on the Minjiang River along the east 
coast of Fujian Province on the East China Sea. Capital of Fujian Province, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of the province and an important port for foreign trade.
Population: 1,170,000 (conurbation 1,830,000)
Fuzhou has a past stretching back more than 2000 years. In 202 BC it was the capital of the Yue kingdom and in the 10th C of the Min kingdom. It was given its present name in 725. Fuzhou is known as ‘’Banyan Town'’ because of the subtropical banyan trees planted during the Song period (960-1279). Since that time overseas trade has developed more and more, as a result of which many foreigners have settled in the region, especially on the island of Nantai. In 1842, following the Opium Wars, Fuzhou became one of the five ports which were declared open to foreign trade.
Fuzhou‘s climate is pleasant summer and winter, with blooming flowers and green trees all the year round.
There are famed mountains, temples, tombs, gardens, towers and bridges throughout Fuzhou. The national scenic area-Mt. Gu (meaning drum hill in Chinese) is located in the eastern suburb of Fuzhou City and the evergreen mountain-Mt. Gu is a famous Buddhist scenic spot, sitting on the north bank of the Min River. It is 17 kilometers (about 10.6 miles) from downtown Fuzhou. It gained its name from a large rock on the mountaintop shaped like a drum, and during thunderstorms, thunder appeared to emanate from atop the mountain-’drum’, hence the name Mt. Gu. From the Song Dynasty (960-1279), there are 500 inscriptions on the cliff face by literates of this time, which is rare in China.
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