# Fuzhou keeps cultural heritage alive through openness and exchange

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/fuzhou-keeps-cultural-heritage-alive-through-openness-and-exchange
- Published: 2026-10-16T16:35:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

BEIJING, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily:

Fuzhou in southeast China’s Fujian province, located on China’s southeastern coast,
where the Minjiang River flows into the East China Sea, is a city of lush greenery.
With a history spanning more than 2,200 years, the renowned historical and cultural
city has preserved a rich cultural legacy while bearing the marks of its maritime
openness.

In recent years, Fuzhou has prioritized conservation, preserving historic buildings,
passing down traditional crafts, and keeping the city’s memories alive. These efforts
reflect the Fuzhou spirit of openness and inclusiveness.

Sanfang Qixiang, or "the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys," is a renowned cultural attraction
in the city. It dates back to the Jin Dynasty (266-420), took shape during the Tang
Dynasty (618-907), and flourished during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911)
dynasties. It is often known as "a living fossil of urban planning" and "an architectural
museum of styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties."

Adhering to the principle of "repairing the old as the old," Fuzhou has adopted 
a gradual, small-scale, and continuous approach to restoring Sanfang Qixiang, carefully
repairing its historic buildings while preserving their original appearance.

Sanfang Qixiang has introduced various exhibitions showcasing Fuzhou’s intangible
cultural heritage, helping preserve its historical legacy, traditional streetscape,
and collective memory.

South Korean historian Yu Hoin has long been involved in translating and reviewing
introductions to Fuzhou’s historical and cultural attractions. In his view, Fuzhou
has preserved the history of Sanfang Qixiang without allowing it to become frozen
in time.

"Sanfang Qixiang has given me a vivid sense that history is not something distant
or inaccessible. It exists in real places where people can walk and explore. People
still live here, and while Sanfang Qixiang preserves its historic layout, architecture,
and cultural character, it also welcomes new cultural businesses and activities,"
he said.

Creating cartoon self-portraits using lacquer, exploring hand-painted glass art,
decorating men’s hats with cork paintings, and cutting original designs using traditional
paper-cutting techniques — these are among the ways Italian artist Francesco Gomboli
has incorporated Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage into contemporary art. Having
lived in Fuzhou for 15 years, he began exploring these traditional crafts in his
artwork over the past two years.

With support from local cultural and artistic platforms, Gomboli has held two solo
exhibitions. "After visiting my exhibitions, many local viewers sent me messages
on social media sharing their impressions of my paintings," he said. Their warm 
responses moved him to tears of joy.

Gomboli is far from alone in exploring new ways of incorporating Fuzhou’s intangible
cultural heritage into contemporary art.

Through training programs, dedicated spaces for preserving traditional skills and
streets showcasing intangible cultural heritage, Fuzhou is bringing these intangible
cultural heritage to wider audiences in new and diverse ways. These ancient skills
are moving beyond exhibition halls to become part of hands-on cultural experiences
and creative practices, integrating into modern life.

"I have been deeply impressed by the efforts local institutions have made over the
years to showcase and protect these cultural treasures," Gomboli said. "Fuzhou is
my home and also a great teacher, guiding me in exploring and appreciating the beauty
of Chinese culture."

On Harvard University’s official website, the first entry under the honors section
of Michael A. Szonyi’s profile — a professor of Chinese history and former director
of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies — notes that he was named an honorary
villager of Yongtai county, Fuzhou, by the county government in 2024.

Yongtai’s fortified manors date back to the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the
Ming and Qing dynasties. More than 2,000 once stood in the area, of which 152 remain
relatively well preserved today. As residents moved away, many of these historic
structures were left deserted.

In September 2015, Yongtai began restoring major fortified manors in stages. In 
2016, Fujian historians conducting architectural surveys in the county’s fortified
manors discovered a trove of historical documents. Dating back to the Ming and Qing
dynasties, these records were scattered across local villages and cover a wide range
of subjects, including contracts, genealogies, account books, property division 
records, legal petitions, receipts, tax bills, ritual manuals, and inscriptions.

In 2017, a research team led by Zheng Zhenman, director of the Center for Research
on Local Historical Documents at Xiamen University, traveled to Yongtai to collect
and study the documents. Szonyi was invited to join the team.

"The documents tell the stories of ordinary people, allowing us to understand history
from the bottom up, through the eyes of the people themselves," Szonyi explained.
The records have challenged many long-held assumptions about traditional Chinese
rural society among historians worldwide.

After receiving his honorary villager certificate, Szonyi began including the honor
in all his biographical profiles, describing it as the most gratifying honor he 
has ever received. On Jan. 4, 2026, Shengpingzhuang, a fortified manor in Dayang
township, Yongtai, presented him with a key engraved with his name, symbolizing 
that its doors would always be open to him.

"This key symbolizes my bond with Yongtai," Szonyi said. He plans to devote the 
rest of his life to studying the documents and maintaining his close ties with Fuzhou.

Fuzhou has kept its millennia-old cultural heritage alive in tangible, accessible
ways, preserving Sanfang Qixiang, the artistry of traditional lacquerwork, and the
centuries-old documents found in Yongtai’s fortified manors. Drawn to the city, 
growing numbers of international visitors have settled here, explored its history
and traditions, or pursued their artistic endeavors. Stories of cultural exchange
and mutual learning continue to unfold in Fuzhou.

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