Stone steps climb into the forest on Mount Gu, and within a few bends the traffic of Fuzhou fades to birdsong. Old characters carved into the rock keep you company on the way up to Yongquan Temple, and from the open slopes the Min River curls wide toward the sea.
Back in town, banyan trees shade whole avenues, and the courtyard homes of Sanfang Qixiang sit quietly behind its main street, near stalls ladling out fish balls. Summers are long, hot and humid, with typhoons near the end, while winters stay short and mild. A Local Friend will take you to the bench, courtyard or snack stall they love most and tell you how it became theirs.
