Fuzhou Three Lanes and Seven Alleys (Sanfang Qixiang)

Located in the heart of Fuzhou city, Fujian Province, Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is a century-old block crisscrossed by ancient lanes and alleyways. The area is paved with slabstones and decorated with white walls and gray tiles. It is an important symbol of Fuzhou's history. The old buildings reflect the workmanship of ancient craftsmen and provide a window into the lives of residents of ages past.

Three Lanes and Seven Alleys comprises of Yijin, Wenru and Guanglu lanes to the west and Yangqiao, Langguan, Ta, Huang, Anmin, Gong and Jibi alleys to the east. The design of the small streets is a typical Li-Fang (alley and lane) street system of ancient China.

Green-gray tiled roofs, white walls and wooden buildings with paved corridors are typical of traditional folk houses in Fuzhou of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Three Lanes and Seven Alleys boasts over 150 ancient buildings and has complete courtyards that are of great value. Most of them were the homes of scholars, bureaucrats and wealthy figures of the time. "Such a large-scale collection of historic sites is rarely seen nowadays," said Shan Jixiang, director of State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

The area is also home to many well-known historical figures. Lin Zexu, a Qing official who banned opium trading in Guangzhou around 1840 and Yan Fu, a Chinese scholar and translator most famous for introducing Darwin's theory of natural selection to China in the late 19th century, came from the area. Bing Xin is a famous poet, translator, and writer who has translated 10 works including 4 works of Tagore. Her literature has deep affection on Chinese people.

Currently, buildings in Three Lanes and Seven Alleys are being used as factories, stores, warehouses, public facilities and residences. Although some of them have been destroyed to a certain degree, the general pattern of the area has been retained.

To preserve the site, entertainment, recreation, tourism and commercial facilities are being encouraged with more and more folk art and old shops with traditional cultural elements introduced. Local Minju opera can be found here and the famous Mijiachuan Painting and Mounting Shop re-opened for business in May.