Fuzhou’s Hot Springs
In her Notes on Returning to My Hometown, Bing Xin wrote: “Fuzhou is a city blessed with scenic mountains, clear rivers, and soothing hot springs. Here, the greenery never fades, and blossoms flourish without end.”
Hot Spring Pool at Gui’an Hot Spring Tourism Resort.
Known as a city of hot springs, soaking in the warm waters has been a cherished winter ritual for centuries among Fuzhou natives.
Yongtai Yu Hot Spring.
In ancient times, hot springs were called “Tang.” Fuzhou has long enjoyed a reputation as home to the finest hot springs in Fujian. Since the Jin Dynasty, its springs have been famous across the country, inspiring countless poets and scholars to write poems and songs praising their charm.
At Fengxiang Shouyi Hot Spring Resort Hotel, a tourist is enjoying the hot spring.
Jintang Octagonal Well in front of the Sanshanzuo Bathhouse in Fuzhou.
Today, hot springs spread across nearly one-third of Fuzhou’s downtown, a genuine blessing for the local people.
Tourists are enjoying the hot springs at Wutong Junlan Hot Spring Resort Hotel in Yongtai.
Fuzhou natives often say, “You can’t call it a true Fuzhou life without soaking in the hot springs.”
Hurrying to bathe in the freshly renewed hot spring water each morning, enjoying storytelling and tea… these simple pleasures always bring a deep, nostalgic smile to the faces of Fuzhou natives.
At Fuzhou’s Xinyiquan Bathhouse, Fuzhou natives gather to chat over tea after enjoying the hot springs.
Pay a little over ten yuan for a bath ticket, drape a towel around your neck, slip on wooden clogs, and start by warming up in the big pool. Then soak in the freshly refreshed hot spring water until your face is flushed and you’re sweating all over. Finally, kick back and relax on a bamboo lounge chair for a while… A row of long bamboo lounge chairs lines up beside a wooden table bearing fragrant jasmine tea and a vintage red Chahua kettle. People sip their tea, chat, or read the newspaper, enjoying a leisurely day.
Tourists are enjoying the hot springs at Gui’an Hot Spring Tourism Resort.
Besides the hot springs downtown, many more can be found in Lianjiang, Minqing, Yongtai, Fuqing, and other areas. On weekends, locals often gather with friends to soak in the springs, sip tea, and appreciate the scenery—this is how people in Fuzhou greet the winter season.
Foreign guests experience Fuzhou’s hot spring culture at Yuanmai Hot Springs in Fuzhou.
Rising steam from Fuzhou’s hot springs embodies not only the city’s bustling life but also the deep “blessing infused with spring waters” cherished by its people. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporters: Jiang Juanjun, Lin Shuangwei)