Holiday in Fuyang

What makes Fuyang special as a destination?

Fuyang is a million-inhabitant city in the northwest of Anhui Province, located on the Yinghe River, a tributary of the Huai. The city has over 2,000 years of history and was an important junction between the North China Plain and the Yangtze Valley in ancient times. Fuyang is deeply rooted in the culture of rural China and presents an authentic face away from the tourist trails. The paper-cutting art of Fuyang (Fuyang Jianzhi) is UNESCO intangible cultural heritage and is considered one of the most refined forms of this traditional Chinese art. Using simple scissors and knives, artists cut intricate scenes of dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and everyday life from red paper. Visitors can watch the masters at work and try their hand at it in local markets and special workshops. The Yingzhou West Lake Park is the cultural heart of the city: named after a mythical paradise from Chinese legend, the park features pagodas, bridges, and pavilions in the classic Chinese garden style. The park along the Yinghe River is especially popular in spring during the cherry blossom season. Fuyang is surrounded by fertile farmland and is famous for its traditional agriculture. The Baligou Temple Fair, an annual folk festival with temple processions, dragon dances, and traditional music, provides insight into the vibrant folk culture of the Huai region. The city is also known as the home of several famous poets and scholars from the Song Dynasty, including Ouyang Xiu, one of the eight great prose writers.