Wandering the World (1581): Fuzhou Ancient City and Paishi Village

A photo taken at the Thirty-Li-Pu Service Area on the way.

In the southwestern part of the Liaodong Peninsula lies a famous historical town in Liaoning—Fuzhou Town. Fuzhou Town now belongs to Wafangdian City, Dalian, 100 kilometers south of Dalian city. The renowned Fuzhou Ancient City is located here. Fuzhou Ancient City is the birthplace of southern Liaoning's history, founded over a thousand years ago during the Liao Dynasty. This was our first stop on the road trip.

Fuzhou Ancient City has undergone changes through several dynasties. During the Liao and Jin periods, it was an earthen city; in the fourth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt as a stone city; and in the forty-second year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, it was renovated into a brick city. Currently, the east gate, barbican, and 114 meters of ancient city wall still remain. After a thousand years, they have witnessed the vicissitudes of Fuzhou Ancient City.

Ascending the steps from Yingsi Gate of Fuzhou Ancient City, the first thing that catches the eye is Yongfeng Pagoda, the top of the Eight Scenic Spots of Fuzhou. Yongfeng Pagoda was first built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Liao Dynasty. The pagoda consists of three parts: base, body, and spire, standing 22 meters high.

Most remarkably, despite thousands of years of wind and rain erosion and repairs through the ages, it still stands tall, maintaining its original appearance. This pagoda was listed as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in 1967 and was elevated to a provincial-level unit in 2003.

Yongfeng Temple, a temple first built in the Tang Dynasty, has undergone millennia of historical changes. The temple's seven main halls, including the Mahavira Hall, Heavenly Kings Hall, Mountain Gate Hall, and Lüzu Hall, along with two bell towers and over 60 statues inside, are still well-preserved—truly astonishing! Such a large ancient architectural complex exudes a strong sense of history.

One of the Eight Scenic Spots of Fuzhou, 'Yongfeng Sunset Glow,' appears here. An ancient poem praises: 'The ancient temple towers over Yongfeng, the hall under the setting sun reaches the sky. The six-dynasty glazed pagoda ages, a touch of rouge makes nature's work. At dusk the surrounding mountains turn purple, the setting sun tinges the pagoda's peak red. Near the southern suburb by the city gate, come wander under moonlight among the eight scenes.'

Hengshan Academy was named after the highest peak east of Fuzhou City, Mount Heng. Built during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, it once cultivated two jinshi (imperial scholars) and one hanlin (academician). It is the earliest academy in the Dalian area, with centuries of history and profound cultural heritage.

Hengshan Academy now houses the Fuzhou Cultural Center. This ancient architectural complex has always spread the fragrance of ink and books, truly a nurturing garden and a place for deepening study. In 1997, Hengshan Academy was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

Fuzhou Ancient City is a Liaoning provincial cultural relic protection unit. Here, a Ming-Qing dynasty street has been reconstructed.

The crumbling walls and broken tiles of the Ming-Qing ancient street silently narrate the history of this ancient town in southern Liaoning. Today, Fuzhou Ancient City belongs to Wafangdian City, Dalian. It is the largest town under Wafangdian's jurisdiction, ranked among the top 1,000 towns in China and top 100 in Liaoning.

Our second stop was Tuoshan Paishi. Located in Tuoshan Township, Wafangdian, Dalian, within the eastern part of Longfeng Beach Scenic Area of the coastal forest park, it is a typical marine erosion landform. Continuous stone walls, steep layered rock formations, clear and wonderfully arranged strata, like walls and cliffs. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Because a row of rocks resembles an open fan extending into the sea, locals call it Paishi (arranged stones) or Fanshi (fan rock), and the nearby village is also named after it. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Tuoshan Paishi Scenic Area currently does not charge admission, so there is no main gate or dedicated shuttle buses. Most visitors come by car, and some by bicycle.

Some come with RVs for picnics and camping. They bring homemade dishes, fruits, and beer.

The sea breeze brushes the face, bringing bursts of coolness. The sea before us, shrouded in thin mist, looks like a fairyland. We stood on a cliff dozens of meters high extending into the sea in Paishi Village, Tuoshan Township, Dalian. In the distance, the cliffs of Tuoshan Paishi stood steep, as if cut by a knife or split by an axe.

Along the nearly hundred-kilometer western coastline of southern Liaoning, mountains and sea have intermingled since ancient times. Pictured are the wind turbines in Tuoshan Township.

The undulating land and the Bohai Sea, sometimes calm, sometimes unruly, have created countless wonderful landscapes. Among them, the varied Paishi formations in Tuoshan Township, Wafangdian, are particularly breathtaking! Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

The undulating land and the Bohai Sea, sometimes calm, sometimes unruly, have created countless wonderful landscapes. Among them, the varied Paishi formations in Tuoshan Township, Wafangdian, are particularly breathtaking! Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

For millions of years, the collision, scouring, erosion, and blending of mountains and sea have ultimately presented the world with a unique marine erosion landform. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

For millions of years, the collision, scouring, erosion, and blending of mountains and sea have ultimately presented the world with a unique marine erosion landform. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

At Tuoshan Paishi Scenic Area, the characteristic forms of marine erosion landforms—cliffs, beaches, platforms, caves, pillars, and bridges—are almost all present here, comparable to a natural showcase of marine erosion landforms—truly rare. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

At Tuoshan Paishi Scenic Area, the characteristic forms of marine erosion landforms—cliffs, beaches, platforms, caves, pillars, and bridges—are almost all present here, comparable to a natural showcase of marine erosion landforms—truly rare. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Tuoshan Paishi is a typical marine erosion landform. Continuous stone walls, steep layered rock formations, clear and wonderfully arranged strata, like walls and cliffs, combined with the sea view, create a magnificent sight. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Tuoshan Paishi is a typical marine erosion landform. Continuous stone walls, steep layered rock formations, clear and wonderfully arranged strata, like walls and cliffs, combined with the sea view, create a magnificent sight. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Taken from the seaside at the base of the cliff, showing Tuoshan Paishi.

Taken from the seaside at the base of the cliff, showing Tuoshan Paishi.

Before us, a stone cliff about 20 meters high and 1,000 meters long stretches like a wall, layer upon layer, unfolding before our eyes.

Unique landscapes and beautiful things are always accompanied by legends. Local folks say that these volumes of 'stone books' were brought by the sea god, who dispatched immortals to deliver them here on waves—one page each day, recording secrets for the happiness and well-being of the people. Over time, they weathered into stone, standing on the shore. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Those stone cliffs resemble piles of stacked poetry books—some neatly arranged, some seemingly casually dropped. This thousand-meter-long forest of books—was it left behind inadvertently by immortals, or an intentional classic for the world?

As the thin mist cleared and the rain passed, the sky cleared, and the book forest revealed its clear features. The earthy yellow, layered cliff body looked like yellowed ancient books. This is the locally famous 'Buddhist Scripture Rock,' also known as 'Thousand-Layered Wall' or 'Stone Book Cliff.'

Geologically speaking, Paishi is a typical marine erosion landform. The rocky coast of the mountains in the Tuoshan area faces a vast sea area, with deep water close to the shore. Over a long period, waves and tides have powerfully impacted, scoured, and eroded the coastal rocks. Combined with rock weathering and the inherent properties and structure of the rocks, the seaward side of the stone walls has formed steep cliffs—'sea erosion cliffs.' Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Near Tuoshan, due to sea erosion, not only Paishi was formed, but also many sea erosion caves that penetrate vertically and various oddly shaped rocks.

Geologically speaking, Paishi is a typical marine erosion landform. The rocky coast of the mountains in the Tuoshan area faces a vast sea area, with deep water close to the shore. Over a long period, waves and tides have powerfully impacted, scoured, and eroded the coastal rocks. Combined with rock weathering and the inherent properties and structure of the rocks, the seaward side of the stone walls has formed steep cliffs—'sea erosion cliffs.' Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Some cliff walls have also formed sea erosion caves that penetrate vertically and various oddly shaped landscape rocks due to seawater erosion.

Walking among them, it feels like entering a natural museum of stone sculptures: landscape groups such as 'Stone Monkey Watching the Tide,' 'Old Fisherman Going Out to Sea,' 'Crescent Bay,' and 'Paishi Beacon Tower' are uniquely shaped, with both form and spirit—truly wonderful. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

On one side is the azure sea, with surging waves crashing against the shore, raising thousands of piles of snow; on the other side, beneath the cliff, is a landscape created by nature's uncanny workmanship. Read the beauty of the sea spreading over the cloud-like cliffs, and realize the joy of life. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Walking among them, it feels like entering a natural museum of stone sculptures: landscape groups such as 'Stone Monkey Watching the Tide,' 'Old Fisherman Going Out to Sea,' 'Crescent Bay,' and 'Paishi Beacon Tower' are uniquely shaped, with both form and spirit—truly wonderful. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

At this point, someone reminded everyone to hurry as the tide was rising. When visiting the cliffs at Tuoshan, one should check the tide times. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.

Many areas of the scenic spot with marine erosion landforms are at risk of collapse at any time. Moreover, infrastructure such as food, accommodation, roads, and communications in the scenic area urgently needs improvement and enhancement. Photo taken at Tuoshan Paishi.