Fu River

Fu River

The Fu River originates at Xuemuling in Yaoxi Village, Yiqian Town. It is recorded in both the "Geographical Records" of the Book of Han and Li Daoyuan's Commentary on the Water Classic. Its highest point is Linghua Peak, which stands at an elevation of 991 meters. The mountain features rugged rocks and numerous crevices from which springs gush out with bubbling sounds. At Xuemuling, these streams converge into a thin bamboo-like flow, forming the very first trickle of the Fu River — the source of living water. This initial stream then follows the valley, splitting into two tributaries: one passing through Limuzhuang and the other through Luojiadi. They merge into a mountain creek that flows ten li before joining at Mutoukeng, creating five pools and seven waterfalls along the way. The cascading waterfalls hang like pearl curtains, plunging down in three tiers. The creek then flows through Longjing and Tianjingli to form Yiqian Port. It continues to wind around Yiqian Town, passing through Gaohunao, Yangxi Township, and others, before meeting Shizuitou in Chishui, where it joins with Tangfang Port. From this confluence, it is officially called the Xu River (the upstream section of the Fu River). The Xu River runs through six towns in Guangchang County — Yiqian, Gaohunao, Yangxi, Chishui, Xujiang, and Gan Zhu — receiving water from 11 ports and 69 smaller streams. It stretches 78.95 kilometers in length and covers a drainage area of 1,568.5 square kilometers. Upon exiting Gan Zhu Town at Luojia Village, the Xu River enters Nanfeng County. It then proceeds through Nancheng to receive the Lichuan River, and later in Fuzhou, it merges with the Yihuang River and the Le’an River, eventually forming the full Fu River, which flows into Poyang Lake and onward to the Yangtze River. The name “Xuemuling” (Blood Wood Ridge) comes from the wild medicinal plant Spatholobus suberectus (known as “chicken blood vine”) that grows abundantly there, as well as local place names such as “Limuzhuang” and “Mutoukeng.” Moreover, the steep, winding mountain paths amid towering ridges inspired the name, which not only describes the area’s landscape and vegetation but also hints at the rugged and treacherous nature of the ancient post road.

Jiangxi Fuzhou City

Yiqian Town: Located in the southern part of Guangchang County, within the heart of the Wuyi Mountain Range, Yiqian Town is the very first town at the source of the Fu River. It borders Yangxi Township to the east, Mulan Township and Xiaosong Town of Shicheng County to the south, Zhan Tian Township of Ningdu County to the west, and Chishui Town of the same county to the north. Covering a total area of 202 square kilometers, the town administers 18 villages, 172 village groups, and one neighborhood committee, with a population of 25,000. Yiqian has a long history, numerous historical sites, and a rich cultural heritage. It is home to one national key cultural relic protection unit, three provincial-level key cultural relic protection units, and seven municipal-level key cultural relic protection units. The town has been recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Famous Town... More details about Yiqian Town++