Transportation History

Have you ever wondered how long it took for news from the Central Plains to reach Fujian before highways and high-speed trains? The answer: on two legs and horseback. Among the towering peaks and deep valleys of northern Fujian, the ancients built road after road. These were not just roads — they were the nerve endings of an empire, the veins through which decrees, armies, trade caravans, and tribute tea flowed. I combed through 18 local gazetteers from northern Fujian and uncovered a forgotten ancient transportation network — far more vast and sophisticated than I had ever imagined. ...

Do you know where the name “Fuzhou” comes from? In 725 AD (13th year of Kaiyuan, Tang Dynasty), the imperial court changed “Minzhou” to “Fuzhou.” Just one character. But from that moment on, the Min River was no longer just a local waterway — it became the spine of a hub city. When I first came across this date in the Fuzhou Transportation Records, I looked up what was happening in the rest of the world that year. Europe was still in the early Middle Ages. Fuzhou was already building roads. ...

Have you ever thought about what a bridge can tell you? Not just “this side to that side.” The width, the length, the number of stone piers, who donated how much to build it—these numbers hide a whole code of power, capital, and everyday life. I’m not talking about modern bridges. I’m talking about the bridges recorded in the Zhangzhou Fu Zhi from 1573 AD. They spanned the Jiulong River, connecting not just two banks, but 500 years of logistics networks—and the hopes of every family who once crossed them on their way to Southeast Asia. ...