A single ancient banyan tree sheltering over a thousand people — that is not a legend. It is a real tree, standing right now in Fuzhou National Forest Park, Fujian Province. And in April 2025, it exploded online.
One Tree, One Million Likes
The video was simple: a sweeping shot of a massive canopy, roots thick as pillars, shade stretching further than any umbrella ever could. Posted by People’s Daily on Douyin, it crossed one million likes within days. Outlets like China News Service and Global Times followed quickly with their own coverage.
So, what exactly did people see? Just a tree — but what a tree.
The Numbers Behind the Spectacle
This ancient banyan tree inside Fuzhou National Forest Park holds several impressive stats (Fuzhou Municipal Government, 2025):
- Height: over 20 meters
- Trunk diameter: approximately 10 meters — it takes 6 adults to wrap their arms around it
- Canopy area: more than 1,330 square meters
- Estimated age: around 940 years
That canopy is the headline. It covers an area roughly the size of a football penalty box — and then some. On a hot summer afternoon, over a thousand people can stand comfortably in its shade. Hence the nickname locally: Rongcheng’s Banyan King (CGTN, 2020).
Notably, unlike many banyan species, this particular tree — a fine-leafed variety — does not produce the dramatic aerial roots that most people associate with tropical figs. Instead, stone pillars support its widening crown from below, a quiet engineering solution for a living monument (Guangming Daily, 2022).
A Tree With a Story
The Banyan King is not merely old. It carries a traceable origin.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, around 1063 to 1067, the local governor of Fuzhou, Zhang Boyu, launched a citywide greening campaign. His goal: shade every street so no resident needed a parasol in summer. He encouraged families across the city to plant banyan trees (China Daily, 2016).
This tree is believed to be among those planted under Zhang Boyu’s initiative. Over nearly ten centuries, it quietly grew — outlasting dynasties, wars, and the rapid modernisation of China’s coastal cities.
Today, it sits ranked first on Fuzhou’s official list of top ten ancient trees, published by the Fuzhou Forestry Bureau (Fuzhou Archives, 2018).
Why Fuzhou and Banyan Trees Are Inseparable
Fuzhou earned its nickname — Rongcheng, meaning “City of Banyan” — as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618–907). The connection between the city and its trees runs deep.
Fuzhou now has over 130,000 trees lining its main roads, of which more than 30,000 are banyan trees. To preserve this greenery, urban renovation projects give priority to protecting banyan trees — avoiding felling and minimising relocation wherever possible.
That includes one particularly striking case: when city planners needed to build a subway transfer station at a major intersection, they redesigned the entire station layout specifically to avoid disturbing an ancient banyan tree growing at that spot. The tree stayed. The plans changed.
At the Sanfang Qixiang historical neighbourhood, another banyan tree — this one naturally shaped like a heart — has become a tourist attraction in its own right. A keychain modelled on its shape sold over 270,000 pieces in just over a year.
Fuzhou’s relationship with its trees is, genuinely, unlike most cities in the world.
What Visitors Can Expect
Getting to Fuzhou National Forest Park
The park sits about 7 kilometres north of Fuzhou city centre. Visitors can take Bus No. 54, 102, 72, 84, or 87 to the Forest Park stop. Entrance to the park is free. It covers 860 hectares and is rated as one of China’s top ten forest parks, known for its high oxygen-content air and well-maintained hiking trails.
The Banyan King is located in the park’s lounge area — easy to find, hard to miss.
Best Time to Visit
Spring and early autumn offer the most comfortable temperatures. Summer is peak season, and the tree’s shade becomes genuinely useful then — not just photogenic. Arriving early on weekdays avoids the larger weekend crowds.
What Else Is Nearby
Fuzhou offers more than just the forest park. The Sanfang Qixiang historic district — a cluster of well-preserved Tang and Song Dynasty architecture — is a short drive from the city centre. The famous heart-shaped banyan tree there is worth a separate visit. Sanfang Qixiang covers 40 hectares and is a popular tourist destination known for its ancient city lanes.
Visiting China: Entry Made Easier
For international travellers, getting to Fuzhou has become more practical in recent years. Xiamen — Fujian’s other major city — is one of the ports covered under China’s expanded visa-free transit policy.
Travellers from 55 eligible countries can now enter China without a visa for up to 240 hours (10 days) under the transit exemption framework. This opens up a genuine multi-city itinerary that could include Fuzhou. For the latest country eligibility and port details, see the complete guide to China’s visa-free transit policy and the full overview of China’s visa exemption policies at OlaChina.org.
References
China Daily. (2016, December 30). Jasmine and banyan trees boast millennia of culture. China Daily. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/fujian/2016-12/30/content_27821644.htm
CGTN. (2020, February 5). Fuzhou: The City of the Banyan Tree and the Banyan King. CGTN. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-02-05/Fuzhou-The-City-of-the-Banyan-Tree-and-the-Banyan-King–NOFRMw7dew/index.html
Fuzhou Archives Information Network. (2018, May 25). Top ten ancient banyans of Fuzhou [福州十大古榕]. Fuzhou Municipal Government. https://daj.fuzhou.gov.cn/zz/wszt/tslm/fzly/201805/t20180525_2206842.htm
Fuzhou Municipal Government. (2025, April 16). A million likes: Fuzhou’s millennium ancient tree goes viral [百万点赞！福州这棵千年古树火了！]. https://www.fuzhou.gov.cn/zgfzzt/zjrc/rcyx/202504/t20250416_5005348.htm
Guangming Daily. (2022, November 4). A nature note: Banyan trees of Fuzhou [自然笔记：福州的榕树]. Guangming Online. https://news.gmw.cn/2022-11/04/content_36136575.htm
Xinhua / Bastille Post Global. (2025, July 27). China’s “banyan tree city” balances urban development, conservation. https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5063550-chinas-banyan-tree-city-balances-urban-development-conservation
