This problem was overcome by changing the blades of tunnel boring machines, a decision evidencing the impressive skill and knowledge of the engineers. Fittingly, Dadao Station has memorialized the feat in the form of a 14 meter copper sculpture that captures the power of science and technology in an abstract form.

A copper sculpture reflects the arduous process of building a metro tunnel. [Photo/Fuzhou Metro]

Another stumbling block arrived in 2013 in the treasure trove of cultural relics found during the excavation around Pingshan Station. The artifacts largely dated from the Han and Tang dynasties (206 BC – 220, 618-907) and the project was delayed for over a year for the sake of cultural preservation.

The findings are evidence of Fuzhou's rich urban history, one dating back over 2,200 years and, as with Dadao Station, Pingshan has chosen to positively reflect this setback through displaying some of the artifacts found during the yearlong excavation. The station has set aside a 110-square-meter exhibition space for the purpose.

Pingshan station also reflects Fuzhou's profound historical roots on its exterior. According to Luo Shijun, assistant chief engineer of Fuzhou Metro Co, the classic roof and eaves design have been adopted to reflect the gems of Han Dynasty culture found underground.

This tick of using artistic touchstones of Fuzhou culture is repeated across many of the city's new metro stations. One sculpture in Pingshan station echoes Hualin Temple and Zhenhai Tower, two iconic and longstanding buildings of the Fujian province city. In Fuzhou South Railway Station, the city's tradition of lacquer painting is displayed in Majestic Wuhu, a work capturing a Wuhu Mountan sunrise beside the Minjiang River Estuary.

A bluestone relief sculpture takes on a theme of Historical Pingshan at the Pingshan Station of Fuzhou’s Metro Line 1. [Photo by Lin Shanchuan/Xinhua]

In other instances, the city's modernity is produced through clean, fluid lines, and strong metallic structures. Furthermore, Fuzhou's geographic setting is reflected through the leafy banyan tree designs that fill ceiling patterns or the dominance of the color blue, offering not merely the city's closeness to the sea but also its goal of broadening horizons.

A lacquer painting with the theme Majestic Wuhu Mountain on display at the subway terminal in the Fuzhou South Railway Station. [Photo/Fuzhou Metro]

The completion of Metro Line 1 represents stage one in the development of Fuzhou's metro system. Lines 2 and 6 are currently under construction with plans to open by 2019. Lines 3, 4, and 5 are still in the planning stages.

Service details

Time: 6:30 am to 10:30 pm

Ticket: Tickets start at two yuan ($0.28) with a full fare costing six yuan.