Autumn in Fuzhou

Autumn in Fuzhou always begins quietly on the Chinese flame tree in the North Garden of Riverside Park. When the first breeze of autumn brushes past the branches, the tree sheds its lush summer green, its limbs adorned with fiery orange-red seed pods, and sprinkled with tiny star-like pale yellow stamens, as if the evening glow in the sky has been crushed and gently scattered among the leaves. The setting sun filters through the layers of branches and leaves, casting colorful shadows on the ground, even the outline of the tree is bathed in a warm, glowing halo. Passersby sit at the riverside tea seats, and when the wind blows, a few golden stamens gently fall on their shoulders, suddenly realizing—the autumn of Fuzhou has quietly begun with this vibrant splash of color.