Foochow

1. datedDated form of Fuzhou.

   He told me of a place on the mainland, near his native village—some seventy miles up the coast, between Foochow and Amoy—where game was plentiful, and sportsmen rare.

   1896, Charles J. H Halcombee, The Mystic Flowery Land: A Personal Narrative, London: Luzac & Co., page 110

   5 more examples

   The steamer Lee Yuen, when about 30 miles from Foochow, abreast of Fuhyan, on her passage from this port to Foochow, carried away the lignum vitæ bush in the stern tube. She was beached for one tide under the lee of Matsu Island, for temporary repairs, and then proceeded to Foochow, where she has gone into dock.

   1875 January 21, “Summary of News”, in North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette, volume XIV, number 402, Shanghai, →OCLC, page 47, column 2; republished as “SHANGHAI”, in London and China Telegraph, volume XVII, number 601, 8 March 1875, →OCLC, page 186, columns 1, 2

   In the spring of 1857, I, with several friends, left Hongkong for Shanghai, viâ Foochow, in the small coasting steamer Antelope. No noteworthy incident occurred until after leaving Foochow when, as we were enjoying our after dinner coffee and cigars, and by chance discussing the question of thirteen sitting down at table that had occurred at a dinner at which one of the party had shortly before been present, a violent thump and tremulous motion of the vessel announced the unpleasant fact that we had struck upon something. We rushed on deck and found the steamer hard and fast on a reef near Matsu Island. Fortunately the day was fine and there was no sea on.

   1890 February 28, W. S. Wetmore, “RECOLLECTIONS OF LIFE IN CHINA IN THE FIFTIES.”, in North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette, volume XLIV, number 1178, Shanghai, →OCLC, page 256, column 1; republished as Recollections of Life in the Far East, 1894, →OCLC, page 32

   Powerful bombing airplanes, mostly of American make, went winging their way over Foochow and vicinity, dropping missiles of death on the Nineteenth Route Army, which was caught completely by surprise. Young American-trained aviators, flying in perfect formation and releasing deadly cargoes with perfect aim, soon converted the Fukien front into a shambles.

   1938, Robert Berkov, Strong Man of China: The Story of Chiang Kai-shek, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, page 170

   Chinese army forces Saturday battled north along China's east coast to relieve militia fighting against Japanese marine landing parties at Siapu, 68 miles northeast of liberated Foochow, the Chinese High Command announced.[…] Chinese troops pursuing Jap forces who pulled out of Foochow pushed to the outskirts of Loyuan, 35 miles southwest of Siapu while Japanese rear guards fought at Tangyang, 10 miles behind the Chinese units.

   1945 May 29, “Chinese Battle Along East Coast to Stem Jap Landings”, in Manila Free Philippines, volume III, number 29, sourced from Chungking, →OCLC, page 2, column 4

   In a long cable on February 25 Secretary Dulles replied that he had talked with Anthony Eden about the Formosa crisis, reminding him that successful pressure on Chiang to surrender Quemoy and Matsu would permit the Chinese Communists to attack from the harbors of Amoy and Foochow, and invite the Chinese Communists to put to the test American resolution to defend Formosa.

   1963, Dwight Eisenhower, Mandate for Change 1953-1956, Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 475

2. Fuzhou dialect (a linguistic variety of Eastern Min under Min Chinese of the Sinitic family)

   I heard Foochow, my native dialect being spoken in the hut and went in to visit. The man of the house was a refugee from Hsiapu, north of Foochow.

   1955, John C. Caldwell, “A Bright Light Shining”, in Still the Rice Grows Green, Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 53

plural Foochows

1. A person who traces his/her ancestry to Fuzhou or the surrounding region.

1. not comparableOf or relating to the Fuzhou dialect.

   Synonyms: Hokchiu