Women's faces are often found in the shade cast by the umbrellas they carry on China's sunny days.

But it's rare to find Chinese men blocking UV rays with one.

I don't use parasols for staying dry during downpours and just deal with sweltering climates I encounter. But I recently considered joining the few male "sunbrella" bearers during my time in Fujian province's capital Fuzhou, known as "China's No 1 furnace".