Quanzhou

Quanzhou Overview

Quanzhou was first developed in the Zhou and Han Dynasties in 260 AD. It was one of the four major ports in the world during the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907) and hailed as the bright city by Marco Polo.
It is known as the World Religious Museum and UNESCO has positioned Quanzhou as the world’s first “multicultural exhibition center of the world”. Quanzhou boasts many ancient religion and cultural relics.
Quanzhou is also among the top cities with strongest economic powder in Fujian province with numerous local and international enterprises.

 

Some facts about Quanzhou

Chinese name: 泉州
English name: Quanzhou, Zaitun, Zayton
Area: 980 km2
Population: 4.75 million (2017)
Climate: Subtropical marine monsoon climate
Location: Southeast China
Attractions: Kaiyuan Temple, Qingjing Mosque, Heavenly Empress Palace, Luoyang Bridge, Quanzhou Maritime Museum, Qingyuan Mountain
Administrative area: Licheng District, Quangang District, Luojiang District, Fengze District, Quanzhou Taiwanese Investment Zone

Popular sights in Quanzhou

Kaiyuan Temple: which is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Fujian province. Kaiyuan temple was firstly built in 686 during Tang Dynasty and enjoys a history of more than 1,300 years. There were about 120 monasteries of Kaiyuan Temple in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and the number of monks reached thousands. However, the existing part is only about 1/10 of the scale. The most famous of Kaiyuan Temple is its twin towers. The east is the “Zhenguo Tower” and the west is “Renshou Tower”. They are more than 40 meters in height, standing through time and also a unique symbol of ancient city of Quanzhou.

Quanzhou Maritime Museum: It is the only museum in mainland China that features the history of ancient Chinese overseas transportation. Concentrated on the glorious history of the ancient Eastern trading port of Quanzhou, the rich collection vividly reproduces the fascinating history of Chinese maritime civilization.

Qingjing Mosque: Located in the city center, it is the earliest existing Islamic mosque in China. Qingjing Temple is a historical testimony of the friendly exchanges and cultural exchanges between the people of China and the Arab countries. It is also an important historical site of Quanzhou's overseas transportation.

Luoyang Bridge: Built in 1053 in Song Dynasty, Luoyang Bridge is also called Wan An Bridge. It is China's first large stone bridge across the sea. The whole bridge was completely made of huge stones. Sturdy structure, beautiful appearance, high bridge engineering technology and artistic level, reflects the high wisdom of the ancient  people.