Quanzhou

Kaiyuan Temple, founded in the Tang Dynasty, is the largest Buddhist temple in Quanzhou and one of the key cultural relics under national protection. Its iconic East and West Pagodas, built in the Song Dynasty, are over 40 meters high, with exquisite stone carvings on the pagodas depicting Buddhist stories and daily life scenes. West Street, located at the entrance of the temple, is the oldest street in Quanzhou, with a history of over 1,000 years, lined with ancient arcaded buildings, old shops, and traditional snack stalls, preserving the original flavor of Quanzhou’s ancient city.

2.Qingyuan Mountain

A national 5A scenic area and a famous cultural mountain, known for its beautiful natural scenery and rich cultural relics. The most famous attraction is the Laojun Rock, a giant stone carving of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, carved in the Song Dynasty, which is 5.63 meters high and is known as a masterpiece of Song Dynasty stone carving art. The mountain also has many other cultural relics, such as the Tianhou Palace, the Wenmiao, and the stone carvings of famous scholars, integrating Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism cultures.

3.Quanzhou Maritime Museum

The only museum in China focusing on maritime traffic history, located on the bank of the Luoyang River. It has a large collection of cultural relics related to the Maritime Silk Road, including ancient shipwrecks, porcelain exported overseas, navigation instruments, and religious cultural relics from various countries. The museum vividly shows Quanzhou’s prosperity as the “largest port in the world” during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries through the sea route.

4.Luoyang Bridge

One of the four ancient Chinese bridges, built in the Northern Song Dynasty, spanning the Luoyang River estuary. It is an innovative stone beam bridge in ancient China, with a total length of 834 meters. The bridge is famous for its unique construction techniques, such as using sea turtles to stabilize the bridge piers and planting oysters to consolidate the foundation, which fully reflects the wisdom of ancient Chinese craftsmen. The bridge is surrounded by beautiful coastal scenery, and there are many ancient pavilions and stone carvings along the bridge.

5.Chongwu Ancient City

A well-preserved stone coastal defense city built in the Ming Dynasty, located on the coast of Hui’an County. The city wall is made of huge granite stones, with a circumference of 2,567 meters, and is equipped with watchtowers, battlements, and gates. It is one of the most complete ancient coastal defense works in China. Inside the ancient city, there are traditional stone houses and the Hui’an Women Folk Custom Garden, where you can learn about the unique costumes and customs of the Hui’an women, who are known for their hard work and beautiful appearance.

6.Xunpu Village

A traditional fishing village famous for its unique “flower hair” custom and oyster shell houses. The women in the village have the tradition of wearing colorful flowers in their hair every day, forming a unique folk custom landscape. The village is full of houses built with oyster shells, which are not only environmentally friendly but also have a unique architectural style. Walking in the narrow alleys of the village, you can feel the strong maritime folk customs and the simple life of the fishermen.

7.Qingjing Mosque

The oldest existing Islamic mosque in China, founded in the Song Dynasty, built in the Arab architectural style. The main building is the Prayer Hall, with a stone archway at the entrance, engraved with Arabic inscriptions. Although the Prayer Hall is now in ruins, the remaining structures still show the grandeur and exquisite craftsmanship of the mosque. It is an important cultural relic witnessing the cultural exchange between China and the Arab world through the Maritime Silk Road, and is listed as a key cultural relic under national protection.