| Quanzhou is located in the southeast of Fujian Province and on the west bank of Taiwan Strait, lying at the foot of mountains and facing the sea. There are undulating mountains in Quanzhou, where hills, river valleys and basins are scattered here and there. Quanzhou faces Taiwan across the sea. It is only 97 nautical miles from the front of Taiwan.
With its long history, Quanzhou is one of the first group of historical cities of China, winning the title of “Seashore Zoulu”. It features rich accretion of history and culture, scenic spots and historic sites and cultural relics attracting worldwide attention. Quanzhou is also acclaimed as: the museum of the World’s Religious”, where various religious such Buddhism, Taoism, Islamism, Christianism(including Catholicism) have coexisted since ancient times. With the mixing and gathering of eastern and western culture, Quanzhou is a city with archaistic style. Many scenic spots and historical and religious sites form a unique cultural scene and have high historic and artistic value.
The marine traffic of Quanzhou was developed in ancient times. It entered the heyday of marine traffic in Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty and became the starting point of the “Silk Road on the Sea”.
Quanzhou has a long history. As early as the Neolithic Age, the ancient people began to settle here. Also known as “Carp City”, “Coral City” and “Wenling”, Quanzhou now governs Licheng District, Fengze District, Luojiang District, Jinjiang, Shishi and Nan’an Cities, as well as Hui’an, Yongchun, Anxi, Dehua Counties, covering a land area of 11220.5 square kilometers and a population of 6.54 million. It is also a famous hometown of overseas Chinese and one of the main ancestral homes for Chinese compatriots on Taiwan Island.
Qingyuan Mountain Qingyuan Mountain, also called North Mountain, Quan Mountain and Qiyun Mountain, is a barrier in the north of Quanzhou City. It covers and area of 62 square kilometers and has an altitude of 498 meters. It is an enchanting park of winding paths, pagodas, temples and 36 caves perched precariously on precipitous hillside. Near Qingyuan Mountain is a granite statue of a Song Dynasty Taoist saint. The statue is 5.5 meters high and 7.3 meters wide. This is the largest Taoist sculpture in China.
Kaiyuan Temple Kaiyuan Temple, behind the twin pagodas, was built during the Tang Dynasty. Legend claims that a rich man asked to donate land for the monastery told the monk, “Only if this mulberry tree spouts lotus flowers within 3 days.” To his dismay, it did. He handed over the land.
Kaiyuan covers over 78,000 sqauare meters. The main hall is supported by 100 stone columns, hence nickname, Hundred Pillar Hall. Each pillar is carved in a unique design, and on the crossbeams are carved 24 winged singers and dancers resembling angels in Catholic churches. Kaiyuan Temple also has a library with over 37,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures, a Buddhist Museum, a maritime museum, and the 1,400-year-old Mulberry –Lotus tree.
Qingjing Temple Qingjing Temple is one of the earliest Islamic architectures in China and designated as one of the key relic protection units by the state department.
Qingjing Temple, also called “Ashab Mosque”, was one of seven mosque in ancient Quanzhou, but the only one remaining today. The dome above the Fengtian Altar collapsed, but the 20-meter high vaulted entrance and four walls remain. Ashab , one of China’s ten most important religious sites, was modeled after a magnificent mosque in Damascus.
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