Quanzhou: A Living Ancient City
Located on the southeastern coast of China, Quanzhou is one of three core cities in Fujian Province. Long known as a leading port of commerce and culture, the city boasts brilliant economic and industrial performances, a rich historical and cultural heritage and a unique multicultural landscape.
A World Heritage City
Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi once remarked that in Quanzhou, “the streets are full of religious buildings and sages”. Merchant and explorer Marco Polo marvelled at the city, calling it a “city of lights”. Chinese news commentator and journalist Bai Yansong believes that it is “a city to visit at least once in a lifetime”. Known as “Zayton” in ancient times, Quanzhou was once “the largest port in the East” and the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, maintaining trade connections with more than 100 countries and regions while welcoming people from all corners of the world. A thousand years of maritime culture, Maritime Silk Road culture and Minnan (southern Fujian) culture intertwine in Quanzhou.
Today, Quanzhou is one of the first batch of prominent historical and cultural cities in China and the first “Culture City of East Asia”. It has also been designated a World Heritage city and is the only city in China on UNESCO’s World Heritage List encompassing all three categories of heritage properties: cultural, natural and mixed.
A City of Endeavour
The people of Quanzhou possess a fighting spirit, courage and fierce determination. Through the hard work of generations, Quanzhou has become Fujian’s strongest city in terms of economic strength. In recent years, guided by the “Jinjiang Experience” (Jinjiang being a county-level city of Quanzhou), tenacious and hardworking private enterprises in Quanzhou have created numerous commercial miracles. Compared to other cities in the country, the proportion of Quanzhou’s private economy within its economic structure ranks the highest.
In 2023, Quanzhou achieved a GDP of RMB1.217trn (an increase of 4.8 per cent over the previous year) and ranked 21st among all cities nationwide. The added value of the city’s industrial enterprises above the designated size (namely enterprises with an annual main business income of RMB20m and above) increased by 3.3 per cent. Among the nine industry clusters each worth over RMB100bn, seven achieved growth. For example, the paper and printing industry grew by 17.3 per cent; the petrochemical−textile, footwear and apparel industry cluster increased by 2.4 per cent; the building materials−home furnishings industry cluster grew by 4.4 per cent and the machinery−electronics industry cluster rose by 5.8 per cent. Hi-tech industries continued to lead, with the added value of the city’s hi-tech enterprises above the designated size growing by 6.7 per cent. Among these, green and smart products saw rapid growth, with the annual production of solar cells (photovoltaic cells) surged by 21.8 per cent.
In the “2024 Brand Evaluation and Comprehensive Influence Index of Prefecture-Level Cities in China” published by the China City Daily from the People’s Daily, Quanzhou ranked 15th on the national top 100 list and first in the province. It serves as an example of a city with good governance, a harmonious population, outstanding performances and high-quality developments.
A City of “China Chic”
Quanzhou’s rich and outstanding traditional cultural resources have nourished the thriving development of its cultural industry. In 2023, Quanzhou ranked first in the province for both the added value and growth rate of its cultural industry, with the total added value remaining the highest in the province for 10 consecutive years.
Over the years, Quanzhou has been named “China’s Brand Economy City”, “China’s Top Ten Brand City” and the “Capital of ‘China Chic’ Brands”. Thanks to the rise of “China chic”, custom-made clothes and shoes with traditional Chinese cultural elements have become popular in the consumer market. Checking in on social media at the “Giant Rabbits” (a series of rabbit installations on the streets of Quanzhou in celebration of the Year of the Rabbit) and at the giant dragon installations celebrating the Year of the Dragon, as well as wearing the traditional Quanzhou fisherwomen’s headwear and costumes, have become fashionable trends and viral sensations.
A City Full of Life
The attractions of Quanzhou lie in its ancient city, magnificent mountains and seas, and bustling urban life. In its transformation and revival, Quanzhou has made every effort to retain the indigenous people, preserve traditional business models and protect authentic ways of life.
Life is inseparable from food, and Quanzhou offers a wide variety of traditional delicacies. You can enjoy a “Song–Yuan Maritime Silk Road Banquet” to appreciate the refined culinary delights of the Fujian people during the Song and Yuan dynasties. You can also sample signature local snacks, such as noodle paste, sticky rice dumplings stuffed with meat, oyster omelets and glutinous rice balls, to get a taste of Quanzhou’s vibrant life and atmosphere.
As a historic city known for numerous religious buildings on its streets and alleys, Quanzhou’s local festivities and religious rituals embody its lively urban charm. Kaiyuan Temple, Tianhou Palace and Guanyue Temple are always filled with worshippers and the fragrance of incense. On the stages of temple fairs, you can hear and watch melodies and performances rich in ancient charm, such as Nanyin (a traditional musical genre originating from the southern Fujian Province, featuring a unique combination of instruments and vocal styles), Liyuan opera (a type of traditional Chinese opera known for its colourful costumes, elaborate makeup and distinctive vocal styles) and puppet shows.
Delicious food and the hustle and bustle of a city are key attractions for visitors. Quanzhou has been selected as one of the second batch of national cultural and tourism consumption pilot cities and has made itself onto the lists of “Top 10 Most Desired Tourist Cities” and “Best City for Cultural and Tourism Integration”.
Quanzhou is both ancient and youthful. This millennia-old port is now experiencing significant development and progress. Come discover the charm of Quanzhou.
