When it comes to Fujian, how many people probably only remember Gulangyu Island in Xiamen and know that Fuzhou is the provincial capital, but they often overlook a small city with an incredible rich history-Quanzhou.
“It is one of the largest ports in the world. A large number of merchants gather here, and the goods are piled up like mountains. It is unimaginable. Every merchant has to pay 10% of the total investment tax. Therefore, the Great Khan gets a huge income from here”—— “Marco Polo’s Travels”
Licheng Quanzhou, praised by Marco Polo as the city of light, is one of the first batch of famous historical and cultural cities and international garden cities. Received the United Nations Dubai International Best Practice Award for Improving the Human Settlement Environment.
Quanzhou is also the first cultural capital of East Asia in China, and the only starting point of the Maritime Silk Road recognized by UNESCO. It was first developed in the Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties. The grand scene of “people from ten continents in the market” and “businessmen from all countries in the sound of rising seas”. This shows the key to Quanzhou’s location.
Quanzhou is located on the southeast coast of Fujian Province, bordering Fuzhou on the north, Xiamen on the south, and Taiwan on the east. Quanzhou is the hometown of overseas Chinese and the main ancestral home of Taiwan compatriots. The China Fujian-Taiwan Fate Museum is located in Quanzhou.
If you travel to Quanzhou, you can visit Quanzhou Bell Tower and East and West Streets in your spare time, which is very historical. Other than that, there are several important places worth visiting.