Quanzhou Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information
Quanzhou is the starting point of the "Silk Route on the Sea," it had once been very prosperous both in overseas communications and foreign trades. In Song and Yuan Dynasties, Quanzhou Harbor had once been one of the largest harbors in the world, and was equally matched to the Alexandria Harbor in Egypt.
Climate
It has a subtropical monsoon climate with an annual average temperature of 20.6C (69.08F), and has 360 frost-free days. Annual rainfall averages 1,253 millimeters.
History and Culture
Quanzhou is the famous cultural ancient city and the homeland of the overseas Chinese. In Southern Song and Yuan Dynasties, Quanzhou was the biggest foreign trading port in our country. Like the Alexander Port, Quanzhou Port is called one of the four biggest ports in the world.
In the New Stone Age, people have lived here. In Western Chou (11th century---771B.C), Quanzhou was called "the seven Mins land". In Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States Period, Quanzhou belonged to Yue country. In the ninth year of Sui dynasty (589), Quanzhou got its name. Quanzhou is the hub of communications for abroad, it is the beginning of "the Silk Road on Sea." In Song dynasty and Yuan dynasty, the level of shipbuilding had reached the advanced level in the world.
The culture in Quanzhou is developing, and there are a lot of talented people. So it is called the Seaside Zou and Lu. In the history, there were many writers, scientists, thinkers, artists and national heroes in Quanzhou.
In the northeastern of Quanzhou, there is Luoyang Bridge. It was built from 1053 to 1059. This engineering is hard and gigantic. The workers who were leaded by a person named Caixiang spent nearly 7 years on building it. People used two ways to build it. One was growing oysters to strong the base. The other was making the base as raft style. Luoyang Bridge is the pioneering work in the world and it is one of the four famous bridges in China. Also, it is the first stone bridge in the seaport.
The local opera of Quanzhou has a long history. There is a lot of traditional work of art. Among them, there is South Music, Liyuan Opera, Puppet Show carried by strings and Puppet Show carried in hand, etc. Puppet Show carried by strings is a kind of famous folk art; it is famous for its lifelike model. And because of it, Quanzhou is called the homeland of puppet show.
The traditional handicrafts are puppet head, bamboo work, porcelain, stone caving, wood caving and embroidery. The specialties are tea and candied fruits.
Scenic Spot
Quanzhou is well endowed with beautiful scenery and natural resources, and is distinctive for its ancient and unsophisticated custom. The historic sites enjoying a long history of reputation include the East and West Pagodas at the Kaiyuan Temple, the He Zuo's Tomb at the Qingjing Mosque, Stone Old Saint, and ruins of Manichaean church, Luoyang Bridge and Five-Mile Bridge, among the two hundred attractions. The native products such as Tieguanyin Tea, Dehua porcelain and Huian stone carving have long been sought after for their high quality and fame.
In addition, there still have many other Relics and Scenic Spots in Quanzhou. Qingyuan Mountain, Qingshui Rock, Tianhou Temple, Confucian Temple, Luoyang Bridge, Longshan Temple, Chongwu Ancient Town, the Kiln of Qudou Temple, the Tomb of Zheng Chenggong, Moslem Saint Tombs, Anping Bridge, Jiuri Mountain, Chengtian Temple, Gusao Pagoda, the Museum of Overseas Communication History.
Cuisine
Quanzhou has a great variety of local dinning including snacks such as friend oysters, frozen siphon worms, noodles in meat soup and fish pellets. Quanzhou is noted for its excellent seafood. The best of the restaurant is the Tang Dynasty Chinese Specialty Restaurant, which is located near the Huaqiao Hotel and is set up as a food street. The restaurant in the Overseas Chinese Hotel serves a variety of traditional Fujian dishes such as steamed oysters. If you are interested in Chinese tea, do not miss Wulong Tea in Anxi County.
Kui Xia Xiang is a lane lined with small cafes serving dozens of different kinds of soup, while the lane near the Water Gate has small restaurants specializing in meat dishes. Zhuangyuan Jie is a popular bar street. Local cultural offerings include performances of Liyuan opera and puppet drama.
Economy
Since the realization of the policy of reformation and opening, great changes have taken place in the economic and social aspects of Quanzhou. Its economic summation has leapt to the front row among the nine municipal cities in the province. Its fulfilled chief economic index occupies one fourth of the total index of the province. All the prefectures have been listed in the "Ten Best Economic Strength of Fujian Province" or the "Ten Best Economic Developing Enterprises". The whole area has attained a comparatively well-off level and is proceeding towards an ample prosperity. Quanzhou has successively been appraised as the trial city for national comprehensive reforms in whole range, the trial city for national technical innovation programs, the national advanced city in science and education, the national model city of civilization, and has been appraised three times as the "National Model City of Mutual Support".
Transportation
The main transportation facilities of Quanzhou are road. Shipping routes link Quanzhou with Hong Kong and other ports throughout China.
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Mt. Taishan
Mt. Qingchengshan
Mt. Wudangshan
Mt. Huashan
Penglai Pavilion Scenic Area
Mt. Hengshan
Mt. Laoshan
Qingyanggong Temple
