Quanzhou
Encyclopedia
Quanzhou is a prefecture-level city
in Fujian
province, People's Republic of China
. It borders all other prefecture-level cities in Fujian but two (Ningde
and Nanping
) and faces the Taiwan Strait
. In older English
works, its name may appear as Chinchew or Chinchu or Zayton.
The prefecture-level city of Quanzhou has an area of 11,245 km² and, as of 2010 Census
, a population of 8,128,530 inhabitants.. It's built up area (Metro) is home to 6,070,617 inhabitants encompassing Licheng
, Fengze, Luojiang urban districts ; Jinjiang
, Nan'an
and Shishi
cities ; Hui'an county and Quanzhou District for Taiwanese Investment. Quanzhou is now the 12th Chinese agglomeration based on built up area in 2010.
of Quanzhou administers four districts, three county-level cities
, four counties, and two special economic districts. The People's Republic of China claims Jinmen County, more widely known as Quemoy
, as part of Quanzhou, but the territory is currently under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China
.
The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.
sub-provincial city to the south west. It also forms another border with Zhangzhou
and Longyan
prefecture level city towards the west. Putian
and Fuzhou
form Quanzhou's northeast border and Sanming
forms the northwestern one.
Quanzhou is mountainous and has many rivers and tributaries originating from the interior.Quanzhou have four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter.It is temperature range from 0 to 38 degree celsius most area all year around.In summer, there are typhoon, bring rains and some damage to this city.It is suitable for people to live in, never too hot nor too cold.It is called "Coastal Yale"for its fantastic living environment.
during the Tang Dynasty
(618–907). In those days, Guangzhou
was China's greatest seaport, but this status would be surpassed later by Quanzhou. During the Song Dynasty
(960–1279) and Yuan Dynasty
(1279–1368), Quanzhou was one of the world's largest seaports, hosting a large community of foreign-born inhabitants from across the Eurasia
n world.
Due to its reputation, Quanzhou has been called the starting point of the Silk Road
via the sea. From the Arabic name form of the city, Zayton, the word satin
would be minted. Zayton is also the word for olive
and the symbol of peace in the Persian Language, Farsi. Quanzhou may have been given this title by the Persians in honour of fact that it was a cultural melting pot at the time due to the trade culture.
In The Travels of Marco Polo
, Quanzhou (called Zayton, T'swan-Chau or Chin-Cheu) was listed as the departure point for Marco Polo
's expedition to escort the 17-year-old Mongol princess bride Kököchin
to her new husband in the Persian Ilkhanate
. In 1357 however a military revolt by the local Persian militia led to a ten-year rebellion
that resulted in large civilian casualties in Quanzhou.
Of the Chinese Li family in Quanzhou, Lin Nu, the son of Lin Lu, visited Hormuz
in Persia in 1376, converted to Islam
, married a Persian
girl and brought her back to Quanzhou. Lin Nu was the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty reformer Li Chih.
Quanzhou was an important port in Yuan dynasty
, for example Mongol invasion of Java
during the reign of Kubilai Khan sailed from this port.
Quanzhou Overseas Relations Museum preserves a number of relics related to the Quanzhou's era as a major seaport. A particularly important exhibit is the so-called Quanzhou ship
, a sea-going junk
that sunk some time after 1272, and was recovered in 1973–74. Quanzhou is a city has a long history and rich culture. It also has many religions, people believe in different religions from various countries came to Quanzhou in ancient time, especially during Song and Yuan Dynasty. Religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism etc. can be seen here, you can visit different places of interest about these religion in Quanzhou city. It was elected as "Ten Most Charm City in China"in 2004 by CCTV china's first charm city selected activities.
After the Portuguese bribed their way into obtaining a trade mission in Ch' uanchou (Quanzhou), they inflicted savage behaviour against the Chinese. In retaliation, in 1549 the entire Portuguese community of Quanzhou were exterminated by Chinese forces.
Quanzhou is also a migration source of many Overseas Chinese
living in South East Asia and to Taiwan
during the last couple of centuries. About 6 million people whose ancestors were from Quanzhou now live abroad. Most of them live in South East-Asian countries like Singapore
, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia
, or Thailand
. One tenth (0,6) of overseas Quanzhounese now live in Hong Kong
.
which is similar to Amoy and Taiwanese. In Mandarin Chinese this dialect is called "Minnan Hua" or "Minnan Yu", which can be translated as "the language of South Fujian". It is essentially the same dialect spoken in Xiamen and Zhangzhou, and it bears little similarity with the official Chinese Mandarin. Many overseas Chinese whose ancestors came from the Quanzhou area, especially those in Southeast Asia, often speak mainly Hokkien at home.
, banana
, lychee
and rice
. It is also a major producer of quarry granite
and ceramics. Other industries include textiles, footwear
, fashion and apparel, packaging, machinery, paper
and petrochemicals.
Quanzhou is the biggest automotive market in Fujian; it has the highest number of private automobile
possession.
Its GDP ranks first in Fujian Province for 20 years. From 1991 to 2010.In 2008, Quanzhou's textile and apparel production accounts for 10% of China, the production of sports and Tourism shoes accounts for 80% of China, 20% of the world, stone exports account for 50%, resin handicraft exports account for 70% of the country, ceramic exports account for 67% of the country, candy production accounts for 20%.
Different districts and counties in quanzhou have their own special industries which are known to the rest of China. Jinjiang and shishi are famous for Apparel and textile, Huian is famous for its stone, Quangang is famous for petrifaction, Dehua is Ceramics, Yongchun is Citrus, Anxi is WULONG Tea, Nan An is building materials, Fengze is resin.
Jinjiang County, Shishi County, Nanan County, Huian County, Anxi County, these five counties from Quanzhou City have been 100 most powerful economic county in china for many years.Which again shows quanzhou is a developed area in Fujian province, even in China.
while now still an important one for exporting. Quanzhou is also connected by major roads from Fuzhou
to the north and Xiamen
to the south. Jinjiang Domestic Airport is Quanzhou's airport servicing flights within Fujian province and other destinations. Quanzhou is connected to the rest of China through relatively new high-speed train network. Trains to Xiamen take under 45 minutes, making it a convenient weekend or day trip. Long-distance bus services also run daily/nightly to Shenzhen and other major cities.
.
Notable Historical and cultural sites (the 18 views of Quanzhou as recommended by the Fujian tourism board) include:
Notable Modern cultural sites include:
The city hosted the Sixth National Peasants' Games
in 2008.
Quanzhou is also the birthplace of the actress Yao Chen
.
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
in Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It borders all other prefecture-level cities in Fujian but two (Ningde
Ningde
Ningde , also known as Mindong , is a prefecture-level city located along the northeastern coast of Fujian province, China. It borders Fuzhou to the south, Wenzhou City and Zhejiang province to the north, and Nanping City to the west.-Administration:...
and Nanping
Nanping
Nanping is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Ningde City to the east, Sanming City to the south, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangxi to the north and west respectively...
) and faces the Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
. In older English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
works, its name may appear as Chinchew or Chinchu or Zayton.
The prefecture-level city of Quanzhou has an area of 11,245 km² and, as of 2010 Census
Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
The Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, also referred to as the 2010 Chinese Census, was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China with a zero hour of November 1, 2010....
, a population of 8,128,530 inhabitants.. It's built up area (Metro) is home to 6,070,617 inhabitants encompassing Licheng
Licheng
Licheng may refer to the following places in China:*Licheng County , of Changzhi, Shanxi*Licheng District, Jinan , Shandong*Licheng District, Putian , Fujian*Licheng District, Quanzhou , Fujian...
, Fengze, Luojiang urban districts ; Jinjiang
Jinjiang
Jinjiang City is a county-level city of Quanzhou Municipality in Fujian. It is located in the southeastern part of the province, on the right or south bank of the Jin River, across from Quanzhou's urban district of Fengze...
, Nan'an
Nan'an
-China:* Nan'an District , Chongqing* Nan'an, Fujian , county-level city of Quanzhou, Fujian* Nan'an, Dayu County , town in Dayu County, Shanxi* Nan'an, Wenshui County , town in Wenshui County, Shanxi-Others:...
and Shishi
Shishi
Shishi may refer to:*Chinese guardian lion, also known as a shishi*The left member of a pair of komainu*Shishi City, in Quanzhou, Fujian, China*Shishi , Japanese political activists of the late Edo period...
cities ; Hui'an county and Quanzhou District for Taiwanese Investment. Quanzhou is now the 12th Chinese agglomeration based on built up area in 2010.
Administrative divisions
The prefecture-level cityPrefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
of Quanzhou administers four districts, three county-level cities
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....
, four counties, and two special economic districts. The People's Republic of China claims Jinmen County, more widely known as Quemoy
Kinmen
Kinmen , also known as Quemoy , is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China : Greater Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, and some islets. Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian Province, ROC. The county is claimed by the People's Republic of China as part of its...
, as part of Quanzhou, but the territory is currently under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.
| English Name | Simplified | Traditional | Pinyin | POJ | Area | Population | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licheng District Licheng District Licheng is a district in Quanzhou Municipality, FJ.-Cultural Attractions:*Kaiyuan Temple *Qingjing Mosque - 1000 years old in 2009-Administration:The district comprises eight Street Offices :* Jiangnan * Fuqiao... |
鲤城区 | 鯉城區 | Lǐchéng Qū | Lí-siâⁿ-khu | 53 | 368,059 | 6,946 |
| Fengze District Fengze District Fengze District is a district of Fujian Province, China. It is under the administration of Quanzhou city. It has an area of 126.5 square kilometers and a population of 458,000.-Administrative divisions:Fengze District has 8 subdistricts:*Xiuquan... |
丰泽区 | 豐澤區 | Fēngzé Qū | Hong-te̍k-khu | 127 | 529,640 | 4,170 |
| Luojiang District Luojiang District Luojiang District is a district of Fujian province, China. It is under the administration of Quanzhou prefecture level city.... |
洛江区 | 洛江區 | Luòjiāng Qū | Lo̍k-kang-khu | 382 | 187,189 | 490 |
| Quangang District Quangang District Quangang is a district under the Quanzhou Municipality, FJ.-Administration:The district is divided into seven town governments :* Nanpu * Qianhuang * Fengwei * Houlong * Jieshan * Shanyao* Tuling... |
泉港区 | 泉港區 | Quán'gǎng Qū | Chôan-káng-khu | 306 | 313,539 | 1024 |
| Shishi City Shishi Shishi may refer to:*Chinese guardian lion, also known as a shishi*The left member of a pair of komainu*Shishi City, in Quanzhou, Fujian, China*Shishi , Japanese political activists of the late Edo period... |
石狮市 | 石獅市 | Shíshī Shì | Chio̍h-sai-chhī | 160 | 636,700 | 3,979 |
| Jinjiang City | 晋江市 | 晉江市 | Jìnjiāng Shì | Chìn-kang-chhī | 722 | 1,986,447 | 2,751 |
| Nan'an City Nan'an, Fujian Nan'an is a county-level city within the Quanzhou prefecture level city, Fujian province, China. As of 2010 the city has a population of 1,500,000. More than 3,000,000 overseas Chinese trace their ancestry to Nan'an. -History:... |
南安市 | 南安市 | Nánān Shì | Lâm-oaⁿ-chhī | 2,011 | 1,418,451 | 705 |
| Hui'an County Hui'an County Hui'an is a county under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Quanzhou, Fujian, China.Hui'an County, located in the middle of the southeast coast of Fujian Province, Quanzhou Bay and between Meizhou Bay, and Taiwan across the sea, is the famous hometown of overseas Taiwanese and... |
惠安县 | 惠安縣 | Huì'ān Xiàn | Hūi-oaⁿ-kōan | 720 | 716,224 | 995 |
| Anxi County Anxi County is a county in the municipal region of Quanzhou, Fujian Province. It lies adjacent to and directly north of Xiamen.Anxi is well-known for a number of varieties of Oolong tea, the most well-known of which is Tieguanyin .... |
安溪县 | 安溪縣 | Ānxī Xiàn | An-khoe-kōan | 2,983 | 977,432 | 328 |
| Yongchun County Yongchun County Yongchun County is a county of Fujian province, China. It is under the administration of Quanzhou city.Many Overseas Chinese in south-east Asia have ancestors from Yongchun.-External links:... |
永春县 | 永春縣 | Yǒngchūn Xiàn | Éng-chhun-kōan | 1,452 | 452,217 | 311 |
| Dehua County | 德化县 | 德化縣 | Déhuà Xiàn | Tek-hòe-kōan | 2,232 | 277,867 | 124 |
| Quanzhou Economic Development District | 泉州经济开发区 | 泉州經濟開發區 | Quánzhōu Jīngjì Kāifā Qū | Chôan-chiu-keng-chè-khui-hoat-khu | 20 | 36,758 | 1,838 |
| Quanzhou District for Taiwanese Investment | 泉州台商投资区 | 泉州台商投資區 | Quánzhōu Táishāng Tóuzī Qū | Chôan-chiu-Tâi-siong-tâu-chu-khu | 58 | 228,007 | 3,931 |
Geography
Quanzhou is a coastal prefecture bordered by XiamenXiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
sub-provincial city to the south west. It also forms another border with Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River , Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.Zhangzhou...
and Longyan
Longyan
Longyan is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Fujian province, China.-Geography:It is situated in the upper reaches of the Jiulong and Tingjiang rivers...
prefecture level city towards the west. Putian
Putian
Putian is a prefecture-level city in eastern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Fuzhou City to the north, Quanzhou City to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east.-Administration:...
and Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
form Quanzhou's northeast border and Sanming
Sanming
Sanming ) is a prefecture-level city in western Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Nanping City to the north, Fuzhou City to the east, Quanzhou City to the southeast, Longyan City to the south, and the province of Jiangxi to the west...
forms the northwestern one.
Quanzhou is mountainous and has many rivers and tributaries originating from the interior.Quanzhou have four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter.It is temperature range from 0 to 38 degree celsius most area all year around.In summer, there are typhoon, bring rains and some damage to this city.It is suitable for people to live in, never too hot nor too cold.It is called "Coastal Yale"for its fantastic living environment.
History
Quanzhou was established in 718718
Year 718 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 718 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Tervel's reign as monarch of Bulgaria...
during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618–907). In those days, Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
was China's greatest seaport, but this status would be surpassed later by Quanzhou. During the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960–1279) and Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
(1279–1368), Quanzhou was one of the world's largest seaports, hosting a large community of foreign-born inhabitants from across the Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
n world.
Due to its reputation, Quanzhou has been called the starting point of the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
via the sea. From the Arabic name form of the city, Zayton, the word satin
Satin
Satin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is...
would be minted. Zayton is also the word for olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
and the symbol of peace in the Persian Language, Farsi. Quanzhou may have been given this title by the Persians in honour of fact that it was a cultural melting pot at the time due to the trade culture.
In The Travels of Marco Polo
The Travels of Marco Polo
Books of the Marvels of the World or Description of the World , also nicknamed Il Milione or Oriente Poliano and commonly called The Travels of Marco Polo, is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from stories told by Marco Polo, describing the...
, Quanzhou (called Zayton, T'swan-Chau or Chin-Cheu) was listed as the departure point for Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
's expedition to escort the 17-year-old Mongol princess bride Kököchin
Kököchin
Kököchin, also Kökechin, Kokachin or Cocacin , was a 13th century Mongol princess from the Yuan dynasty in China, belonging to the Mongol tribe of the Bayaut . In 1291, she was betrothed to the Ilkhanate khan Arghun by the Mongol Great Khan Kublai...
to her new husband in the Persian Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
. In 1357 however a military revolt by the local Persian militia led to a ten-year rebellion
Ispah Rebellion
The Ispah Rebellion was a series of civil wars in Fujian, China occurring in the middle of 14th century. The term Ispah might derive from the Persian word "سپاه" meaning "army" or "Sepoy"...
that resulted in large civilian casualties in Quanzhou.
Of the Chinese Li family in Quanzhou, Lin Nu, the son of Lin Lu, visited Hormuz
Ormus
The Kingdom of Ormus was a 10th to 17th century kingdom located within the Persian Gulf and extending as far as the Strait of Hormuz...
in Persia in 1376, converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, married a Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
girl and brought her back to Quanzhou. Lin Nu was the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty reformer Li Chih.
Quanzhou was an important port in Yuan dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, for example Mongol invasion of Java
Mongol invasion of Java
In 1293, Kublai Khan, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, sent a large invasion fleet to Java with 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers...
during the reign of Kubilai Khan sailed from this port.
Quanzhou Overseas Relations Museum preserves a number of relics related to the Quanzhou's era as a major seaport. A particularly important exhibit is the so-called Quanzhou ship
Quanzhou ship
The Quanzhou Ship, or Quanzhou wreck, was a 13th century Chinese sea-going sailing junk that sunk near the city of Quanzhou in Fujian Province, and was discovered in 1973...
, a sea-going junk
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
that sunk some time after 1272, and was recovered in 1973–74. Quanzhou is a city has a long history and rich culture. It also has many religions, people believe in different religions from various countries came to Quanzhou in ancient time, especially during Song and Yuan Dynasty. Religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism etc. can be seen here, you can visit different places of interest about these religion in Quanzhou city. It was elected as "Ten Most Charm City in China"in 2004 by CCTV china's first charm city selected activities.
After the Portuguese bribed their way into obtaining a trade mission in Ch' uanchou (Quanzhou), they inflicted savage behaviour against the Chinese. In retaliation, in 1549 the entire Portuguese community of Quanzhou were exterminated by Chinese forces.
Quanzhou is also a migration source of many Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
living in South East Asia and to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
during the last couple of centuries. About 6 million people whose ancestors were from Quanzhou now live abroad. Most of them live in South East-Asian countries like Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, or Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. One tenth (0,6) of overseas Quanzhounese now live in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Dialect
Local people speak a variant of HokkienHokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
which is similar to Amoy and Taiwanese. In Mandarin Chinese this dialect is called "Minnan Hua" or "Minnan Yu", which can be translated as "the language of South Fujian". It is essentially the same dialect spoken in Xiamen and Zhangzhou, and it bears little similarity with the official Chinese Mandarin. Many overseas Chinese whose ancestors came from the Quanzhou area, especially those in Southeast Asia, often speak mainly Hokkien at home.
Economy
Quanzhou is a major exporter of agricultural products such as teaTea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, lychee
Lychee
The lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to Southern China and Southeast Asia, and now cultivated in many parts of the world...
and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
. It is also a major producer of quarry granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and ceramics. Other industries include textiles, footwear
Footwear
Footwear consists of garments worn on the feet, for fashion, protection against the environment, and adornment. Being barefoot is commonly associated with poverty, but some cultures chose not to wear footwear at least in some situations....
, fashion and apparel, packaging, machinery, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
and petrochemicals.
Quanzhou is the biggest automotive market in Fujian; it has the highest number of private automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
possession.
Its GDP ranks first in Fujian Province for 20 years. From 1991 to 2010.In 2008, Quanzhou's textile and apparel production accounts for 10% of China, the production of sports and Tourism shoes accounts for 80% of China, 20% of the world, stone exports account for 50%, resin handicraft exports account for 70% of the country, ceramic exports account for 67% of the country, candy production accounts for 20%.
Different districts and counties in quanzhou have their own special industries which are known to the rest of China. Jinjiang and shishi are famous for Apparel and textile, Huian is famous for its stone, Quangang is famous for petrifaction, Dehua is Ceramics, Yongchun is Citrus, Anxi is WULONG Tea, Nan An is building materials, Fengze is resin.
Jinjiang County, Shishi County, Nanan County, Huian County, Anxi County, these five counties from Quanzhou City have been 100 most powerful economic county in china for many years.Which again shows quanzhou is a developed area in Fujian province, even in China.
Transport
Quanzhou is an important transport hub within south eastern Fujian province. Many export industries in the Fujian interior cities will transport goods to Quanzhou ports. Quanzhou Port was one of the most prosperous port in Tang DynastyTang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
while now still an important one for exporting. Quanzhou is also connected by major roads from Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
to the north and Xiamen
Xiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
to the south. Jinjiang Domestic Airport is Quanzhou's airport servicing flights within Fujian province and other destinations. Quanzhou is connected to the rest of China through relatively new high-speed train network. Trains to Xiamen take under 45 minutes, making it a convenient weekend or day trip. Long-distance bus services also run daily/nightly to Shenzhen and other major cities.
Colleges and universities
- Huaqiao UniversityHuaqiao UniversityHuaqiao University is a national university located in Xiamen and Quanzhou, Fujian province, China.Huaqiao University was founded in 1960, with support from the late Chinese premier and historical figure Zhou Enlai, for students of overseas Chinese backgrounds to pursue tertiary education in...
(national) - Yang-en UniversityYang-en UniversityYang-En University is a private university located in the village of Majia outside Quanzhou, Fujian, China.It was founded in 1987 by Wu Qingxing, an overseas Chinese from Burma whose parents came from Majia. It is China's first private university...
(private) - Quanzhou Normal University (public)
- Quanzhou Medical College (public)
- Liming Vocational University(public)
Culture
Quanzhou is one of the twenty-four famous historic cultural cities first approved by the Chinese GovernmentGovernment of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
.
- Liyuan OperaLiyuan operaLiyuan opera is a form of Chinese opera originating in Fujian province, China. In recent years, one of Liyuan opera's staunchest advocates and most celebrated performers has been Zeng Jingping. At the 2009 NPC session, she proposed incorporating the study of traditional operas into the national...
(梨园戏) - Puppet Show (提线木偶戏)
- Gaojia OperaGaojia operaGaojia opera is a form of Chinese opera popular in Fujian province in the People's Republic of China. It is famous for its various Chou, or clown roles. The form emerged at the end of the Ming Dynasty. It was originally an improvised form that was part of a religious parade...
(高甲戏) - Dacheng Opera (打城戏)
Notable Historical and cultural sites (the 18 views of Quanzhou as recommended by the Fujian tourism board) include:
- Qing Yuan mountain(青远山) - The tallest hill within the city limits, which hosts a great view of West lake.
- East Lake Park (东湖) - Located in the city center. It is home to a small zoo.
- West lake Park(西湖公园) - The largest body of fresh water within the city limits.
- Kai Yuan Temple (开元庙) - A very old and famous pair of giant stone pagodas surrounded by temples and wonderful gardens and trees.
- Ashab Mosque (涂门街) - One of the oldest Mosques in the world and the only one build in that century.
Notable Modern cultural sites include:
- Fengze Square - Located in the city center and acts as a venue for shows and events
- Da Ping Shan - The second tallest hill within in the city limits, crowned with a enormous statue of a famous general riding a horse.
- The Embassy Lounge - Situated in the "1916 Cultural Ideas Zone" which acts as a platform for mixing traditional Chinese art with modern building techniques and designs. It also acts as the unofficial headquarters for the expats of Quanzhou.
Notable products
- DehuaDehuaDehua is located in central Fujian, one of the provinces on the southeast coast of China.-History:Dehua is rich in kaolin and famous for ceramic products, especially crafts and dinnerware, including candle holders, Piggy banks, photo frames, jewel boxes, flower baskets, jars, vases, plaques, wall...
PorcelainPorcelainPorcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
(德化瓷器) - Huian StonewareStonewareStoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware with a fine texture. Stoneware is made from clay that is then fired in a kiln, whether by an artisan to make homeware, or in an industrial kiln for mass-produced or specialty products...
(惠安石刻) - AnxiAnxi Countyis a county in the municipal region of Quanzhou, Fujian Province. It lies adjacent to and directly north of Xiamen.Anxi is well-known for a number of varieties of Oolong tea, the most well-known of which is Tieguanyin ....
TieguanyinTieguanyinTieguanyin is a premium variety of Chinese oolong tea originated in the 19th century in Anxi in Fujian province. Tieguanyin produced in different areas of Anxi have different gastronomic characteristics...
(安溪铁观音) - Quanzhou ShaolinShaolinThe shào in "Shaolin" refers to "Mount Shaoshi", a mountain in the Songshan mountain range and lín means "forest". With sì , the name literally means "monastery/temple in the woods of Mount Shaoshi"....
Five Ancestors FistFive AncestorsFive Ancestors Fist is a Southern Chinese martial art that consists of techniques from five different styles:* the breathing methods and iron body of Da mo * the posture and dynamic power of Luohan...
(泉州五祖拳) - YongchunWing ChunWing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also...
Martial ArtsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
(永春白鹤拳)
The city hosted the Sixth National Peasants' Games
National Peasants' Games
The National Peasants' Games are a quadrennial multi-sport event in China in which competitors from among the country's 750 million rural residents take part in sports, both conventional - including basketball, athletics, table tennis, shooting, Xiangqi and t'ai chi, and traditional rural and...
in 2008.
Quanzhou is also the birthplace of the actress Yao Chen
Yao Chen
Yao Chen is an award-winning Chinese actress and the person on Sina Weibo with the largest number of "fans" , with over 14.8 million .-Biography:...
.
External links
- Government website of Quanzhou (in Simplified Chinese)