Quanzhou

For other uses, see Quanzhou (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Guangzhou.

Quanzhou 泉州市
Prefecture-level city
Location of Quanzhou City in Fujian
Quanzhou Location in China
Coordinates:
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Fujian
Government
• CPC Secretary	Zheng Xincong
• Mayor	Zhu Ming
Area
• Prefecture-level city	11,218.91 km2 (4,331.65 sq mi)
• Urban	872.4 km2 (336.8 sq mi)
• Metro	4,274.5 km2 (1,650.4 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census)
• Prefecture-level city	8,128,533
• Density	720/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
• Urban	1,435,185
• Urban density	1,600/km2 (4,300/sq mi)
• Metro	6,107,475
• Metro density	1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	362000
Area code(s)	0595
GDP	2009
- Total	CNY 300.229 billion (USD 43.99 billion)
- Per capita	CNY 38,368 (USD 5,622)
- Growth	12.5%
License Plate Prefixes	闽C
Local Dialect	Min Nan: Quanzhou dialect
Website	www.quanzhou.gov.cn

Quanzhou
"Quanzhou", as written in Chinese
Chinese	泉州
Postal	Chuanchow
Literal meaning	Capital of Spring Prefecture
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Quánzhōu Yue: Cantonese Jyutping cyun4zau1 Southern Min Hokkien POJ choâⁿ-chiu

Quanzhou (formerly called Zayton/Chinchew, Chinese: 泉州; pinyin: Quánzhōu; Wade–Giles: Ch'üan²-chou¹) is the largest city of 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, Chinchu, Choanchew, or Zayton, from Arabic.

The prefecture-level city of Quanzhou has an area of 11,245 square kilometres (4,342 sq mi) and, as of the 2010 Census, a population of 8,128,530 inhabitants. Its extended metropolitan (built-up area) is home to 6,107,475 inhabitants, encompassing the Licheng, Fengze, and Luojiang urban districts, Jinjiang, Nan'an, and Shishi cities, Hui'an county, and the Quanzhou District for Taiwanese Investment. Quanzhou is now the 12th largest Chinese extended metropolitan area (as of 2010).

Administrative divisions

The prefecture-level city 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 Kinmen County, as part of Quanzhou, but the territory is currently under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China.

Map
1 2 Luojiang Quangang Hui'an County Anxi County Yongchun County Dehua County Shishi (City) Jinjiang (City) Nan'an (City) 1. Licheng 2. Fengze Jinmen* Note: PRC claims Jinmen but has never controlled Jinmen.
English Name	Simplified	Pinyin	POJ	Area	Population	Density
Licheng District	鲤城区	Lǐchéng Qū	Lí-siâⁿ-khu	52.41	404,817	7,724
Fengze District	丰泽区	Fēngzé Qū	Hong-te̍k-khu	132.25	529,640	4,005
Luojiang District	洛江区	Luòjiāng Qū	Lo̍k-kang-khu	381.72	187,189	490
Quangang District	泉港区	Quán'gǎng Qū	Chôan-káng-khu	306.03	313,539	1025
Shishi City	石狮市	Shíshī Shì	Chio̍h-sai-chhī	189.21	636,700	3,365
Jinjiang City	晋江市	Jìnjiāng Shì	Chìn-kang-chhī	721.64	1,986,447	2,753
Nan'an City	南安市	Nánān Shì	Lâm-oaⁿ-chhī	2,035.11	1,418,451	697
Hui'an County	惠安县	Huì'ān Xiàn	Hūiⁿ-oaⁿ-kūiⁿ	762.19	944,231	1,239
Anxi County	安溪县	Ānxī Xiàn	An-khoe-kūiⁿ	2,983.07	977,435	328
Yongchun County	永春县	Yǒngchūn Xiàn	Éng-chhun-kūiⁿ	1,445.8	452,217	313
Dehua County	德化县	Déhuà Xiàn	Tek-hòe-kūiⁿ	2,209.48	277,867	126
Jinmen County *	金门县	Jīnmén Xiàn	Kim-mn̂g-kūiⁿ	—	—	—

*: Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has considered Jinmen part of Quanzhou. However, the PRC has never controlled Jinmen. The Republic of China (ROC) currently administers Jinmen.

Geography

Quanzhou is a coastal prefecture bordered by Xiamen, a sub-provincial city to the southwest. It also borders the Zhangzhou and Longyan prefecture-level city towards the west. Putian and Fuzhou form Quanzhou's northeast border and Sanming forms the northwest one.

Quanzhou
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     34     15 10     74     14 10     105     16 11     133     21 15     152     24 20     197     28 24     91     30 25     130     30 25     83     29 24     44     26 21     33     22 17     28     17 12 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: The Public Weather Service Center of CMA 1981–2010 normals
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     1.3     59 49     2.9     58 49     4.1     61 52     5.2     69 60     6     76 67     7.7     82 74     3.6     86 77     5.1     86 78     3.3     84 75     1.7     78 69     1.3     71 62     1.1     63 54 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Quanzhou is mountainous and has many rivers and tributaries originating from the interior. The prefecture's two major rivers (Jinjiang and Luojiang) flow into Quanzhou Bay from the west and north, respectively, forming wide estuaries.

Quanzhou has four distinct seasons. Its moderate temperature ranges from 0 to 38 degree Celsius. In summer there are typhoons that bring rain and some damage to the city.

History

Trading port

See also: Ispah Rebellion

Zayton imagined by a 15th-century European illustrator of The Travels of Marco Polo

Quanzhou was established in 718 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 Eurasian world. Today, a number of relics related to that era are preserved and exhibited in the Quanzhou Overseas Relations Museum. A particularly important exhibit is the so-called Quanzhou ship, a seagoing junk that sunk some time after 1272, and was recovered in 1973–74.

Due to its reputation, Quanzhou has been called the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. Zhao Rugua, a Quanzhou customs inspector during the Song dynasty, wrote the Zhu fan zhi (諸蕃志, Chu-fan-chi), which was about foreign places and items involved in trade with China. From the Arabic name of the city, Zayton زيتون (alternately spelt Zaitun or Zaytun), the word satin would be coined. Zayton is also the word for olive and the symbol of peace in the Arabic and Persian languages. Quanzhou may have been given this title by the Muslims 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 Mongol Ilkhanate. In 1357 however a military revolt by the local Muslim militia against the Yuan dynasty led to the Ispah Rebellion that resulted in large civilian casualties in Quanzhou, with the Yuan loyalist commander Chen Youding massacring the Muslim community.

Of the Chinese Li family in Quanzhou, Li Nu, the son of Li Lu, visited Hormuz in Persia in 1376, converted to Islam, married a Persian girl, and brought her back to Quanzhou. Li Nu was the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty reformer Li Chih.

Quanzhou was an important port in Yuan dynasty. For example, the Mongol invasion of Java during the reign of Kubilai Khan sailed from this port.

Tomb of the two worthies, who were among the earliest Islamic missionaries in China.

The Ding family of Chendai in Quanzhou claims descent from the Muslim leader Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar through his son Nasr al-Din (Nasruddin or Na-su-la-ding in Chinese). The Ding family has branches in Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia among the diaspora Chinese communities there, no longer practicing Islam but still maintaining a Hui identity. The deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Muslim Association on Taiwan, Ishag Ma (馬孝棋), has claimed "Sayyid is an honorable title given to descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, hence Sayyid Shamsuddin must be connected to Prophet Mohammed". The Ding (Ting) family in Taisi Township in Yunlin County of Taiwan, traces descent from him through the Ding of Quanzhou in Fujian.

Nasruddin was appointed governor in Karadjang, and retained his position in Yunnan till his death, which Rashid, writing about 1300, says occurred five or six years before (according to the Yüan shi, Na-su-la ding died in 1292). Nasr-uddin's son Abubeker, who had the surname Bayan Fenchan (evidently the Boyen ch'a-r of the Yüan shi), was governor in Zaitun at the time Rashid wrote. He bore also his grandfather's title of Sayid Edjell, and was minister of Finance under Kubilai's successor (D'Ohsson, torn, ii, pp. 476, 507, 508). Nasr-uddin is mentioned by M. Polo, who styles him Nescradin (vol. ii, p. 66).

Quanzhou is a city with 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.

Massacre of Portuguese community

Quanzhou's restored Quanshan Gate, flanked by two stele-carrying turtles

A massacre of the Portuguese at Quanzhou resulted in the Portuguese settlement of Macau. 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 was exterminated by Chinese forces. The Emperor had ruled that all Portuguese encountered everywhere should be killed on the spot. The result of this massacre in addition to another at Ch'uanchow resulted in the Portuguese survivors fleeing to Macao, where they were allowed by China to start a colony to build sheds for drying goods in 1557. The Portuguese were ultimately considered responsible for the massacre by the Chinese, since it was they who provoked the Chinese through "rapaciousness". The Portuguese considered it permissible to attack and pillage "Eastern peoples", and not treat them according to the law. The historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said that "the Portuguese had chiefly themselves to thank" for the massacres the Chinese committed against them. The Portuguese commander Albuquerque once stated "a Chinese junk man knew more about courtesy and humanity than a European knight". The Chinese had massacred them after the Portuguese engaged in pillaging and murder in Chinese villages. "A Lesson" was delivered to the Portuguese in this manner from the Chinese. They later built some rudimentary stone-houses around the area now called Nam Van. But not until 1557 did the Portuguese establish a permanent settlement in Macau, at an annual rent of 500 taels ( 20 kilograms/44 pounds ) of silver.

Immigration

New developments east of the city center

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 Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), or Thailand. One tenth (0,6) of overseas Quanzhounese now live in Hong Kong.

Minnan dialect

Locals speak the Quanzhou variety of Min Nan similar to Amoy (spoken in Xiamen), similar to South East Asian Hokkien and Taiwanese. It is essentially the same as the dialect spoken in Xiamen, and is unintelligible with Standard Chinese (Mandarin). Many overseas Chinese whose ancestors came from the Quanzhou area, especially those in Southeast Asia, often speak mainly Hokkien at home. In Taiwan, the locals speak a version of the Minnan language which is called Taiwanese. Around the "triangle area," which includes Quanzhou, Xiamen and Zhangzhou, locals all speak Minnan languages. The dialects they speak are similar but have different intonations. It is analogous to the differences between American English and British English.

Economy

Quanzhou's Sunwu Creek

Historically, Quanzhou exported black tea, camphor, sugar, indigo, tobacco, ceramics, cloth made of grass, and some minerals. They imported, primarily from Guangzhou, wool cloth, wine, and watches, as of 1832. As of that time, the East India Company was exporting an estimated ₤150,000 a year in black tea from Quanzhou.

Quanzhou is a major exporter of agricultural products such as tea, 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 rate of private automobile possession.

Its GDP ranked first in Fujian Province for 20 years, from 1991 to 2010. In 2008, Quanzhou's textile and apparel production accounted for 10% of China's overall apparel production, the production of sport and tourism shoes accounts for 80% of Chinese, and 20% of world production, stone exports account for 50% of Chinese stone exports, resin handicraft exports account for 70% of the country's total, ceramic exports account for 67% of the country's total, and 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 textiles, Huian is famous for its stone, Quangang is famous for petrifaction, Dehua for Ceramics, Yongchun for Citrus, Anxi for wulong tea, Nan An for building materials, and Fengze for resin.

Transport

Street in Quanzhou

Quanzhou Railway Station

Quanzhou is an important transport hub within southeastern 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 Dynasty 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.

There is a passenger ferry terminal in Shijing, Nan'an, Fujian, with regular service to the Shuitou Port in the ROC-controlled Kinmen Island.

Air

Jinjiang Domestic Airport is Quanzhou region's airport, served by passenger flights within Fujian province and other destinations throughout the country.

Railway

Quanzhou has two kinds of railway service. The Zhangping–Quanzhou–Xiaocuo Railway, a "conventional" rail line opened ca. 2001, connects several cargo stations within Quanzhou Prefecture with the interior of Fujian and the rest of the country. Until 2014, this line also had passenger service, with fairly slow passenger trains from Beijing, Wuhan, and other places throughout the country terminating at the Quanzhou East Railway Station, a few kilometers northeast of the center of the city. Passenger service on this line was terminated, and Quanzhou East Railway Station closed on December 9, 2014.

Since 2010, Quanzhou is served by the high-speed Fuzhou–Xiamen Railway, part of the Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen High-Speed Railway, which runs along China's southeastern sea coast. High-speed trains on this line stop at Quanzhou Railway Station (in Beifeng Subdistrict of Fengze District, some 10 miles north of Quanzhou city center) and Jinjiang Railway Station. Trains to Xiamen take under 45 minutes, making it a convenient weekend or day trip. By 2015, direct high-speed service has become available to a number of cities in the country's interior, from Beijing to Chongqing and Guiyang.

Bus

Long-distance bus services also run daily/nightly to Shenzhen and other major cities.

Colleges and universities

• Huaqiao University (national)
• Yang-en University (private)
• Quanzhou Normal University (public)
• Quanzhou Medical College (public)
• Huguang Photography and Art College
• Liming Vocational University(public)

Culture

Kaiyuan Temple, Renshou Pagoda

Quanzhou is one of the twenty-four famous historic cultural cities first approved by the Chinese government.

• Liyuan Opera (梨园戏)
• Puppet Show (提线木偶戏)
• Gaojia Opera (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 (清源山) - 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.
• Kaiyuan Temple (开元寺) - A very old and famous pair of giant stone pagodas surrounded by temples and wonderful gardens and trees.
• Ashab Mosque (清净寺) - Said to date to 1009, it is thought to be one of the oldest Mosques in the world and the only one build in that century in China.
• Scholar Street (状元街) - Champion street about 500 meters long, elegant environment, mainly engaged in tourism and cultural crafts.

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 the city limits, crowned with an enormous equestrian statue of Zheng Chenggong.
• 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

• Dehua porcelain (德化瓷器)
• Huian stoneware (惠安石刻)
• Anxi Tieguanyin (安溪铁观音)
• Quanzhou Shaolin Five Ancestors Fist (泉州五祖拳)
• Yongchun martial arts

The city hosted the Sixth National Peasants' Games in 2008.

Quanzhou is also the birthplace of the actress Yao Chen.

Gallery

• 

  Mount Qingyuan Buddha

• 

  Quanzhou Tianhou temple

• 

  Quanzhou Buddhist Temple

References

• Brown, Bill (2004). Mystic Quanzhou: City of Light. Xiamen, China: Xiamen University Press.
• - collection of research papers

External links

• The Stones of Zayton speak from China Heritage Newsletter