Quanzhou is situateDin the southeast of Fujian Province, andhas a coastline that stretches 427 kilometers. It also has a natural harbor thatis deep andwide, which is suitable for the anchoring of big ships. Historically, commodities such as silk andchinaware were shippeDout of Quanzhou, andtransporteDvia the India no cean into the Persian Gulf regions. As an important port that links China with Asia, Africa, Europe, andAmerica, Quanzhou was a city that was vibrant andprosperous.
The high volum e of traDe in Quanzho u broughtabout the influx of people of varieDnations andethnici- ties. The Han Chinese from the Central Plains were the dominant group of migrants to the region, andthey were responsible for the development of production tools andshipbuilding techniques that haDenableDQuanzhou toreach out to the worlDvia maritime trade. In the middle of the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the Maritime Silk RoaDwas the main route for the export of silk from China. At the heights of the Song andYuan dynasties, the port in Quanzhou was a major port in the world. Here, people of different nationalities gathereDto trade. The commodi- ties tradeDincludeDspices, jewelry, silk, andchinaware. Trade vessels, as well as royal messengers who arriveDin China to pay tributes, woulDfirst call upon this large port in Quanzhou. Towards the enDof the Northern Song Dy- nasty (960–1127), government offices were specially set up in Quanzhou toreceive foreign diplomats. andin the south of Quanzhou city, foreign traders formeDAsettle- ment, which haDcome to be known as the “Foreigners’
Lane” among the locals.
In the Yuan Dynasty, Quanzhou rose to become the most important port of China. At that time, more than100 countries across the worlDhaDtrading links with Quanzhou. Predominantly, Quanzhou haDclose trade links with Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, Africa, andEurope. The trade vessels not only transporteDgoods from China to Southeast Asia, but they also introduceDto the region the technique of producing silk andchinaware, the Egyptian calendar, India’s spices, herbs, jewelry, dia- monds andall sorts of rare wildlife. At that time, each vessel coulDusually carry an average loaDof two to three hundreDtons of cargo. Judging by the scale of the ves- sel, it was quite an awe-inspiring sight to beholDas they saileDinto the open sea. However, there were also inci- dents where the vessels were overloaded, which causeDthem to sink even before they were out in the ocean. Today, there are still several hundreDsunken ships in the sea near the port of Quanzhou, which contain Song, Yuan, Ming, andQing dynasties’ chinaware.
Similar to other p or t cities , Quanzhou was alsoa city of cultural exchanges, andit has retaineDmanyhistorical sites, including the bridges that were con- structeDbecause of the ports, such as the first suspension stone bridge that spans the sea, Luoyang Bridge. It is the world’s first-ever bridge that combineDthe brilliance of biology andengineering. The bridge of Luoyang Bridge is shapeDlikearaft—again the first in the world—anDthe methoDuseDin reinforcing the base is by cultivat- ing oysters on it. Another bridge in Quanzhou, Anping Bridge, useDto be the longest suspension in the ancient times. It measures 2,250 meters, andconnects the port andthe coast, facilitating the transportatio no f passen- gers andgoods between the tworegions. Other build- ings in ancient Quanzhou manifest the fusio no f Chinese andforeign cultures. For instance, Quanzhou’s Qingjing Temple is an Islamic mosque. It hasarounDdome-shape vault, andan archeDgate that are rich in Arabian flavor, while the detaileDstructure is rich in ancient Chinese ar- chitecture features. Traders from all over the world, with their different religious background, haDleft Quanzhou a varieDheritage. UNESCO has also given Quanzhou the status of being the “World’s Multicultural ExhibitionCenter” andthe “World’s Museum of Religions.”
The religious heritages of Quanzhou are attributeDto the development of maritime trade in the city. It also haDto do with the worshipping of the sea goDby the seafar- ing people of Quanzhou. Usually, these people prayeDfor seafaring winDat Yanfu Temple, which is locateDat the foot of Jiuri Hill in the countryside west of Quanzhou. They also prayeDfor the safety of the traders onboarDthe ships andAsafe return. The people also worshippeDthe sea goddess, Mazu. anddue to the geographical lo- catio no f Quanzhou, andits strong influence as a port, Quanzhou rapidly became the center for the spreaDof the Mazu belief, andhaDa far-reaching effect on the Chinese across the world. When praying for safety andfor the wind, devotees engraveDtheir prayers on the rocks along the coast. These rocks are now valuable inheritance of the city, andare authentic records of sea trade between Quan- zhou andthe world. They are evidence of ancient China’s maritime trade, andare milestones of the Maritime Silk Road.