Quanzhou, a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province, is located on the southeast coast of Fujian Province, bordering Fuzhou to the north, Xiamen to the south, and Taiwan, the treasure island, to the east. It has a subtropical maritime monsoon climate. The city has a land area of ??11,015 square kilometers and governs 4 districts, 3 county-level cities, 5 counties, Quanzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, and Quanzhou Taiwanese Investment Zone; its permanent population is approximately 8.58 million.

Quanzhou is one of the three central cities in Fujian Province that has been determined to become bigger and stronger. It is the first East Asian cultural capital in the country. It is the only starting point of the Maritime Silk Road recognized by UNESCO and is listed in the national The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Pioneer Zone of the “One Belt, One Road” strategy.

It is one of the first batch of historical and cultural cities, international garden cities, national garden cities, Chinese brand cities that move the world, the best commercial cities in mainland China, and the top 200 charming cities with Chinese characteristics in 2017.

The famous scenic spots in the territory include: Kaiyuan Temple, Fuwen Temple, Qingjing Temple, Tianhou Temple, Qingyuan Mountain, Cao'an, Qingshui Rock, etc.

1. Kaiyuan Temple

Yuan Temple is located on West Street, Licheng District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China. It is an important cultural relic on the southeast coast of China and the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province. The temple was founded in the second year of Chui Gong (686) in the early Tang Dynasty. It was first named Lianhua Daochang and was renamed Kaiyuan Temple in the twenty-sixth year of Kaiyuan (738). The main existing temples were built in the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a length of 260 meters from north to south and a width of 300 meters from east to west, covering an area of ??78,000 square meters. Kaiyuan Temple was listed as the second batch of national key cultural relics protection units in 1982 and a national 4A-level scenic spot.

The layout of Kaiyuan Temple, the central axis from south to north is: Ziyun Ping, Shanmen (Tianwang Hall), Baiting Pavilion, Main Hall, Manna Altar, and Sutra Pavilion. In the east wing there are Tanyue Temple, Quanzhou Buddhist Museum (Master Hongyi Memorial Hall), and Zhunti Zen Temple; in the west wing there are Anyangyuan, Gongde Hall, and Shuilu Temple; on the east and west sides of the worship pavilion in front of the Main Hall are the Zhenguo Pagoda and the Renshou Pagoda. The two stone pagodas are commonly known as the East and West pagodas.

2. Fuwen Temple

Beside the Baiyuanchuan Pool in Licheng District, Quanzhou City, also known as Fuxue, it was first built in the Tang Dynasty and moved to its current location in the early years of Taiping and Xingguo in the Song Dynasty (976-981 AD). It is a cultural relic protection unit in Fujian Province . The Confucian Temple has a grand architectural layout and magnificent temples. It is the largest Confucian temple complex in the south of the Yangtze River. Its architectural style is rare among the existing Confucius temples in the country.

3. Qingjing Temple

Quanzhou Qingjing Temple is the earliest existing Islamic building in my country and one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units announced by the State Council. The earliest and oldest existing Islamic temple with Arabic architectural style in my country. Located in the middle section of Tumen Street, Licheng District, it is a national key cultural relic protection unit.

4. Thean Hou Temple

Thean Hou Temple was built to worship the Queen of Heaven (Mazu). There are many Thean Hou Temples across the country, and their architectural forms are also full of flowers. Mazu is a descendant of the Jiumu Lin family in Putian, a prominent family in Fujian. His grandfather, Lin Fu, was an official in Fujian Province. His father, Lin Yuan (Wei Yin), was an official in the early Song Dynasty and was appointed as an inspector of the capital. Mazu is known as Mo Niang. She was intelligent and enlightened since she was a child. As an adult, she understood astronomy and medicine. According to legend, she could "cross the sea on a seat" and "speak to others to forgive them." He has done many good deeds and is deeply loved and respected by people.

5. Qingyuan Mountain

Qingyuan Mountain National Key Scenic Area consists of three large areas: Qingyuan Mountain, Jiuri Mountain, and Lingshan Holy Tomb, especially Laojun Rock, Thousand Hands Rock, Mituo Rock, and Bixiao The most famous scenic spots are Ruixiang Rock, Huru Spring, Nantai Rock, Qingyuan Cave, and Ci'en Rock.

The scenic spot is one of the eighteen scenic spots in Quanzhou and is also a national key scenic spot.

6. Cao'an

On the natural stone on the main wall of the temple, there is a circular Buddha picture carved, including a seated statue of Maniguang Buddha, 1.52 meters high and 0.83 meters wide. The stone is white granite, the face of the Buddha is diabase color, and the hands are pink stone color. It is a perfect match made in heaven. The Buddha statue has long hair shawl, a square face with arched eyebrows, large ears hanging down from the shoulders, and two long beards hanging down under the chin. Wearing a monk's robe with wide sleeves, no buttons, and a lapel knot hanging down in a butterfly shape, his hands are folded on the cross-legged legs, with the palms facing up. The background of the statue is engraved with wavy linear Buddha light. The image is well preserved and was used as the emblem of the First World Manichaean Symposium. On the mountain behind Cao'an, there were original cliff stone carvings such as "Wanshi Peak", "Jade Spring", and "Hundred Steps of Cloud Ladder"; on the stone mountain on the right side of Cao'an there were "Encouraging Pure Light, Powerful Wisdom, Supreme Truth, Mani Light Buddha" and so on. The incantation carved on the cliff unfortunately no longer exists because the rocks were extracted from the mountain. In recent years, a black-glazed bowl was excavated near Cao'an. The bottom of the bowl was inscribed with the words "Ming Church", which shows that Manichaeism in Quanzhou at that time had a unified scale of firing tableware. In front of the nunnery there are "Hermit Bridge", "Eight Phoenix Pond", "Millennium Ancient Cypress" and other beautiful scenery; behind the nunnery there are "Wanshi Peak", "Longquan Rock", "Yuquan" and other wonderful scenery.

7. Qingshuiyan

Qingshuiyan is located in Penglai Mountain northwest of Anxi County, Fujian Province. It was first built in the Northern Song Dynasty and has a history of more than 950 years. It is dedicated to Qingshui Patriarch, one of the hundred immortals. It is a national AAAA-level scenic spot and tourist area. It is a famous pilgrimage tourist destination at home and abroad. Qingshuiyan is the only rock temple in the country whose main hall is built in the shape of an "emperor". The scenic area has majestic pavilions and palaces, beautiful water and mountain scenery, and is dotted with cultural relics and historic sites. Among the existing cultural relics and historic sites, there are 29 from the Song Dynasty, 1 from the Yuan Dynasty, 8 from the Ming Dynasty, 5 from the Qing Dynasty, and 23 have been expanded in modern times. Together with the natural landscape created by nature, they form the fascinating "Penglai Wonderland".

Original author: Xiaolin MV

Part of the above pictures are from the Internet and match the description. Please forgive me if there is any misunderstanding.

Thank you everyone for reading, I hope it will be helpful to you on your trip!