Quanzhou Introduction

Quanzhou lies in the southeast of Fujian Province and on the north bank of the Jin River. The district has a population of 6 million - with a mere 500 000 living in the municipal area. It is today one of the 24 cities protected by the State Council as a historical monument.

The city of Quanzhou was founded as early as 718AD. While other areas of China were still undeveloped, the "Coraltree City" (old name for Quanzhou,) had already grown into one of the world's biggest sea ports in the Tang Dynasty - thanks to its deep natural harbour and strategic position in relation to the islands of Taiwan, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia.

In the Song and Yuan Dynasties (10 - 14th centuries) the city saw its peak and was the biggest trade center doing business with over 100 countries. It was known as the starting point of the "Maritime Silk Road" and was the departure port for Marco Polo, when he went back to Europe. He refers to it as "Zayton" (or Zaitun or Zaiton, which is derived from the Arab word for olive - a symbol of peace and prosperity) and described it as "one of the largest and most commodious ports of the world".

At that time, the city was a metropolis by world standard. Traders, missionaries and fortune-seekers from all over the world settled there - tens of thousands of Arabs and Persians alone. It became a center of the Islamic, Hindu, and Manichean faiths in China, as well as the site of important Buddhist and Taoist temples. It is thought that the Arabs of Quanzhou were responsible for introducing the Chinese inventions of the compass, gunpowder and printing to the West.

The city's decline began in the fourteenth century with the anti-trade policies of the Ming dynasty. The city started to suffer from the effects of overcrowding and a decaying harbour. By the nineteenth century, Quanzhou was eclipsed by its neighbours, Xiamen to the South and Fuzhou to the North, both "treaty ports" which expanded during the era of European colonialism.

As its commercial fortunes waned, Quanzhou's importance as a place of departure for many Chinese families increased. Millions of Overseas Chinese have their roots in Quanzhou. An estimated 40% or more of Taiwan's Han ethnic population trace their ancestry back here. The government and the residents of Quanzhou still enjoy many valuable connections to overseas Chinese communities. The close connection has given Quanzhou new investment, new tourists and above all, new hope.