Kaiyuan TempleQuanzhou lies northeast of Xiamen, facing Taiwan across the sea. It is one of the first famous historic and cultural cities listed by the State Council. Also known as "Hai Bin Zou Lu" (meaning coastal civilized city), Quanzhou is one if the three central cities in Fujian Province. The whole city covers an area of 11,015 square kilometers (or 2,721,865.77 acre), with a population of 7.74 million (Jinmen County not included). It is 154 kilometers (or 95.6911636 miles) from Fuzhou City, or about a 2 hours drive. The district number of Quanzhou is 0595, and the postal code is 362000.
Quanzhou is rich in history and culture, with a lot of places of historical interests and world-known cultural relics. In Quanzhou, there are 12 state protected historic sites, and 27 provincial heritage conservation units. Quanzhou is also known as "the Biggest Port in the Orient" and the starting point on the "Silk Road of the Sea". Since ancient times, different religions have been in harmony with each other, and eastern and western culture have gathered together. Particularly, Buddhism, Taoism and Manichaeism have had their influence here. Many of the religious relics are of great historic and artistic value, adding a unique cultural landscape to Quanzhou.
Weather
A line from a poem describes the characteristic climate of Quanzhou vividly. It says, "there are flowers all the year round with frequent rains; however, there is sometimes thunder without snow". The best months to visit Quanzhou are September, October and November every year.
December, January and February are winter in Quanzhou, with with an annual average temperature of 18 to 20 °C . The weather is usually cold and wet, with occasional snow and frost. This is not a good season for tourists. Summer arrives in May, and there are plum rains in May and June, bringing both poetic romance and mugginess to Quanzhou. July and August are the hottest times in Quanzhou with frequent storms and typhoons. However, the rain makes Quanzhou cooler and more refreshing.
Quanzhou has clear days starting in September. After October, autumn comes and the hot weather in Quanzhou becomes bearable. The clear weather usually lasts until November. This period of time is the best time for tourists.
History
Quanzhou, which was called "Citong" in the past, was the starting point of "The Silk Road of the Sea" in the Middle Ages. Quanzhou played an important role in the communication between eastern and western cultures. The marine traffic in Quanzhou began in the Southern Dynasties and developed throughout the Tang Dynasty. By the Song and Yuan dynasties, the port of Citong had reached its peak and was called "the Biggest Port in the Orient" by Marco Polo. Quanzhou at that time had become an economic and cultural center of the world. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, due to the seclusion policy of the government, business operated by official bodies decayed and private business rapidly emerged. Many people in Quanzhou migrated abroad and thus Quanzhou became a famous home town of overseas Chinese.
Quanzhou Restaurants
Chaofu City
The restaurant mainly serves Hong Kong style and Cantonese style dim sums (desserts including sweet and salty), and the most popular dim sums are shrimp dumplings (虾饺), crispy durian cake (榴莲酥) and steamed small meat buns in basket (小笼包). The restaurant is so popular in Quanzhou that customers might be waiting for a moment to get a seat during peak time.
- Chinese name: 朝福城 Chao Fu Cheng /chaoww foo chnng/
- Average price per person: 69 yuan
- Attributes: Family-friendly, business banquet
- Address: Baoshan Garden, Donghai Town, Fengze District (丰泽区东海镇宝珊花园)
An Family Hakkas' Restaurant
It is a very popular restaurant mainly serves Cantonese style dim sums. The recommended dishes are: chicken claws (凤爪), stewed pork ribs with taro (芋头炖排骨), Kakkas' style stuffed tofu with mashed pork (客家酿豆腐), crispy durian cake (榴莲酥), roast duck (片皮鸭), steamed vermicelli rolls wrapped with shrimp meat (虾米肠粉) and salty egg rolls (咸蛋卷). Customers are advised to book in advance, because the restaurant might have no seat during dinning time.
- Chinese name: 安记客家王 Anji Kejia Wang /an-jee ker-jyah-wung/
- Average price per person: 51 yuan
- Attribute: Family-friendly
- Address: Hisense Building, the Middle Section of Wenling Road (温陵路中段海信大楼)
- Tel: 0595-22280333
Shijin Home Style Dishes
It is a quite popular Fujian style restaurant in Quanzhou, and the recommended dishes are: Yi Tong Tian Xia (pettitoes are fried and then are stewed, 一桶天下), beef cooked in a lay pot (石锅牛肉, tasted very tender), rice wrapped in mustard leave (劫财饭) and Xihu water shield soup (西湖纯菜汤). The dinning environment is very nice; hence the restaurant is also a good place for feting business pattners.
- Chinese name: 食锦记私房菜 Shijin Ji Sifang Cai /shee-jn jee see-fung tseye/
- Average price per person: 60 yuan
- Attributes: Family-friendly, Romantic, business banquet
- Address: 108 Jingyuan Pavilion, Qian Ban, Fengze District (丰泽区前坂静远阁108号)
- Tel: 0595-28076888