Day 1: All over the country → → Quanzhou ★ Gathering day
All day
Itinerary presentation
Quanzhou, the bright city described by Marco Polo, is the city of Citong with red flowers and the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. But when you actually come to Quanzhou, you will find a tile with cloud patterns, a bowl of satisfying noodle soup, and a plaque under the arcade. The city is small but full of surprises.
丨Gathering Day/ First Sight of the Millennium Carp City
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Free 24-hour airport pick-up station
Today is the meeting day. Tourists from all over the country can make their own way to Quanzhou High-Speed Railway Station, Jinjiang Airport, or Jinjiang High-Speed Railway Station. Upon arrival, your driver-guide will greet you at the airport/station with a sign, and then your Southern Fujian tour will begin.
Visit Kaiyuan Temple/The ethereal sound of Zen in the ancient Buddhist city
The Buddhist nation's reputation has long been celebrated, its mulberry and lotus offering unique sounds of Zen. On West Street in Quanzhou, a Buddhist temple embodies a multicultural fusion, a unique masterpiece of Buddhist architecture in ancient East Asia. This is the Kaiyuan Temple, built over 1,300 years ago during the Tang Dynasty. Some say a visit to Quanzhou without visiting the Kaiyuan Temple is like a trip to Xi'an without visiting the Terracotta Warriors. Besides devoutly worshipping the Buddha here, visitors can also take photos alongside the red walls, creating a unique "mini-Forbidden City" atmosphere.
丨The bustling atmosphere of West Street/Share the charm of Southern Fujian with the locals
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Special arrangement of coffee or tea from a popular cafe
Then, we arrived at the perfect time to visit West Street, a microcosm of the ancient city of Quanzhou. It boasts the city's central landmark, a fusion of Southern Fujian and European styles: the Bell Tower, and the popular Xiaoxicheng check-in spot, where you'll find the popular saying: Quanzhou is a city you must visit at least once in your lifetime. There are also authentic snacks scattered throughout the area, which are worth savoring slowly.
Accommodation presentation
High-end hotel: Crowne Plaza Quanzhou Riverside, rated five diamonds by online reviews, two-night stay
The hotel is located in the Jiangnan New District of Licheng, adjacent to the beautiful Jinjiang. The "Modern Business Hotel" rooms and serviced apartments offer views of the prosperity of the ancient city and the new district, while enjoying the tranquility of the "riverside" when you enter. Surrounded by commercial complexes, business offices and leisure shopping are easily accessible, and the geographical location is very advantageous.
Optional upgrade: Qixu Bell Tower Hotel, rated five diamonds by online reviews (rooms are limited, upgrades are at your own expense)
Located in the heart of Quanzhou's ancient city, the hotel, designed by Chinese designer Xie Ke, is a member of the global Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) brand. Its brand, Qixu Kaipuu, means "longing," expressing a strong yearning for places never visited. Formerly the historic Bell Tower Department Store, the hotel overlooks the city's East and West Towers and stands proudly in the heart of the city. The standalone building houses several guest rooms, a boutique, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, an outdoor garden restaurant, a corner bar, and multi-functional meeting rooms.
Day 2 Full-day tour of Quanzhou Ancient City
All day
Itinerary presentation
Quanzhou, a city steeped in history for millennia, boasts many titles: the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, a museum of world religions, and one of the first cultural capitals of East Asia. Its unique cultural heritage captivates countless visitors. Today, we'll explore the old town on a Licheng City Walk, exploring its past and present.
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Specially arranged cultural tours to give you a comprehensive understanding of Quanzhou City
丨Maritime Museum/Recalling the prosperous past of Citong Port
In the morning, we first visited the Maritime Museum, a museum dedicated to the history of ancient overseas transportation and the economic and cultural exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road. Centered on the history of Citong, the largest port in the Orient during the Middle Ages, the museum vividly recreates my country's long and glorious maritime culture through a wealth of unique maritime artifacts, showcasing the Chinese nation's significant contribution to the development of the Maritime Silk Road. The museum showcases numerous world-renowned treasures, including national treasures such as Song Dynasty shipwrecks, porcelain, anchors, and religious stone carvings. There are also over 200 representative ship models from various Chinese waters throughout history, as well as numerous artifacts reflecting the folk customs and culture of overseas transportation.
丨Enjoy local food customs/check in at the same restaurant as the "sisters"
For lunch, we'll have a meal at the exquisite antique restaurant [Bolu Fanzilou], the same restaurant featured in the variety show "Sisters Riding the Wind and Waves"; or we can go to the traditional restaurant with a strong sense of fireworks and order the signature Zhongji Salt-Roasted Ginger Duck.
Cultural Fusion/Multi-religious Relics Gather in Quanzhou
Every three steps, there's a temple; every five steps, a Buddhist temple. With the development of ancient Quanzhou's overseas trade, numerous world religions were introduced to the city by land and sea, fostering Quanzhou's open, diverse, and inclusive religious culture. Our guide will lead us to Tumen Street in the old city. Here, you'll find the Qingjing Mosque, China's oldest surviving mosque; the Tianhou Temple, dedicated to the Mazu cult in southern Fujian; the popular Guanyue Temple; and the Wenmiao Temple, a representative example of Confucian architecture. With ancient temples just a few steps away, this area truly deserves to be called a "World Religions Museum"!
丨Appreciate Quanzhou Nanyin/The ancient charm of southern Fujian under the dongxiao and pipa
Nanyin, the memory of a city, carries the profound charm of millennia of cultural heritage. Like a melodious ancient tune, it transcends time and touches the heartstrings. The singer's voice, as clear and uninterrupted as a stream, captures the emotions and tears woven into ancient stories. Each performance is a spiritual journey, allowing people to experience the passage of time and the inheritance of culture.
Accommodation presentation
Stay in a high-end hotel: Crowne Plaza Quanzhou Riverside, rated five diamonds by online reviews.
The hotel is located in the Jiangnan New District of Licheng, adjacent to the beautiful Jinjiang. The "Modern Business Hotel" rooms and serviced apartments offer views of the prosperity of the ancient city and the new district, while enjoying the tranquility of the "riverside" when you enter. Surrounded by commercial complexes, business offices and leisure shopping are easily accessible, and the geographical location is very advantageous.
Optional upgrade: Qixu Bell Tower Hotel, rated five diamonds by online reviews (rooms are limited, upgrades are at your own expense)
Located in the heart of Quanzhou's ancient city, the hotel, designed by Chinese designer Xie Ke, is a member of the global Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) brand. Its brand, Qixu Kaipuu, means "longing," expressing a strong yearning for places never visited. Formerly the historic Bell Tower Department Store, the hotel overlooks the city's East and West Towers and stands proudly in the heart of the city. The standalone building houses several guest rooms, a boutique, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, an outdoor garden restaurant, a corner bar, and multi-functional meeting rooms.
Day 3 Quanzhou → Jinjiang
All day
Itinerary presentation
丨Entering Xiapu Village/Walking between red bricks and oyster shells
If Quanzhou is the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and Xiapu Village is its departure port, the village has witnessed the bustling passage of countless merchant ships. The oyster shells, the ballast left behind on their return journeys, also marked the beginning of a new journey. Savvy villagers use these shells as a building material to build walls. The interlocking shells create a staggered, fish-scale-like pattern, and against the surrounding red brick walls, the vibrant red and white create vibrant colors, creating a series of beautiful patterns.
丨Become a Xiapu girl again/Experience the sky garden of hair accessories
With their hair in a bun with flowers, red hem robes, and wooden clogs, the "Xiepu women," a cultural symbol of Xiepu Village, are renowned for their distinctive fishing style. They style their hair in a conch shell, wear an ivory hairpin, and garland their hair with fresh flower buds, creating a vibrant spring garden. We'll show you how to style your hair like a hanging garden and become a fashionable Xiepu woman.
丨Nostalgia for Wulin Village/Life in Southeast Asia in the Time Tunnel
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Arrange cultural tours and listen to the homesickness of overseas Chinese in southern Fujian
Wulin Village boasts over 600 years of history. Here, a crisscross of traditional houses and Western-style buildings creates a vibrant, century-old architectural museum reminiscent of a pristine village. Traditional red-brick houses, Gothic-style architecture, elegant and vibrant dovetail roofs, courtyards with water flowing through four main halls, and the ingenious design of open and concealed rooms, all preserved here. Each of these Minnan houses, foreign-style buildings, and Western-style residences tells a story about overseas Chinese, embodying the ideals of life for all Chinese. As the saying goes, "Wulin Village is half the history of overseas Chinese."
Accommodation presentation
Suyinshe Hotel: Qingpu Cultural Inn (Jinjiang Wulin), rated four diamonds by online reviews, Youning Twin/Double Room
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Free hotel kitchen dinner
Backed by Shigu Mountain and facing Wuyan Creek, this ancient village boasts over 600 years of history. Here, traditional houses and Western-style buildings intertwine, and architectural and ethnic histories intertwine. Stepping into this village is like stepping into a century-old, pristine village-style architectural museum. Continuing Tsingpu's consistent site selection criteria, the hotel is located in the heart of the village, offering both sunny and rainy weather, and offering stunning views in all seasons. It embodies the ideal lifestyle of nearly every Chinese person. Staying in this courtyard, sipping tea, listening to the rain, and observing the seasons is the perfect choice.
Day 4 Jinjiang → Nanjing
All day
Itinerary presentation
丨Yunshuiyao Ancient Town/The God's Tower in the same style as the movie
After breakfast, we departed Quanzhou and headed for Yunshuiyao Ancient Town, the filming location of the movie "Yunshuiyao." Approaching the ancient village, a thousand-year-old cobblestone road lay quietly beside a stream. The stones, rubbed smooth and round by the footsteps of pedestrians, are said to have been the only way from Longyan to Zhangzhou in the early days. This area is blessed with pristine mountains and clear waters, and its millennia of history have shaped clusters of ancient banyan trees. The long, winding paths, swaying waterwheels, and flowing bridges create a natural, idyllic scene. Yunshuiyao Ancient Town boasts over fifty well-preserved earthen buildings, the most famous of which are Hegui Tower and Huaiyuan Tower. The former, built on a swamp, is known as "the most unique building in the world," while the latter is the best-preserved double-ring circular earthen building in Fujian.
Accommodation presentation
Suyinshe Hotel: Qingpu Cultural Inn (Nanjing Tulou) , Ctrip Five-Diamond ♦♦♦♦♦, Wuxiang Mountain View Room
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Free dinner from the hotel's kitchen and welcome fruit on the first day of stay
The inn is a cultural inn converted from five century-old earth buildings. It allows guests to deeply experience the moving Hakka culture in a "World Cultural Heritage" while preserving the true nature of Hakka life: sky, mountains, fields, and water. The landscape fully respects the architectural entities of the earth buildings and the natural environment of the village. The surrounding roads, rivers, and streets have been restored to their original state, and multiple experience spaces in the courtyard have been expanded, harmoniously blending traditional Hakka cultural concepts with modern lifestyles to present the pure Hakka life to guests.
Day 5 Hotel → Tianluokeng Tulou → Xiamen ★ Dismissal Day
All day
Itinerary presentation
丨Immersive vacation/experience the resort's unique arts and cultural activities
The flow of overseas Chinese merchants in Southern Fujian has fostered its cultural diversity. A key feature of staying in Tsingpu is the local arts and cultural experience. Tsingpu Hotel has hired local intangible cultural heritage inheritors, artisans, and artists as cultural mentors to share with guests the profound cultural charm of Southern Fujian, including artisanal earthen buildings, Hakka bamboo weaving, wild tea-drinking, Hakka sour orange tea making, and Hakka glutinous rice cakes. [Special note: Please note that the arts and cultural activities you choose are subject to the hotel's schedule and will be held from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.]
Tianluokeng Tulou/A Tulou Tells the Story of a Family
[Yeshebang VIP Privileges] Arrange cultural tours and listen to interesting stories about Tulou
Tianluokeng Tulou, a small Hakka settlement of the Huang clan, consists primarily of a square building, three round buildings, and an oval building. Built according to the Five Elements (gold, wood, water, fire, and earth), they perfectly embody the Eastern philosophical concept of "harmony between man and nature" and the architectural principles of Feng Shui. The complex comprises five large earthen dwellings, a central square building surrounded by three round buildings and an oval building. These buildings follow the undulating terrain, forming a unique and beautifully arranged complex. Due to its unique architectural composition, Luo Zhewen, head of the Chinese Ancient Architecture Protection Expert Group, has called it a "world architectural wonder" and many tourists have nicknamed it "four dishes and one soup."
丨Farewell on the disbanding day/Looking forward to seeing you again
After your visit to the Tulou, your wonderful journey concludes. We will escort you to Xiamen High-Speed Railway Station or Xiamen Gaoqi Airport around 4:00 PM. We recommend booking a flight after 6:00 PM. If you're staying in Xiamen, we will escort you to your hotel. We look forward to meeting you again on your next trip to Yeshebang.
