Day 1 Quanzhou Tianhou Temple → Tumen Street → West Street → Kaiyuan Temple
All day
Meet up at 9:00-9:20 | Starting point of the Maritime Silk Road
Meet at Quanzhou Tianhou Temple. Our journey begins at the two major World Heritage sites: Tianhou Temple and Dejimen Ruins.
The ruins before us are an open-air museum of the history of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. It was here that Quanzhou's ancestors, known for their perseverance, first prayed to Mazu before sailing through Deji Gate, pioneering the Maritime Silk Road. Every spring and summer, foreign merchants also arrived in Quanzhou from here, forming the "Quannan Fanfang," a Song and Yuan dynasty 'free trade zone.'
11:00 AM | Museum of World Religions
The huge Quanzhou Confucian Temple complex in the southeast, the ancient Islamic Qingjing Mosque founded by Arab Muslims in China, the Guanyue Temple with its exquisite porcelain cuts and popular incense, and the Huaqiao Tzu Chi Temple next to the ancient customs office of the Song and Yuan dynasties - religious buildings of various faiths are almost all on the same street, less than a hundred steps apart; this street is also home to a large number of old-fashioned delicacies (old shops), where you can eat until you lean against the wall
2:00 PM | An Alley Encountering the Ancient City
In the afternoon, we wandered the streets and alleys. We encountered an old Quanzhou native telling stories at a Minnan ancient house teahouse on Houcheng Street. We then visited Jinyu Lane to experience three flavors of radish sour. We played a puppet in Tongzheng Lane and visited the City Center Tower, the center of Quanzhou's ancient city, in Jingting Lane. We also visited Bai Yansong's message wall at Xiaoxicheng in Pei Lane.
15:30 | Kaiyuan Temple East and West Pagodas
This is Quanzhou's landmark: the Tang Dynasty's ancient mulberry and lotus trees, the Northern Song Dynasty's Ganlu Ordination Altar, and the Southern Song Dynasty's East and West Pagodas are all perfectly preserved. Local experts will help you discover flying musicians, sphinxes, and ancient Hindu artifacts you might not otherwise find. Uncover the architectural structure of the thousand-year-old stone pagodas that have survived earthquakes, and discover the many differences between the twin stone pagodas. Your tour guide will lead you to the East and West Pagodas, where the filming of "Black Myth: Wukong" was filmed, and you'll find the elusive Great Xuanzang and Little Wukong, as well as Monkey King and Little Tang Monk, who predate the original "Journey to the West" by 300 years.
End time: 16:30-17:00 (due to the hot summer weather, the itinerary will be provided with 2 free transfers by minibus)
Afterwards, you can head to the rooftop to check out the East and West Towers, then continue your evening out to find food on West Street and explore the pedestrian street (surprises await in the alleys on both sides).
Unlock delicious food
[Noodle Soup] There are hundreds of noodle soup stalls in Quanzhou, each with its own flavor. The one we are about to visit is a nearly 30-year-old shop, known in the industry as "sticky but not mushy, clear but not turbid, delicious and tasty, with a fragrant aroma."
Yuanxiao Yuan (Chinese Yuanxiao) is a must-try dish when visiting Quanzhou. The aroma of crushed peanuts and sesame seeds fills your mouth with a delicate and sweet flavor. This shop has been passed down to the fourth generation, and the flavor has remained the same.
[Agar-agar] This is a refreshing drink that can replace milk tea locally. It is made by boiling agar-agar and cooling it into a jelly-like state. It is then topped with taro balls, watermelon, and pineapple. It makes a full bowl. It is so cold and satisfying when you take a bite.
[Ma Ci] Different from Ma Ci in other places, Quanzhou's Ma Ci is wrapped with black sesame seeds and broken cakes, and sprinkled with soybean powder on the outside, with a very rich taste.
[Beef Soup] The restaurant we chose is an old shop that has been open for more than 30 years. Beef soup is the store's signature dish. It is smooth, tender and chewy.
[Roasted Pork Zongzi] A delicacy that Quanzhou people have enjoyed since childhood. Since we arrived near evening, I recommend checking in as you please. (Some dishes are large in portion, so to allow everyone to taste more variety, some dishes require sharing and have been highlighted.)
