Day 1: All over the country → Quanzhou ★ Gathering Day
All day
Upon arrival, all tourists should check in at the designated hotel after 2:00 PM. Please report your China-Travel Note + name at the hotel front desk. You will then be free to move around. Please keep your belongings safe and take care of yourself.
Recommended attractions
1. [Xiapu Village]: This in-depth cultural activity does not include visiting popular check-in spots. Those who want to visit the oyster shell house and experience the hairpin flower wearing and changing clothes at the birthplace of hairpin flowers can go there on their own (about a 15-minute drive)
2. Night Tour of West Street/Bell Tower/Zhongshan Middle Road: This area has been a symbol of Quanzhou's prosperity since the Song Dynasty. Today, it remains bustling and offers a variety of traditional snacks.
DON'T!!!
This tour includes an in-depth lecture at the Overseas Transportation History Museum and several interactive intangible cultural heritage experiences. Please be careful to avoid the locations involved during your free travel.
Food recommendations
Noodle soup, rice dumplings, agar-agar paste, steak, vinegar pork
Traffic Tips
Quanzhou Station is very close to the city center, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs about 30 yuan. Quanzhou South Station and Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport are about 20 kilometers from the city center, about a 50-minute drive. Quanzhou East Station is about 20 kilometers from the city center, about a 40-minute drive.
Day 2 Quanzhou → Overseas Transportation History Museum → Marionettes → Fuwen Temple → Qingjing Mosque → Tonghuai Guanyu Temple → Wuzuquan Experience → Hotel
All day
1. The first stop of this cultural tour is titled: Living by the Sea (approximately 2 hours of in-depth lecture)
A maritime museum, half of Quanzhou's history: We are opening the national treasure [Quanzhou Overseas Transportation History Museum]. A well-known lecturer in the local life circle will use lively and interesting interactive explanations to lead everyone to absorb knowledge in a pleasant atmosphere, allowing the originally cold exhibits to tell warm stories.
Dream of the Splendor of Citong: Recreating the Splendor of the Song and Yuan Dynasties: Quanzhou’s version of “Along the River During the Qingming Festival”, Dream of the Splendor of Citong, meticulously depicts the boundless prosperity of Quanzhou City a thousand years ago. Following the merchant ships loaded with imported goods arriving at Citong Port, we step into the market scene step by step, and feel why Marco Polo compared Quanzhou to Alexandria’s “City of Light”!
The Living Room of the Gods: Religious Stone Carvings: When Eastern and Western civilizations meet here, different religions and beliefs have coexisted in tolerance for thousands of years. Stone carvings of various shapes lead you into a mysterious world of faith composed of cloud patterns, angels, lotus flowers, necklaces, monkey gods, goddesses, and cheerful elephants.
2. After lunch, enjoy a special experience for tourists: the intangible cultural heritage puppet show (approximately 70 minutes indoor activity)
Puppetry Culture Lecture: Why is there puppetry in Quanzhou? When did it begin to flourish, and how does it relate to religious diversity? Besides string puppetry, there's also hand puppetry, known as glove puppetry.
String Puppet Show: Teachers from the Quanzhou String Puppet Troupe will perform classic plays such as "Zhong Kui Gets Drunken" and "The Little Monk Descends the Mountain" - compared to the puppet troupe's "large" theater, tourists can experience the charm of the performance more closely;
Interactive hands-on experience: Ask questions to the teacher with curiosity, interact with the teacher, take photos with the cute puppets, and operate the puppets yourself to see who can avoid tangling the strings
3. Second stop theme: Half City Immortal (approximately 2 hours of in-depth lecture)
An open-air museum of world religions: Confucianism [Fuwen Temple], Islam [Qingjing Mosque] and Taoism [Guanyue Temple] are lined up in a row.
We can understand why this provincial-level Confucian temple has ritual specifications that are second only to those of the Imperial College National Temple in Beijing and the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong; understand the Arabic inscriptions on the stone carvings at the ruins of the thousand-year-old temple that are related to Quanzhou in the Song and Yuan dynasties; learn the incense-burning ceremony with southern Fujian characteristics, and burn 24 "incense sticks" to Guan Erye, the "God of Wealth and War". If you are interested, you can also experience the special game of throwing divination blocks to ask for fortunes.
Compared to other regular itineraries, following the expert teacher, we can also encounter the former residence of the Princess of Ceylon from the Ming Dynasty to the present, the cloaked stone lions of the Zushigong Temple, explore what "listening to incense" is, and learn the truth about Quanzhou's "Ghost Market" (you can explore it on your own from Friday morning to Saturday daytime)
4. Towards evening, the second special experience for tourists will be the intangible cultural heritage [Five Ancestors Boxing] (approximately 40 minutes outdoor activity)
Wuzuquan, a representative style of the Southern Fist branch of Chinese martial arts, traces its origins to the heyday of the Tang Dynasty and encompasses five styles: "Bodhidharma," "Taizu," "Arhat," "Xingzhe," and "White Crane." A Quanzhou Wuzuquan instructor will personally explain its origins, development, and Quanzhou tradition, demonstrating the techniques and providing practical self-defense tips for tourists.
Day 3 Quanzhou → Kaiyuan Temple → Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience → Ancient Streets → Hotel
·morning
1. Theme of the third stop: Quannan Buddhist Kingdom
Zhu Xi said, "This ancient city is a Buddhist kingdom, and the streets are filled with saints." Follow the expert teacher to the Kaiyuan Temple, the leader of the gods' human office. You will regret missing even a detail. (Approximately 2.5 hours of in-depth lecture)
Landmark | Millennium East and West Pagodas: These are the tallest existing twin ancient stone pagodas in China. Follow the famous instructor to unlock the architectural secrets of their structure, having survived two magnitude 8 earthquakes, and experience how the twin towers became the spiritual belief of the ancient Quanzhou people who survived the ruins. Vivid explanations bring the stone sculptures, each with its own unique expressions, to life, as if they were moving. You won't be able to discover them on your own, including the sword-wielding Sun Wukong, the male Guanyin, the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, and the tower-bearing warrior who has been 'eating melon seeds for a thousand years'. This is also the filming location for Black Myth: Wukong, where you can unlock the stories behind Xuanzang and Little Wukong, Monkey King and Young Tang Monk, who predate the original Journey to the West by 300 years.
Tangmi in Han Chinese | Mulberries and Peaches Blooming into Lotuses: Legends aside, thousand-year-old mulberry trees can indeed produce mulberries. The original 'owner' of this ancient temple, whose descendants became Jinshi, accounts for one-tenth of Quanzhou's history. Overseas Chinese who went to Southeast Asia contributed nearly 30% of the ten largest villas on Gulangyu Island. The temple is not only a rare Tantric Buddhist institution in Han Chinese, with flying musicians unlike any other in any grottoes, but also incorporates relics of Yuan Dynasty Hindu temples: sphinx reliefs and ancient Brahman blue pillars.
2. After lunch, we will have our third special experience for tourists: [Huo Ding Gong Po/Nan Yin] (approximately 1 hour of indoor activities and two experiences)
The Huo Ding Gong Po (fire tripod mother-in-law and mother-in-law) is a Quanzhou folk parade. Its passionate and humorous dance routines, coupled with the interactive nature of the intangible cultural heritage performers, have made it a popular folk performance. To make the "Huo Ding Po" look even more realistic and comical, the intangible cultural heritage teacher not only applies heavy makeup but also adds two "spider" moles, symbolizing "contentment is happiness." She also wears exaggerated flowers and wide-sleeved, wide-legged blouses and pants. With a wave of a cattail leaf fan and a dance move, she instantly transforms into the playful "Huo Ding Po."
Nanyin: Originating in the Jin and Tang dynasties, Nanyin, with its millennium-old cultural heritage and rich history, is one of China’s extant ancient musical genres. It is known as the “living fossil” of Chinese folk music and is one of the UNESCO masterpieces of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
3Theme of the fourth stop: Fireworks of the world
Avoid the surging crowds on the main streets and take a City Walk through the alleys (approximately 2 hours).
Listen to the expert teacher explain the unique Minnan culture in simple terms: the county name, hall name, and shop boundary system. Don't worry about being able to recognize the characters but not being able to read them, as long as you can understand Chinese, you can understand them; there are palm-sized wind lions, number one stone talismans, brick-in-stone walls, ten thousand characters continuous walls, and hanging fish and water beasts that you can't find by wandering around; accidentally stumble into the super quiet Fanzilou, which is separated from the bustling West Street by a wall, and admire the beautiful Minnan flower tiles.
Day 4 Hotel → Luoyang Bridge → Cao'an Temple → Yongning Ancient City → Luojia Temple → Shishi City Hotel
·morning
1. Theme of the Fifth Stop: The Human World
Follow our instructor to the Luoyang Bridge, the earliest sea-crossing stone bridge known as the "First Bridge in China," and learn why it "stands like the East and West Pagodas, lies like the Luoyang Bridge," symbolizing the Quanzhou people's spirit of "staying true to their roots" and "being open-minded." (Approximately 30 minutes by car, approximately 2 hours of in-depth instruction)
Step into History | Unlocking Three Architectural Wonders: Unlike other tour groups, we first visited the ancestral hall of bridge builder Cai Xiang (one of the "Four Masters of the Song Dynasty" along with Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu), then explored the Earth God Temple carved into the rock before ascending this thousand-year-old bridge. We uncovered the architectural secrets of this one of China's four great ancient bridges and marveled at the mastery of physics and biology by this virtuous scholar, ensuring that both the bridge and its East and West Towers remained intact despite a major earthquake.
2. In the afternoon, we bid farewell to the ancient city of Quanzhou and follow the historical timeline from the Song and Yuan Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty to the only remaining Persian Manichaeism site in the world, [Cao'an] (30 minutes by car, about 1 hour tour)
In Jin Yong's novels, Manichaeism is also known as the Ming Cult (the one that sieged Guangmingding): this religion, introduced from Persia and Iran during the Tang Dynasty, took root here, protected by Buddhism and Taoism, embodying Quanzhou's full tolerance for religious diversity. The Manichaeism stone statue of Guang Buddha, with its youthful appearance and body, boasts long hair and a beard, carved entirely from natural rock, yet boasts a pale face, pale hands, and white robes. Jin Yong once stood before this statue, gazing at it for a long time, and said, "The existence of the Ming Cult is confirmed by historical evidence; it is definitely not something I fabricated."
3. Yongning Ancient City, a city that fought against Japanese invaders from the Song and Yuan Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty (45-minute drive, approximately 1-hour tour): Spanning over 600 years, the ancient streets are still full of life. Yongning Old Street, a long bluestone-paved alley that runs through the city's east-west axis, is also known as "Pobel Street," symbolizing successive rises. Stroll through it and experience the simple past of the Fujian frontier. The ancient city is perhaps best known for its Fanzilou, each of which tells the legendary story of its owner's journey to Southeast Asia. Many of the building materials were brought back from Southeast Asia, creating a variety of unique and auspicious designs. The totems and ingenious designs of the old city are vivid: the gargoyles and chandelier beasts are lifelike, the bricks are embedded in the stone, and a unique Fujian-style wall-building, which the locals call "gold wrapped in silver," is said to be a tradition formed by folk craftsmen using rubble to rebuild after the Wanli earthquake in the Ming Dynasty. Another interesting thing about the old city is that the City God Temple, Guandi Temple, Guowengong Temple, Tianhou Temple, Bao Gong Temple, General Temple, Yan Gong Temple, Tudi Temple, Zhenwu Hall, ancestral halls of various surnames, Buddhist temples, mosques, and Christian churches are all scattered throughout the city. The international tolerance allows diverse cultures to collide and spark brilliant sparks here.
4. In the evening, arrive at Luojia Temple, a Buddhist kingdom on the sea and sky: "A temple on the sea, overlooking the sea from the temple, a Buddhist kingdom on one side, a human world on the other," and witness a sunset over the sea (approximately 1 hour)
5. Today we are staying in Shishi (about a 30-minute drive). At night, we recommend visiting Bagua Old Street to experience the authentic local delicacies: Chenghuang Street, Dalun Street, Tangfang Street, and Maiyu Street... Any inconspicuous shop you pick out is more than ten years old; compared to the popular Quanzhou Ancient City, the snacks here still maintain their original appearance.
Day 5 Shishi City Hotel → Shishi Jingsheng Villa → Wulin Ancient Village → Quanzhou Station ★ Dismissal Day
All day
1. In the morning, head to Jingsheng Villa in Shishi (approximately a 10-minute drive and a 30-minute tour). This is the crown jewel of Quanzhou's many foreign-style buildings! Enjoy a spectacular concert on the ceiling: over 200 flowers, including Chinese gods and rare animals, creating a vibrant scene.
2. Continue to the final stop of this trip, Wulin Ancient Village (approximately 8 km, approximately a 30-minute drive). This village is home to over 200 mansions built between the early 20th century and the Anti-Japanese War, including official-style Minnan mansions, traditional Chinese and Western-style dwellings, Gothic architecture, and Romanesque buildings. It's truly a museum of Minnan architecture. We recommend changing into Nyonya clothing or hairpins (at your own expense) while roaming the red-brick houses. You can also sample the distinctive Nyonya cuisine for lunch.
3. Today's humanities explanation travels back to the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. Through the stories of buildings and the [Qiaopi Hall], we listen to the attachment of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia to their homeland and their simple patriotic feelings.
3. After lunch, we'll conclude our tour at an appropriate time. We'll first drop you off at Quanzhou South Station, where we recommend booking your return high-speed train after 1:30 PM. We'll then drop you off at Jinjiang Airport, where we recommend booking your return flight after 3:00 PM. Finally, we'll drop you off at Quanzhou Station, where we recommend booking your return high-speed train after 2:30 PM. In case of holidays, these departure times will be extended by one hour.
