Fujian-Taiwan Kinship Museum

Don't miss a small "stele forest" behind the museum.

The largest and most famous Buddhist temple complex in the area. The well-landscaped grounds house two famous tall pagodas, several temple buildings, an ancient stone turtle, and a variety of religious art. The Xi Jie (West Lane) outside of the temple is a busy shopping street, with all kind of shops selling souvenirs, joss paper and other Buddhist items, snacks, and books. The Ancient Ships pavilion of the Maritime Museum (whose main building is elsewhere in town; see a separate listing below) is located on the grounds of the temple, in one of its ancillary buildings.

Each floor of the museum has a different focus. The first floor introduces the historical circumstances under which people emigrated from Quanzhou. The second floor has exhibits showing how Quanzhou migrants adapted to life abroad, particularly in Singapore, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The top floor shows some of the contributions that Overseas Chinese people have made to Quanzhou’s social and economic development.

The only surviving mosque of the many that used to exist. It is over 1,000 years old, and was rebuilt in 2009 so the dome is now restored after a 200-year absence. Well worth a visit.

A large and impressive Taoist temple. Guan Yu and Yue Fei were generals, and this is a warrior temple, one of many dedicated to them in various parts of China. Note the huge (over 2 stories tall, with a big chimney) ritual furnace for burning joss paper. The furnace becomes very busy around the holidays such Yuanxiao, when people line up to burn their offerings.

Excellent museum. Quanzhou was, up to the 15th century, one of China's greatest trading cities and a major base for her powerful fleets. Besides a collection of ship models and nautical artifacts, the museum has a large collection of stone inscription and reliefs - from ancient tombstones and temples - demonstrating Quanzhou's historical connections with India, the Middle East, and Europe, and attesting to the presence of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and even Manichaeism in the area. Don't miss a collection of stone tombstones and stelae in the back yard. The museum's Ancient Ships Pavilion is on the grounds of Kaiyuan Temple. UNESCO has a document about the museum.