Travel by the Pen: Quanzhou, the Ancient Chinese Port That Carried the World
Travel by the Pen. Today, we arrive in a city not to rush through it, but to listen to its streets, its flavors, and the time it carries. Quanzhou is not a city that reveals itself at first glance. It does not shine like Shanghai, nor does it announce its history as loudly as Xi'an. Quanzhou is quieter. It feels like an old book: modest on the cover, but once opened, it is filled with sea winds, temple incense, merchant ships, ancient streets, local opera, and a warm bowl of noodle soup. Located on the southeastern coast of Fujian Province, Quanzhou was once one of the most important ports in the world during the Song and Yuan dynasties. Many people know it as a key city on the Maritime Silk Road. But when you walk through Quanzhou, that phrase becomes more than history. It becomes something you can still see, smell, and hear. At Kaiyuan Temple, two ancient stone pagodas stand quietly above the old city. At Qingjing Mosque, stone walls tell stories of traders who came from far a...