Overview
- Is suggested 20 years ago by then governor of Fujian, Jinping Xi
- Shows how cooperation between Chinese and foreigners helped kindle the innovativeness behind Quanzhou’s prosperity
- Explains why Quanzhou was the Middle Ages’ greatest melting pot and center of cultural and commercial exchanges
- Explains why Quanzhou was the Middle Ages’ greatest melting pot and center of cultural and commercial exchanges
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About this book
This open access book explores the past and present of Quanzhou (Zayton) and the rich diversity and tolerance that kindled Quanzhou’s innovativeness and helped it prosper both commercially and culturally—values that are today being embraced by China’s global trade partners.
Quanzhou (Zayton), Marco Polo’s port of departure and Columbus’ goal in China, was not only the start of the Maritime Silk Road and the Middle Age’s greatest port but also centuries ahead of its time in its tolerance and diversity. The fabled “City of Light” had 7 mosques for its 40,000 Muslims, some of whom served in government, as well as 3 Franciscan cathedrals funded in part by the emperor, Jewish synagogues, and centers for Nestorian Christians, Hindus, Taoists, Manicheans, Jains, etc. As Franciscan Bishop Andrew of Perugia wrote in 1322, “Tis a fact that in this vast empire, there are people of every nation under heaven, and every sect, and all and sundry are allowed to live freely according to their creed.”
In 2021, UNESCO designated “Quanzhou, Emporium of the World,” as a world heritage site, and the city is now the hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, the 21st Century Silk Road, which was inspired by ancient Quanzhou.
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Keywords
Table of contents (16 chapters)
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Front Matter
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Dr. William Brown, at Xiamen University since 1988, is OneMBA academic director and professor of Leadership and Strategy. Fujian’s first foreign PR, he has driven over 200,000 km around China exploring its development, co-written and hosted over 400 TV episodes and consulted with cities on urban and rural development. Honors have included China’s “Friendship Award,” “Honorary Citizen of Fujian” from then-governor Xi Jinping, “Top Ten Educator 1954-2014” and “CCTV’s Moving China 2019” award. He published Chasing the Chinese Dream with Springer in 2021.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Splendors of Quanzhou, Past and Present
Authors: William N. Brown
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8036-7
Publisher: Springer Singapore
eBook Packages: History, History (R0)
Copyright Information: NewChannel International Education Group Limited 2023
Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-19-8035-0Published: 22 December 2022
Softcover ISBN: 978-981-19-8038-1Published: 18 December 2022
eBook ISBN: 978-981-19-8036-7Published: 21 December 2022
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XI, 137
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 30 illustrations in colour
Topics: History of China, Urban Studies/Sociology, Organizational Studies, Economic Sociology, Contemporary Literature