Quanzhou’s Historic Names

Before New China’s adoption of “pinyin”, there was no standard Romanized spelling of Quanzhou, so you might need to try various spellings to find this great city in Western history texts. The most common spellings included:

Zaitun (origin of the English word “satin” and Arabic for “City of Olives”, from the Chinese nickname Citong Cheng—City of Teng Trees,) as well as Zayton, Zaytun, Zaiton, Zaithoum and Cayton.

Chinchew (a variant of Chincheo, the Portuguese and Spanish name for Zhangzhou, also Chin-chew, Chance, Chinchu, Chwanchow-foo, Chincheo, Ch’üan-chou, Ts’üan-chou, Tswanchow-foo (or fu), Ts’wan-chow-fu, T'swan-chau fu, Ts’wan-chiu, Thsiouan-tchéou-fou (or fou). Marco Polo’s spelling was Tyunju

Romanization of the local Hokkien name includes Chuan-chiu, Choan-Chiu, and Shanju.

Climate

Subtropical marine monsoon climate.

Annual avg. temperature 20.7 °C; annual avg. precipitation 1,235 mm.

Latitude: N.24°30’ ~25°56’; longitude E. 117°25’ ~119°05’.

Demographics

Size: 11,245 km2 (Fujian’s largest metropolitan region).

Coastline: 16.6 km; 2,700 ha of beaches; sea area of 4,200 ha.

Population as of 2020: 8,782,284 (urban: 6,107,475—compared to 196,000 in 1992).

Overseas Chinese from Quanzhou: 7.5 million in 129 countries and regions (760,000 in Hong Kong and Macao). Some 2.5 million, including descendants, have returned from abroad.

Natural Heritage

Two thousand two hundred and one species of wild plants, including 35 endangered species.

Four thousand species wild animals, including 31 endangered species.

Four hundred and seven protected ancient trees (27 kinds), 466.67 ha mangrove forest.

Chinese white dolphin habitat 21 lakes (2,983 ha).

Historical Heritage

Five hundred and five “Protected Cultural and Historical Relics”, including 20 churches and temples (the 1,700-year-old Yanfu Temple is Fujian’s oldest).

Six City Museums, including the 27.5 million yuan Maritime Museum (China’s best), and the 60 million-yuan City Museum.

Folk Culture

Quanzhou is home to many treasured crafts and traditions such as acrobatic hand puppets, paper lanterns, bamboo weaving, porcelain, wood sculpture, tree-root carving, miniature flour carvings, paper weaving, lacquer ware, clay work, and a 1,700-year-old stone-carving tradition, etc. Quanzhou was also the origin of Southern Shaolin Kungfu and the Minnan Tea Ceremony (precursor to the Japanese Tea Ceremony). Special arts schools train youngsters to perpetuate these (Fig. 1.1).

Fig. 1.1
A map of Quanzhou city presents the locations of various places marked in it. A few of them include the Quanzhou Museum in the North, stone bamboo shoot in the West, Muslim tombs in the East, and Mazu temple in the South.

Quanzhou at a Glance

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