FUJIAN- As a part of their one-week trip to Fujian Province, in the southeast of China, a number of foreign journalists visited Quanzhou historical city in this province.

Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian, is renowned for its long history and rich culture. It was once the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and a global maritime trade center back in the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.

Quanzhou is a prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian.

It is Fujian's largest most populous metropolitan region.

Quanzhou was China's major port for foreign traders, who knew it as Zaiton, during the 11th through 14th centuries.

It was visited by both Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta; both travelers praised it as one of the most prosperous and glorious cities in the world.

It was the naval base from which the Mongol attacks on Japan and Java were primarily launched and a cosmopolitan center with Buddhist and Hindu temples, Islamic mosques, and Christian churches, including a Catholic cathedral and Franciscan friaries. 

Because of its importance for medieval maritime commerce, unique mix of religious buildings, and extensive archeological remains, "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021.

It should be mentioned that visiting Quanzhou was organized by the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC)for the foreign journalists.

Photo: Jinyu Alley in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province (By Mahnaz Abdi)