Quanzhou
Quanzhou Maritime Museum
Established in 1959, Quanzhou Maritime Museum is the only one in China that reflects the history of the ancient Maritime Silk Route. It has three exhibition halls. The History of Quanzhou’s Overseas Communication tells the story of boom and bust of Quanzhou Port, especially its communication with nearly 100 Asian and African countries in the Song （960-1279）and Yuan Dynasties（1271-1368）when it was the largest port in China. The Religious Stone Carving Hall showcases hundreds of stone carvings symbolic of different religions such as Islam, ancient Christianity, Hinduism, Manicheism and Judaism, unearthed in Quanzhou in the past centuries. These are important relics for the research on the Maritime Silk Route ages ago, and on the peaceful dialogue and communication between the east and the west. And the Collection of Chinese Ships & Boats illustrates the development of the shipbuilding industry in different water areas and ethnic regions in China.
China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship
China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship is a national theme museum dedicated to demonstrating the historical relationship between the Chinese mainland, mostly Fujian, and Taiwan. The Museum is located in the northwest Quanzhou, a historical and cultural city in China. To its north is the scenic Qingyuan Mountain Range, and to its south the beautiful West Lake. The Museum covers an area of 103,000 sq.m. The main building has a floor space of 23,332 sq. m and is 43 m tall.
In addition to collecting and exhibiting artifacts, the Museum also serves as an academic institution for the study of the historical affinity between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, especially that between Fujian and Taiwan.
It’s a four-storey museum with a total exhibition area of 6,355 sq. m. On the first floor you may find an international conference hall, a temporary exhibition hall and storerooms. The second floor is divided into five parts, illustrating respectively the Fujian-Taiwan kinship in geographical location, blood ties, cultural similarity, commercial exchanges, and historical government administration. The third floor shows the common folk customs in Fujian and Taiwan, arranged according to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. On the fourth floor are an information center and administrative offices.
Kaiyuan Temple
One of the top 10 scenic sites in Fujian Province, Kaiyuan Temple is a historic relic under state protection. It covers an area of 78,000 sq. m. With its imposing architecture and beautiful scenery, Kaiyuan Temple enjoyed great reputation equal to the White Horse Temple in Luoyang of Henan province, Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou of Zhejiang province, and Guangji Temple in Beijing.
The Hall of Heavenly Guardian is also the gate of the Temple. It was first built in 687 AD in the Tang Dynasty, but was burnt down and then rebuilt several times. The current one was built in 1925. On the two stone pillars in the hall, there hangs a pair of couplets, which read “this place enjoyed a reputation as a country of Buddhism in ancient time, and there were saints here and there in the streets”. The couplet, which vividly reflects the tradition of religious culture of Quanzhou, was composed by Zhu Xi, a famous philosopher in the South Song Dynasty (13th century), and was the calligraphy by master Hongyi, an accomplished monk.
Following the typical architectural style of a Chinese temple, the layout of the buildings in Kaiyuan Temple is symmetrical to the central axis with gates facing south, the direction held in respect in Buddhism. The Main Hall of the Temple, the Hall of Sakyamuni sits on the axis. There are four statues of Buddha within, which stands for the four directions: the east, where the sun rises; the south, where the land of joy is; the west, where the paradise is; and the north, where the world of lotus, the symbol of achievement, is. The hall was designed to be a “one-hundred-pillar hall”, but later, the number of pillars was reduced to eighty-six to make more room for worshiping activities. These pillars are varied in shape and color. What’s more, at the joint of the stele and the crossbeam there are twenty-four music birds, the attendants of the Buddha, each holding something varying from stationary to fruits in their hands for the Buddha. In fact, these birds also serve architectural purpose as a beam is placed on each of their head. In this way, religion, art, and architecture are skillfully interwoven. In the corridor right behind the hall stand two special pillars with figures and flowers carved in relief on four sides relating Hindu stories. They, together with the Xumizuo (Sanskrit meaning Mount Sumeru-throne, similar to a stone plinth) ringed by 72 Sphinxes in relief, are removed from the ruins of an ancient Hindu temple in Quanzhou. These relics are valuable in China, and in India as well.
Farther back is the hall housing the tonsure altar. A layman would be converted into a monk after the head shaving ceremony is held here. The ceiling of this hall simulates a spider web, very complicated and delicate. And 24 musicians are also shaped to support the beam, each holding a musical instrument in hand. These instruments are valuable for the study of Nanyin, a local music style. The altar is 3.7 m high. On the top is a wooden Buddha sitting on a lotus of 1,000 petals, on each of which a delicate figure of Buddha as small as 6 cm in size is carved. So the lotus is also called “One-thousand-Buddha Lotus”.
Erected in the courtyard, on the two sides of the axis, are two five-storey octagonal stone pagodas, the East and the West, 200 m apart from each other. The East Pagoda, 48.24 m in height, is venerated as the Emperor Guardian Pagoda, and the West Pagoda of 44.06 m in height, Benevolence and Longevity. The construction of the east one drew to a final close in 1238 in the Song Dynasty after 10 years of efforts, and the west was built during 1228-1237, both almost in the same size. They have become the iconic structures of Quanzhou.
Qingjing Mosque
The Qingjing Mosque is one of the five oldest and largest best preserved mosques in the world. Built to cover about 2,500 sq. m in the year 400 on the Islamic calendar, or 1009 A. D., with bluestone and pure granite, it was a replica of the Grand Mosque of Damascus, Syria. Now what remains in the Mosque are the arched portal, Fengtian Hall （the prayer’s hall） and Mingshan Hall.
The arched portal, made from diabase and granite, is 20 m tall and 4.5 m wide. It consists of three round vaults with pointed arches, divided into outer, middle and inner part, reflecting the architectural style of ancient Arabian Mosques. On top of it is a platform, the New Moon Minar, where the Muslims looked to the moon to decide the date of fast. “回” shaped stacks are built around the three sides of the minar, making the whole portal more splendid. Occupying an area of about 600 sq. m, the Fengtian Hall was where the Muslims prayed. On its lintel was the inscription of the lines of the Koran. The wall around it was built from granite with large windows to allow more natural light in. There used to be a dome above before it collapsed in an earthquake. All the facilities inside as well as the dome were brought down and buried deep and solid, making the ground one meter higher than before. As there was no way to restore the dome, a smaller prayer’s hall, the Mingshan Hall was constructed in 1609. Inside the Mosque there is also a stone tablet engraved with the “Imperial Edict” issued by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty in 1407 to protect the Mosque and the followers of Islam.
Lingshan Islamic Holy Tombs
Lingshan Islamic Holy Tombs, also called the Tombs of the Third and Fourth Muslim Saints, are located at the foot of the southern face of Lingshan (divinity hill), about 2 km. away from the East Gate of Quanzhou City. They are among the earliest ancient Islamic tombs existent in the world. According to the “Annals of Fujian”, four disciples of Mohammed were sent to preach Islam in China in the Tang Dynasty, the first to Guangzhou, the second to Yangzhou, and the third and the fourth to Quanzhou. The two missionaries were buried on this hill when they died in Quanzhou. As legend goes, at night, their graves gave off a mysterious glow, so the local referred to them respectfully as Islamic Holy Tombs, and to the hill Lingshan, Divinity Hill.
Resting under a stone pavilion, the two graves are covered with rectangular granite slabs. Lotus are carved out around the plinths to symbolize the virtue of the two disciples. A semi-circular corridor is built to hug the tombs to indicate that Islam is as pure as the crescent. Five tablets are erected along the corridor, among which, the one in Arabic, and the one to commemorate the navigator Zheng He’s presence bear greatest significance. The former, set up in 1323, records the story of some Muslims traveling from the Middle East to Quanzhou to remodel the tombs, and the latter was erected in 1417 after Zheng He stopped by Quanzhou and burned incense to pay his respect to the disciples and pray for a plain sail in his fifth voyage to the West. The tombs bear strong witness to Quanzhou’s overseas communication and the spread of Islam in Quanzhou.
The Residential Complex of Cai Zishen
A cultural relic under provincial protection, the Residential Complex of Cai Zishen is located in Zhangli Village, Guanqiao Town in Nan’an. The owner, Mr. Cai Zishen, was appointed to a high official position by Emperor Guangxu in 1905, and later immigrated to the Philippines. He started building the Complex in 1855. And the project came to a final close in 1907, a span of 52 years.
It comprises 13 residential buildings and 2 ancestral memorial halls, around 400 rooms in total. They are arranged in five rows, each with two to four buildings and 10 m apart from each other. Every structure with wing buildings faces the south and houses three courtyards. On the east side of the building are studies, dressing rooms and Buddha worship hall. On both sides of each building 2-meter-wide gravel pathways are laid for fire exit.
Impressive and elegant in style, the Complex is regarded as a masterpiece of the folk housing in South Fujian. Under the saddle roof supported by funnel-shaped wood structures and with its ridge in the shape of a swallow’s tail, you will find, in addition to masterpieces of calligraphy or painting, the beams and walls carved with vivid images of animals, plants and humans by using various techniques such as openwork, relief and shallow carving.
Chongwu Scenic Zone
Chongwu Scenic Zone is located on the Chongwu Peninsula between Quanzhou Gulf and Meizhou Gulf, in the east of Hui’an County. It is the nearest place in the mainland to the middle part of Taiwan Island. Priding itself on the splendid historical and cultural landscape and a marvelous view of mountain and sea, Chongwu is an area rich in tourist resources with local characteristics. It is rated as AAAA national tourist destination and honored as a model scenic spot in the Province.
Designated as a cultural relic under the state protection, the ancient city wall within the zone was built in 1387, 2,567 m in circumference, 7 m in height and 5 m in width. It is the only stone castle that remains intact in China. It’s here in the City that the charming Hui’an women live, whose exceptional traditional costumes and customs have been defined as one of the five most-favored tourist attractions in Fujian. In addition, you will also find a largest China Stone Carvings Park featuring 500 pieces of delicate stone sculptures themed on 25 subjects like China’s Four Literary Masterpieces. These sculptures were created by great masters and craftsmen of the origin of Chongwu, hometown of stone carving in China. For instance, the carvings themed the Artistic Flowers of the Earth, consisting of 216 pieces of works, are created by Prof. Hong Shiqing, a famous artist with Zhejiang Art College.
Within the Zone, you may also enjoy a 16.8-kilometer long soft and comfortable beach, and the view of a lighthouse, one of the seven in China with international standard, which marks the climate boundary between the south and the north along China’s territorial waters. Apart from these, you may find an army martyrs memorial in Xisa Bay, a special dock in the mainland first open to Taiwan registered ships, and so on.
Statue of Lao Tzu
Located at the foot of Luoshan and Wushan Hills on the west of Qingyuan Mountain, the Statue of Lao Tzu, a great ancient Chinese philosopher, carved out of a whole natural granite rock, is 5.63 m high, 8.01 m wide and 6.85 m thick. It is the largest statue of Lao Tzu existent in China and a superb piece of stone carving in the Song Dynasty. Sitting on a carpet of green grass, magnificent and dignified, the statue is seen as the symbol of longevity and happiness. Along its two flanks, you can read his classic work, Tao Te Ching: The Book of the Way and its Virtue, engraved on the stones.
Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited
Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited is located in the Quangang Petrochemical Industrial Park in Meizhou Bay, 510 and 530 nautical miles away from Shanghai Port and Guangzhou Port respectively, the two major ports in Southeast China, and 132 and 96 nautical miles respectively from Mawei Port and Xiamen Port, the two major ones in Fujian Province. The bay boasts of natural conditions hard to find in China, spacious, deep, little silted, and ice free all the year round.
On March 15, 2007, the Company was approved for establishment by the Ministry of Commerce. Covering an area of 437 hectares, it is jointly invested by Fujian Petrochemical Company Ltd., Sinopec, ExxonMobil Chemical China and Saudi Aramco with a total investment of USD 4.936 billion, each holding 25％ of equity. Its core project, “Fujian Integrated Refining & Ethylene Project”, approved by the State Council in August 2002, will expand the existing crude oil refinery from 4 million tons per year to 12 million tons per year, and produce ethylene 800,000 tons per year. The refinery and chemical facilities are expected to go into operation by the end of 2008 and March 2009 respectively with a sales revenue of about 60 billion yuan. By then, the Company will be able to produce approximately 1.58 million tons of gasoline, 4.39 million tons of diesel, 1.22 million tons of kerosene, 800,000 tons of PE, 470,000 tons of PP, 260,800 tons of benzene, 700,000 tons of PX, 120,900 tons of butadiene and 296,200 tons of LGP every year. The project will accelerate the structural adjustment and upgrading of Fujian’s petrochemical industry, and facilitate the building of Meizhou Bay into a national petrochemical base.
HengAn International Group Co., Ltd.
Established in 1985, HengAn is one of the first foreign-funded enterprises entering China’s sanitary napkins market. By now, the Group has become the largest sanitary napkins and disposable baby diapers manufacturer in China, whose product range covers feminine and baby care ones and household paper products. Its total asset tops RMB 4 billion. With over 10,000 employees, the Group has set up a nationwide sales and distribution network and owns 23 subsidiaries in 14 provinces and municipalities. On December 8th 1998, HengAn successfully got listed on the Union Stock Exchange of Hongkong Limited.
HengAn produces and sells sanitary napkins, baby and adult diapers, and other paper products in 100 plus specifications. Its flagship products, ANLE and ANERLE sanitary napkin, ANERLE baby diaper and “Mind Act Upon Mind” facial tissues have taken the biggest market share in China for a number of years consecutively. In 2005, “Mind Act Upon Mind” facial tissues was awarded “China Brand Name” by the national quality watchdog. In 2006, its sales revenue exceeded RMB 5 billion.
HengAn’s quality management system has been working for ten years, and obtained ISO 9001: 2000 Certifications. In 2001, HengAn invited Thompson Group, a world famous consulting firm to help improve its management and innovation and build itself into a consumer- and market-oriented company with the goal of becoming the top producer of sanitary napkins, diapers and other paper products in China.
Anta (China) Co., Ltd.
In 1994, Anta was born when a shoes workshop in Jinjiang gave itself a name. Through over 10 years’ development, Anta has become one of the biggest comprehensive sports gear companies with strength in marketing and sales. And Mr. Ding Zhizhong, President of Anta, was awarded the title of Top 10 Outstanding Youths in China for his special contributions to the Chinese sports.
Anda Hong Kong being its holding company, Anta has been keeping best sales records in China, with its sport shoes leading the market in many consecutive years. Honors given to Anta are, to name a few, China Top Brand, China Brand Name Product, and China Inspection-Exempt High-Quality Product.
Anta is a pioneer of sports science in China. In 2005, it set up a sports lab, the first one in China. Committed to improving Chinese athletes’ performance and developing China’s sports industry, Anta sets its vision on innovation and change. It is the owner of many national patents and one of the industry standard setters for Chinese sports gear producers.
Anta also leads in sports gear franchising. In 2001, Anta was the first in China to establish a sports gear franchise, successfully transforming itself from a manufacturer to a strong player in the sports world with its own brand name. Up to now, Anta runs a franchise network of 4,000 store outlets across the country, covering three tiers of different cities. Anta has become an undisputed leader in the Chinese sports gear industry.
Anta is a faithful sponsor to many sports events in China. The rapid development of Chinese sports presents unlimited opportunities to prospective sports brand names. Anta is keen to secure long-committed cooperation with CBA, men’s and women’s volleyball league as well as men’s and women’s premier table tennis league in China. Consequently, Anta is known as an “engine of China’s sports leagues” for its support to numerous sports events.
Anta is a champion for programs beneficial to the public. While improving its business strength and building up its brand name, Anta wholeheartedly fulfills its corporate social responsibility, paying back the society with a loving heart in many possible ways.
The mission of Anta is to “diffuse the sports spirit of ‘transcending oneself’ in people’s daily life”. We, the Anta people are sparing no effort to convey the very philosophy and spirit of sports to each and every consumer. Our vision is, by 2011, to become the most favored brand in the Chinese market with a lion’s share, and the world top 10 sports companies in terms of sales revenue. Keep Moving. This is our solemn commitment to the future and to the sports undertaking in China.
JOE︱ONE Apparel Development Co., Ltd.
Established in October 1989, JOE︱ONE Apparel Develoment Co., Ltd. is a modern company with its own brand “JOE︱ONE”. It specializes in manufacturing and selling men’s classic collection, such as trousers, jackets and business suits. The company is located in Quanzhou Economic & Hi-tech Development Zone and covers an area of 120,000 sq. m It has over 8,000 employees and registers an annual sales volume of more than 125 million US dollars. Its products are not only sold in the Chinese mainland, but also exported to Southeast Asia, USA, Europe, Japan and other countries.
“JOE︱ONE” dedicates itself to quality control and brand building. According to the China Commercial Information Center （CCIC）, the “JOE︱ONE” trousers take up the largest domestic market shares and their sales volume was ranked No.1 in China from 2000 to 2004. So “JOE︱ONE” is crowned as the “expert trousers producer”. Other honors it’s earned include “China Top Brand” in February 2004, “China Brand Name” in September 2004, and China Inspection-Exempt High-Quality Product since May 2005. In addition, the Company has passed ISO9002 and ISO14001 for its high quality and environmental considerations.
XTEP (China) Co., Ltd.
Located in Quanzhou Economic and Hi-Tech Development Zone, XTEP (China) Co., Ltd. covers an area of 12.53 hectares. It is a large enterprise specializing in designing, producing and selling XTEP sports products, including sports shoes, clothes, hats, balls and socks.
In 2001, Mr Ding Shuibo, President of the company, created XTEP, the first fashion sports brand in China. With the expansion of business and market, XTEP has consolidated its position as a leader in sports products industry and sports fashion. At present, the corporation has 5,800 employees, 45 pointer production lines and 12 molding lines. Its annual production capacity is about 10 million pairs of sport shoes.
It has set up branches and sales outlets in all the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions all over China. While expanding the domestic market, XTEP also turns its eye to global market. Its products have been sold to 40 countries and regions in all five continents and are well received. Moreover, XTEP has earned such titles as “China Top Brand”, “Products Exempted from Export Inspection” and “China Inspection-Exempt High-Quality Product” in addition to the World Brand Lab-awarded “China 500 most valuable brands” and “Top Brand of Chinese Sports Products”. XTEP has been widely recognized home and abroad.
Fuguihong Co., Ltd.
Fuguihong Co., Ltd. was established in June 2007 with a registered capital of RMB 10 million and 255 employees. Located in Dehua, capital of porcelain in China, it specializes in porcelain reserch and development, production, sales and the promotion of porcelain art.
The red glazed art porcelain, its core competitiveness, is created by Mr. Xu Shaodong, owner of the company and a senior industrial artist, under the temperature of 1,310 degrees Celsius after his years of experiments using modern techniques and innovative formula. The product earns its name Fuguihong because of its rich red color and flawless glaze. Since its inception, Fuguihong has become the premier gift of the Chinese government for visiting heads of states and other VIP guests.
Great attention is given to building up the brand. Each piece of Fuguihong is stamped with the trademark “Fuguihong”, name of the artist “Xu Shaodong” and place of production “Dehua”. It has obtained IS09001: 2000 and IS014001: 2004 certifications. So far, the company has set up sales outlets in over 20 cities in China, such as Xiamen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shengyang and Shanghai. And on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony for each outlet, seminars are usually held to promote the porcelain wares and its culture. More outlets will be established in other major cities in China and beyond.
Chinese Tea Capital
The Chinese Tea Capital is situated in Anxi County, the birthplace of the world-famous Tiekuanyin Tea. With a total investment of RMB 500 million, it covers a total area of 16.7 hectares. and has a floor space of 180,000 sq. m. There are 1,800 shops and 3,000 trading stalls. With a combination of functions of tea trading, information release, tea culture study and spread, tea research and tourism, it is a designated national tea market and a leading corporate entity in Fujian Province with an annual trade volume exceeding RMB 1 billion.
The Capital boasts tourist sites like Tea Culture Expo, Tea Ceremony Hall, Teapots Collection, Poems Gallery, Tea Theme Park，Tea Growing Garden, etc., equipped with necessary facilities such as hotel, bus station, VIP rooms and large- and medium-sized conference halls. Owing to its profound cultural background, diverse tea cultures and high-quality services, it is attracting throngs of tea lovers and experts from both home and abroad.
Leiyi Stone Industry
Leiyi Stone Industry, founded in Hui’an County in October 1989, is a key subsidiary of Fujian Qidali Group. It covers an area of 85,000 sq. m with over 1,100 employees and a total investment of more than USD 20 million. It is a large enterprise group dedicated to stone processing, boasting exquisite technique and a sound momentum of development.
Leiyi Stone Industry has established several companies, namely, Fujian Leiyi Stone Products Co., Ltd., Hui’an Qidali Stone Products Co., Ltd., Hui’an Qideli Stone Products Co., Ltd., Quanzhou Leijin Stone Co., Ltd., Quanzhou Qiteyi Crafts Co., Ltd. In 2000, it began to adopt the quality certification system of ISO9001：2000. The next year, it was granted the certification of ISO9001:2000 by China Quality Certification Center（CQC）, Xiamen Branch.
In 2003, Leiyi invested RMB 30 million in building a 20,000-square-meter showroom in Hui’an County. It opened in 2004 and became the largest stone products showroom with the most exhibits in Fujian Province. And it was designated as a provincial model industry-based tourist attraction the same year.
Leiyi’s product range covers Japanese-style & western-style tombstones, stone crafts, garden sculptures, Buddha statues, white marble statues, jade articles, washbasins, fireplaces, modern lanterns, building materials, iron crafts, polyresin crafts, etc.
