Uncover The Secrets Of Quanzhou: A City Of Rich Culture And Global Appeal

Published on December 18, 2025

Quanzhou is a coastal town in Fujian, China, with a lot of history and culture, and has more than ancient roots. Marco Polo called it a “great eastern port,” but it is significantly more than that now. The city blends history with modern-day life and offers a unique experience to those who visit. In 2023, Quanzhou had over 100 million tourists, which was a 16.8% increase from 2022, and set a record for the town. The number of tourists and the increase show that Quanzhou has put in a lot of work preserving its history and heritage while expanding the town’s modern tourism.

Quanzhou’s Cultural and Culinary Heritage

Serving the town’s history is the blend of cuisine of the town from the folk traditions and the sea. You can find and taste the local food, such as tusun jelly from coastal marine worms and runbing, a traditional festive spring roll with a long history in the town. The food culture and trade of the town is coastal and show Quanzhou’s historical role as a trade and culture exchange center.

In 2024, Quanzhou received the title ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’ from UNESCO because of its rich food culture and history. This award emphasizes the importance of the city in the culture and history of food at a worldwide scale. When people eat the local food and cuisine of Quanzhou, they are eating a part of the history of the city. The history of trade and the openness of Quanzhou reflect the street food and the small teahouses that are busy and full of people.

Preserving History in a Modern Way

As a modern tourist spot, Quanzhou is a city committed to maintaining its history and culture. The ancient part of the city, which is over 6 square kilometers, is home to several people who continue to occupy the area and live in the older neighborhoods. The local government is taking a ‘micro-renovation’ approach, which focuses on keeping the historical sites and areas of the city intact, while modernizing some of the facilities and other urban infrastructure to improve the quality of life. This also improves the area for the tourists to get around.

Renovations aim to keep the character of Quanzhou’s ancient buildings while making them accessible to new groups of tourists. These renovations allow visitors to be transported to the past while enjoying the comfort of modern amenities. The renovations allow the city to continue to grow and evolve, while ensuring Quanzhou continues to reflect its past.

Quanzhou’s intangible cultural heritage could also be considered one of the city’s best treasures. The city is also the cradle of traditional Chinese operas, Liyuan Opera and Gaojia Opera, and string-puppet theater. These forms of entertainment have been beloved through the decades and continue to be a major part of Quanzhou’s culture. The Marionette Theatre is a favorite and performs sold-out shows to audiences that travel long distances.

It is important to keep traditional forms of art and performance alive and practice them to pass them on to future generations. As young members of the troupe join the performance groups, they help to keep the traditions alive and strengthen the performance. This helps keep the practice of Quanzhou’s traditions current, alive, and helps the modern audience appreciate the culture and traditions to be welcoming.

An Enhanced Global City

Quanzhou is a growing global city, and part of that is the new construction that goes along with the preservation of history. The city is a hub of commerce and trade with thousands of foreign merchants. Quanzhou is an important part of the global economy, which attracts new international visitors. It allows visitors to appreciate the history and culture, as well as the new dynamic of Quanzhou.

Quanzhou has enhanced its multilingual and visa facilitation services to accommodate the increasing number of international tourists. These improvements make it easier to reach and enjoy what the city has to offer. Travellers from every part of the world can enjoy the services of the city. Quanzhou has- still does- serve as the cultural conduit of the world.

Conclusion: Unique Combination of Antiquity and Modernity

Quanzhou is a fascinating city that offers a unique travel experience due to its blend of history and contemporary civilization. Quanzhou captivates many tourists because it is a city with a rich living history and ancient heritage. While tourists enjoy the city’s modern services and amenities, they can savour the ancient and traditional heritage of the city. A cultural trip like no other is experienced by tourists who, for instance, enjoy a bowl of the unique tusun jelly or go to a famous opera show. Quanzhou offers a lot because of its world connections, tourism, and unique heritage.