Home » CHINA TRAVEL NEWS » Quanzhou Embraces the World with a Spectacular Celebration of Heritage Creativity and Global Harmony at the 2025 Silk Road Festival Published on
December 12, 2025Quanzhou, a coastal city celebrated for its influential role on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, is preparing to host the 2025 Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Tourism Festival on 11 December. With its dual recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, the city stands as a rare example of a destination where history, creativity and global cultural exchange merge seamlessly. This year’s festival theme, “Silk Road Symphony · Global Bonding Harmony,” sets the tone for a celebration that highlights both the city’s ancient legacy and its modern vitality.A Landscape Where Time, Nature and Architecture IntertwineQuanzhou offers visitors an extraordinary mix of geological beauty and cultural heritage. The historic West Street, with its preserved ancient street grid, remains one of the city’s most atmospheric destinations, lined with traditional structures that narrate centuries of urban evolution. Nearby, Zhongshan Road introduces a more contemporary rhythm while retaining classic southern Fujian charm through its arcades, shopfronts and historic facades.Advertisement Nature adds its own chapter to the story. Mount Qingyuan, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, is dotted with stone sculptures carved during the Song Dynasty, each telling a story of artistry and spiritual belief. To the east, the coastal town of Chongwu pairs striking seaside scenery with a fully preserved stone-built settlement from the Ming era, offering a vivid look into the architectural techniques and defense strategies of ancient times. The renowned Luoyang Bridge further enriches the landscape with its centuries-old boat-shaped piers, still in use today and admired for their ingenious design.A Cultural Crossroads Rooted in Maritime LegacyFor centuries, Quanzhou served as one of the world’s busiest international ports, creating an urban environment shaped by the convergence of diverse peoples and traditions. This openness gave rise to a unique cultural character, often described as a living repository of global faiths. Architecturally, the city presents a rare combination of structures that reflect Islamic, Buddhist and Taoist influences, standing within the same urban fabric and offering insight into its multicultural past.AdvertisementFurther emphasising this maritime identity are the Wind-Praying Inscriptions on Jiuri Hill. These stone carvings document ancient rituals carried out by mariners, imbuing the landscape with stories of seafaring hopes, f …
