Things to do in Yongchun

Beixiwenyuan Scenic Area

Beixiwenyuan Scenic Area is located in Beixi Village, Hushan Town, Yongchun County. It is an eco-tourism natural scenic spot in Quanzhou and a agricultural tourism national demonstration site. There are three spectacular waterfalls in the Beixiwenyuan Scenic Area: the Nine Cascades Spring Waterfall, Stone Gate Creek waterfall, and the Double Creek Waterfall. The three great waterfalls each have their own characteristics and can be considered to be representative of the craftsmanship of nature as well as being spectacular to watch. As stone and wooden pathways twists through the mountains, the scenery is truly intoxicating.

Niumulin Nature Reserve

Niumulin Nature Reserve is also known as "Mulin Mountain". It is found in the lower area of Yongchun County, Quanzhou City. It has a whole and distinctive forest group. Niumulin is the place full of celebrity stories and fairy tales, leaving a lot of verses to praise the lovely scenery of Niumulin Nature Reserve.

Hushanzhen

The ancient town of Shanshan is characterized by "eight ancients": ancient streets, ancient trees, ancient wells, ancient bridges, ancient temples, ancient styles, ancient dwellings, and ancient theaters. In addition, it also has a relatively deep intangible cultural heritage, such as Nanyin, paper weaving paintings, puppet shows, etc. It is a typical traditional southern Fujian ancient village.

Baizhangyan Sceneic Area

Baizhangyan Sceneic Area is located in Zhenshan Village, Penghu Town, Yongchun County, Quanzhou City. The village where Baizhangyan Sceneic Area is located is a famous old revolutionary base village. With its rugged and complex terrain and strong grassroots support, this was a place where guerrillas were frequently active at that time. Since the reform and opening-up, it has gradually been developed into an attraction for eco-tourism in Yongchun County's beautiful countryside.

No. 1 of Global Traveller-Picked Attractions in Quanzhou

Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple

Kaiyuan Temple is located in QuanzhouWest Street, Licheng DistrictBuilt in the second year of the Chuigong era during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, it has a history of over 1,300 years. It is an important cultural relic along the southeastern coast of China and one of the larger-scale Buddhist temples in Fujian Province. The attractions of the monastery are arranged along the central axisWorship pavilion, the Baiting, the main hall of Kaiyuan Temple, the Sangpeng historic site, the Kaiyuan Temple's Sweet Dew Ordination Platform, the scripture depository, etc.Also,, as well as the stone pagodas on the east and west sides and the east and west corridors. Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple - The heavenly king hall, also the mountain gate of the temple, was built in 1925. The stone pillars are slightly thinner at the top and bottom, thicker in the middle, shaped like a shuttle, reflecting the Tang dynasty stone pillar style. A wooden couplet hangs on the stone pillars, reading "This place is called the land of Buddha, where every street is filled with saints." It was composed by Zhu Xi, a great Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song dynasty, and written by the modern eminent monk Hongyi. Crossing the mountain gate brings you toWorship pavilionStanding here, you can see the east and west pagodas rising from the ground and the spacious, bright east and west corridors symmetrically arranged on both sides. The east and west pagodas are among the more famous attractions in the area. The east pagoda is called "Zhenguo Pagoda (East Pagoda)," while the west pagoda is named "Renshou Pagoda." Standing over 40 m tall, they are one of the tallest pairs of stone pagodas in China and serve as landmarks and symbols of the ancient city of Quanzhou. Worship pavilionIn front, there is a large stone courtyard where officials and commoners from ancient and modern times gather for activities, becoming particularly lively during events. On both sides of the stone courtyard stand eight large banyan trees, beneath which are arranged 11 ancient sutra pillars and small stupas from the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties in various styles, as well as two stone tortoises. Then there is the main structure, the Mahavira Hall of Kaiyuan Temple. The Mahavira Hall of Kaiyuan Temple also has an elegant name, "Hundred-Pillar Hall." Originally, the hall was planned to have one hundred pillars, but later, to accommodate the placement of Buddha statues and create space for Buddhist activities, the beams were extended, and the number of pillars was reduced, resulting in the "Hundred-Pillar Hall" with 86 pillars.

kai yuan si

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Quanzhou

Qingyuan Mountain

Qingyuan Mountain is the only 5A scenic spot in Quanzhou, which is a local landmark. The mountain is only 500 meters above sea level and is a perfect spot for a casual hike. With thousands of years of history, a major highlight is Laojun Rock. Located at the foothill, it is a detailed carved sculpture of Laozi. Literally taste the culture of Southern Fujian by stopping and taking tea breaks during your hike. Brewing tea on the mountain while observing the view is highly recommended.

No. 6 of Family-friendly Attractions in Fujian

South Shaolin Temple

First built during the Longshuo era and abandoned in the Tianyou era. According to Cai Yongjian's "Xishan magazine" from the Qing Dynasty, which cited the Tang Dynasty's "Minzhong records," before the first year of Longshuo in the Tang Dynasty (661 AD), "Zhikong entered Minzhong and built the Shaolin Temple at the foot of Qingyuan Mountain, consisting of thirteen courtyards." "The Shaolin Temple had thirteen sections, surrounded by walls three zhang high, with vast fields and lush forests." "Beside the celestial altar stood the Shaolin Temple, where Zen master Zhikong met with Governor Wang at the celestial altar." Zhikong (styled Daoguang) was one of the thirteen staff-wielding monks from the Songshan Shaolin Temple renowned for saving the Tang emperor. His arrival in Min marked the beginning of martial monks in Fujian, and he trained twelve disciples—some capable of capturing tigers or lifting massive cauldrons, others skilled in wielding heavy crossbows, mastering chain hammers, or moving with extraordinary speed... The "Minzhong records" also states: In the first year of the Tang Tianyou era (907), "the Shaolin Temple rebelled against Wang Shenzhi's allegiance to the Liang Dynasty and was destroyed." Shi Mengshuo of the Southern Song Dynasty wrote in his "Donglu poetry collection": "The Shaolin Temple was built in Qingyuan, with ten grand gates and towering walls; a hundred acres of fields across three ridges, where a thousand monks practiced martial arts to rebel against the Wang regime." The "Wang regime" refers to the Min King Wang Shenzhi. Wang Shenzhi's destruction of the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou marks its first destruction. Prospered during the Taiping Xingguo era and declined during the Zhiyuan era The "Xishan magazine" records that in the sixth year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song Dynasty (981 AD), an imperial decree was issued to rebuild the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. This marked the second revival of the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. Liu Changyan of the Northern Song Dynasty wrote in his poem: "The legacy of Qingyuan was built during the Xingguo era, the Shaolin spirit pervades throughout southern Quanzhou." "Xingguo" refers to the reign era of Emperor Taizong of Song, Taiping Xingguo (976–983). A copy of the Zhang family genealogy preserved in Donghu village, Dongqiao town, Hui'an county, states: "Shizhi, styled Fayi, renowned for stone carving, his craftsmanship was unparalleled, such as the stone lions in front of the Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou..." Zhang Shizhi was the younger brother of Zhang Shixun, a figure from the Song Dynasty, indicating his involvement in carving the stone lions at the entrance of the Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou during the Song Dynasty. Northern Song Dynasty records document that the South Shaolin Temple originally comprised a mountain gate, Mahavira Hall, dharma hall, Bodhidharma ancestral hall, thirteen halls, arhat hall, xuannü hall, scripture repository, heavenly king hall, Guanyin hall, Ksitigarbha hall and other supporting facilities, covering 400 mu of land. During the 2002 reconstruction of the heavenly king hall, over 40 stone temple components were excavated underground, including 1 pagoda base, 1 pagoda cover, 7 finials resembling those of Yinggeng Pagoda at Chengtian Temple, 4 stone caps, 4 column bases, 6 stone pillars, and notably 20 intact mortise stones measuring 1 m in diameter - all testifying to the temple's grand architectural scale. Numerous roof tiles and covers were also unearthed. Experts speculate these components likely belonged to the Quanzhou South Shaolin Temple's structures during the Tang and Song dynasties. During the peak periods of the Tang and Song dynasties, the temple housed thousands of martial monks. The "Xishan magazine · general records" also records: "In the first year of the Song Jingyan era (Yuan Dynasty's Zhiyuan 13th year, 1276), a thousand monks from the Qingyuan Shaolin Temple rebelled against Pu Shougeng's surrender to the Yuan Dynasty. The abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Yuan Miao... commonly known as Zhao Mengliang... (Yuan troops) pursued them to the Shaolin Temple... The vanguard, Qi Wotunsi, known for his cruelty, ordered an assault on the Shaolin Temple, provoking the fury of the thousand monks. Amidst the clash of swords, each monk fought like ten, leaving Yuan soldiers' corpses strewn across the east of Qingyuan city, with bones littering the fields. When Suodu arrived, he ordered arrows to be shot, killing most of the thousand monks, with only a hundred surviving... The survivors fled to Dehua (Daiyun Temple)." This marks the second destruction of the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. In the mid-Ming dynasty, Li Sen (born in 1398), a wealthy philanthropist from Anxi, funded the purchase of large tracts of wasteland on Dongyue Mountain to establish charitable burial grounds for the free interment of remains by Quanzhou residents. These burial sites appear to have been the same wastelands where the Shaolin Temple was destroyed after its thousand monks resisted the Yuan dynasty in the late Southern Song period. Prospered during the Hongwu era and declined during the Qianlong era The "Xishan magazine" records: In the tenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1377 AD), Faben of the Xuanmiao Temple (a Shaolin monk who fled to Dehua after the resistance of a thousand monks against the Yuan Dynasty in the late Song period, aged 135) persuaded the local official Huang Zhongli to "petition the court for imperial approval to rebuild the Shaolin Temple." The monks then spread martial arts throughout southern Quanzhou. This marked the third revival of the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. The Annals of Jinjiang County, Volume 69, from the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty records: "The South Shaolin Temple is located by the East Lake outside Renfeng... It was rebuilt in the 10th year of the Xuande era (1435) during the Ming Dynasty, but later fell into disrepair. Monks restored one-tenth of its original site and also enshrined County Magistrate Peng Guoguang, as Peng had helped monks reclaim temple lands." In the book "Records of Shaolin warrior monks" by master Deqian of the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song (published by Beijing Sports University Press, 1988), it is stated: "According to the 'Internal Chronicles of Shaolin Temple,' monk Yuanran possessed extraordinary martial arts skills and was commended by Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (reigned 1522-1566). His eminent disciple, master Yuekong, was ordered to lead over 30 warrior monks who had proven their skills to Quanzhou, Fujian, to suppress Japanese pirates and establish merits. There, they built the South Shaolin Temple, where he became the abbot." This confirms that the "Internal Chronicles of Shaolin Temple" from the northern Shaolin Temple clearly records the existence of a South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou during the Ming Dynasty, while the claim of it being newly built is a misconception. To this day, southern Fujian still circulates stories of northern Shaolin warrior monks suppressing Japanese pirates. During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong toured southern China and feared that the warrior monks of the South Shaolin Temple might collude with the remnants of Zheng Chenggong (see "Quanzhou biographical records: Zheng Chenggong"). "In the fall of the 28th year of Qianlong's reign (1763), an imperial decree ordered the burning of the Shaolin Temple... From then on, no one dared to rebuild it." Some temple monks took refuge at Yipian Temple in Nan'an. This marks the third destruction of the South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. After the burning of Shaolin Temple, the monk Zhishan sought refuge among the people, continuing to recruit Shaolin disciples to oppose the Qing dynasty and restore the Ming. Zhishan, Hong Xiguan, and their disciples spread to Guangdong, further developing Southern Shaolin boxing, which produced the Southern Shaolin boxing champion Wong Fei-hung. Later, Wong Fei-hung's disciples brought the art to Hong Kong and spread it as far as the United States.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Kulangsu

Kulangsu is located in the southwest corner of Xiamen, Fujian Province, facing Xiamen Island across the Lujiang Strait. The island covers an area of about 1.88 km² and is a "garden on the sea, island of pianos, and exhibition of architecture from around the world" that blends nature with culture. In 2017, it was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List as "Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement." The island is a bedrock island with a winding coastline and many natural harbors and reefs; its terrain is mainly hilly, with the highest peak, Sunlight Rock, at 92.7 m above sea level. It has a subtropical maritime monsoon climate, warm and humid, with spring-like weather all year round, making it suitable for visiting throughout the year. Motor vehicles are prohibited on the island, so there is no noise of traffic—only birdsong, flowers, waves, and piano music. Hundreds of historic buildings from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century still stand, spanning Gothic, Victorian, Baroque, Nanyang arcade, and traditional Minnan courtyard styles, and are acclaimed as a "World Architecture Expo" and a living specimen of a modern East Asian international community. Representative buildings include the Bagua Mansion (Organ Museum), Shuzhuang Garden, Haoyue Garden, the former site of the HSBC Mansion, Trinity Church, and the former residence of Lin Yutang. The island has a profound musical cultural heritage. Since the late Qing Dynasty, Western music was introduced through missionary schools. The density of pianos on the island has long ranked among the highest in the country, and musical masters such as Yin Chengzong and Xu Feiping were born here, earning it the reputation of "Island of Pianos" and "Island of Music." The Piano Museum houses century-old antique pianos, and the Organ Museum holds a giant pipe organ. Piano music is often heard among the streets and alleys, and the tradition of family concerts continues to this day. The core attractions on the island each have their own distinctive features. Sunlight Rock is the highest point on the island; from the summit, visitors can enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the entire island, Xiamen main island, and the Taiwan Strait, and there is a saying that "you haven't truly visited Xiamen until you've climbed Sunlight Rock." Shuzhuang Garden was the private residence of the wealthy Taiwanese merchant Lin Erjia, designed to "hide the sea within the garden and embrace the mountains as scenery," blending Jiangnan garden aesthetics with mountain and sea views; the garden's Piano Museum houses nearly a hundred antique pianos. Haoyue Garden features a 15.7 m tall granite statue of Zheng Chenggong facing the sea, built to commemorate the national hero who recovered Taiwan. Bagua Tower is a landmark building on the island, blending Chinese and Western architectural aesthetics, and houses hundreds of antique organs. Yuyuan Garden, Gulang Stone, Yanwei Mountain Ecological Park, and other cultural and natural attractions are scattered across the island, linking together a century of charm and the poetry of mountains and sea. Tour tips Island access: You need to take a ferry from the ferry terminal on Xiamen Island to get there. There is no general admission ticket; core attractions require separate tickets or a combo ticket. Mode of travel: Walking tours across the island; paid sightseeing electric carts are available; motor vehicles are prohibited. Recommended season: suitable all year round; spring and fall (April-May, October-November) offer comfortable weather and blooming bougainvillea, making the scenery especially beautiful.

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