Photography in Quanzhou | Check-in spots only known by locals
The following is a one-day travel guide for Quanzhou West Street:
morning:
- 8:00 - 9:00: Arrive at West Street and start your visit from the Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is one of Quanzhou’s iconic buildings. Its unique shape combines southern Fujian and Western styles, making it a great place to take photos. In the early morning, there are relatively fewer people, so you can take as many photos as you want and feel the fusion of history and modernity.
- 9:00 - 11:00: Visit Kaiyuan Temple. Kaiyuan Temple is just a few minutes' walk from the Bell Tower. Kaiyuan Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province. The East and West Twin Towers inside are the landmark buildings of Quanzhou, with a long history and exquisite carvings. You can take a leisurely tour in the temple, admire the flying eaves and brackets, red walls and glazed tiles of the ancient buildings, and feel the solemnity of Buddhist culture. You can also learn about the history of the temple at the Sanglian Ruins. The towering ancient banyan trees in the temple also add a sense of tranquility and peace to the place.
noon:
- 11:00 - 13:00: Enjoy delicious food at West Street.
- Grandma Hou's Meat Zongzi: No. 59, East Street (near the Bell Tower). Meat Zongzi is one of the specialties of Quanzhou. The perfect combination of glutinous rice and pork, Grandma Hou's Meat Zongzi is fragrant and delicious. Add mushrooms, shrimps and other ingredients, and the taste is very rich.
- Yafu Runbing Pi: No. 165 West Street (near Kaiyuan Temple, Quanzhou Cinema), this is a time-honored Quanzhou brand that has been passed down for a hundred years and three generations. It has been on "A Bite of China". The runbing wrapper is the traditional flavor of southern Fujian. The thin wrapper is wrapped with shredded carrots, bean sprouts, dried tofu, seaweed and other fillings, and topped with a special sweet sauce, which has a unique flavor.
- Shacha Noodles: Next to the ticket office of West Street Cinema, Shacha Noodles is an Indonesian-style delicacy. The rich shacha sauce soup base is paired with a variety of ingredients, such as noodles, meat slices, tofu, shrimps, etc. It has a rich taste and is fresh, fragrant and slightly spicy.
afternoon:
- 13:00 - 15:00: Continue exploring the cultural attractions of West Street.
- Xiaoxicheng: Located in Peixiang, this place is full of small fresh style. The wall with Bai Yansong's famous saying "Quanzhou, this is a city you must visit at least once in your life" is a must-see spot. You can take photos here to feel the literary and artistic atmosphere of Quanzhou.
- Dashitang: Located at the intersection of West Street and Peixiang Road, the rooftop terrace overlooks the beautiful scenery of West Street. From here, you can enjoy the red-tiled ancient houses and the bustling crowds of people on West Street. It is an excellent viewing platform.
- Jiezi Book House: Located next to the Ziyun Screen of Kaiyuan Temple, it is a quiet corner full of cultural atmosphere. There are many books and cultural products about Quanzhou culture, history, art, etc. in the bookstore. You can take a break here and enjoy the fragrance of books.
- 15:00 - 17:00: Wander through the ancient alleys of West Street and experience the unique charm of the ancient houses in southern Fujian. There are many quaint alleys on West Street, which hide many celebrity residences and traditional buildings. For example, Jiadi Lane is the former residence of Ouyang Zhan, the first person in Quanzhou to pass the imperial examination. Walking in the ancient alleys, it feels like traveling back in time, and you can appreciate the unique style of southern Fujian architecture, such as red bricks, white stones, and swallowtail ridges. You can also visit the specialty shops on the street to find some interesting handicrafts and souvenirs.
night:
- 17:00 - 19:00: Find a restaurant to enjoy dinner. You can try Quanzhou's seafood feast to experience the deliciousness of seafood; or choose a local restaurant to taste authentic southern Fujian dishes, such as vinegar meat, fried oysters, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables.
- 19:00 - 21:00: Enjoy the night view of West Street. West Street is brightly lit and bustling at night. You can try some special snacks at the street food stalls, such as four-fruit soup, agar jelly, etc. Four-fruit soup is a traditional dessert in Quanzhou. It is made from ingredients such as agar, mung beans, red beans, lotus seeds, white fungus, and honey water or sugar water. It is refreshing and very suitable for consumption in hot summer. You can also enjoy Nanyin performances in the streets and alleys and feel the charm of Quanzhou's traditional culture. Nanyin is one of the oldest extant musical genres in China. Its melodious tunes and unique singing style will make people intoxicated. If you are interested, you can also participate and learn some simple Nanyin singing techniques or instrument playing methods. Finally, the day ends with a lot of good memories.