Fujian Province, also called Min for short,
faces Taiwan Province to the east across the Taiwan Straits, borders
Guangdong Province on the south, and is not far from Hong Kong
and Macao. It has an land area of 121,400 square kilometers, a
sea area of 136,000 square kilometers, and a population of 30
million.
Fujian enjoys a favorable geographical position and has long-standing
contacts with foreign countries. It has established economic and
trade relations with more than 120 countries and regions in the
world and formed a multi-level and multi-functioned opening setup.
As an important tourist area in China, Fujian Province features
an enchanting natural landscape of spectacular mountains and crisscrossing
rivers as well as man-made scenic attractions, which are exceptional
advantages in the development of tourism.
Latest archaeological studies reveal that Fujian has a history
of 10,000 years.
Buddhism, Christianity,
and Islam, three principal religions in the world, have a considerable
influence in Fujian. Of the 142 major Buddhist temples in China,
14 are in Fujian. The Qingjing Mosque in the city of Quanzhou
is one of the earliest Muslim structures in the country. Minju,
Liuyuan, and Puxian operas; Quanzhang puppet show; and Nanyin
music have a certain influence in China. Fujian is the native
place of Zhu Xi, a renowned philosopher of the Song Dynasty (960-1279),
who founded the Zhuzi School of philosophy there. The well-developed
culture of Fujian Province produced many heroic people in history.
These include Li Gang, Cai Xiang, Li Zhi, Zheng Chenggong, Lin
Zexu, Lin Juemin, Lin Xiangqian, and others. Many contemporary
revolutionaries, scientists, men of letters, artists, and architects
are also from Fujian.
More than eight million overseas Chinese and foreign citizens
of Chinese origin come from Fujian. Eighty percent of those now
living in Taiwan have their ancestral homes in the province. There
are also nearly one million Fujianese residing in Hong Kong and
Macao. They are a stable source for Fujian's tourism industry.
Known as a mountanous province in southeastern China, Fujian
boasts of famous mountains that rise abruptly above the ground
and charming mountain peaks that stand one after another. The
Wuyi, Qingyuan, and Tailao mountains, Gulangyu Islet, and Wanshi
Crag have found their way into the list of major scenic areas
in China. Moreover, the province has over 3,300 kilometers of
coastlines, 1,400 islands, and several hundred bays and beaches.
Fujian is a multi-national province. In addition to the Hans,
there live the She, Hui, Mongolian, Manchu, Gaoshan, and 26 other
ethnic groups. The Shes in Fujian make up half of the total She
population in China. These ethnic tribes have colorful customs,
such as the She wedding ceremony, the clothing of women in Hui'an,
man playing with fish, and man and snake sharing the same dwelling.
Fujian is known for its Wulong Tea and narcissus. The Fujian
cuisine is one of China's eight major cooking styles. The local
stone carvings, bodiless lacquenvare, cork patchwork, and other
handicrafts are much sought after by tourists.
There is an old Chinese saying, "Opportunity can not equal
a favorable geographical location, and a favorable geographical
location can not compare with the unity of the people." The
initiation of China's opening policies has inserted a vigorous
lease of life into the tourism industry of Fujian Province.
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