Near, yet far from the madding crowds

South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Quanzhou, Fujian

Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian province, always ranks highly as a tourist destination, especially in winter.

When so many people squeeze onto the island at the same time, you can imagine how busy it will be. Quanzhou, a city just next to Xiamen, has much fewer visitors.

Yet for tourists looking for traces of the past, Quanzhou is one of the country's most underestimated cities.

As an important hub on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou, known as Zayton at that time, was one of the world's busiest seaports from the 12th to 14th centuries, and attracted merchants from around the world.

A diverse culture was thus nurtured here, and the city is like a museum for different religions.

Just passing China's earliest mosque, dating back to 1009, I encountered a temple honoring Guan Yu (from 3rd century AD) and Yue Fei (1103-1142), two generals in Chinese history known for their loyalty. Students on their way to school or housewives back from market still stop by the temple and pay homage.