Putian is located in the central part of Fujian’s coastal area. It has an oceanic subtropical monsoon climate and an average year-round temperature of 18℃-21℃.To the north is the provincial city of Fuzhou, to the south is the historical city of Quanzhou, to the west is Daiyun Mountain, and to the southeast is the Taiwan Strait, across from which is the island of Taiwan.
Putian is regarded as the holy land of the goddess Matzu by over 200 million Matzu worshipers worldwide. Putian is hailed as a coastal culture hub and a city of literary achievement. Throughout imperial China, the city produced 21 top ranking scholars in the imperial examination system and 22 grand chancellors.
Putian Museum
Putian Museum is located on the east side of Shouxi Park. The building was designed by the Architectural Design Institute of Tongji University to resemble a traditional ruyi scepter. The museum features 6 permanent exhibitions centered around the history, folk culture, art and calligraphy, wood carvings, Matzu culture, and historic artifacts of Putian, while 5 special exhibition areas serve as venues for various special or touring exhibitions.
Pu-Xian Opera
Pu-Xian Opera is a variety of traditional Chinese opera from Fujian Province. It is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Pu-Xian Opera originated in the Tang dynasty, matured in the Song dynasty, further blossomed in the Ming and Qing dynasty, and has reached the peak of its popularity in modern times. Pu-Xian Opera is performed with simple and elegant gestures that have a unique artistic style influenced by puppet shows. Featuring rich melodies that are sung using the local dialect, Pu-Xian Opera combines elements of Putian and Xianyou’s folk songs, traditional music, Buddhist music, poems and songs from the Yuan and Song dynasties, and Tang dynasty song and dance, culminating in an art form that is rich in local characteristics.
Putian Woodcarving
Putian has been renowned throughout history for its wood carvings. Since the Tang dynasty, Putianese wood carvings have been prized as decorative additions to buildings. Putianese carving traditions also include Buddhist statues and engravings. By the Ming dynasty, many artisans in Putian specialized in carving Buddhist statues and decorative pieces. The art form further developed in the Qing dynasty, and gilded pieces were even sent to Emperor Qianlong as a tribute. Beautiful in form and exquisite in craftsmanship, Putianese wood carving is particularly renowned for its three-dimensional sculpting technique, intricate detailing, and openwork techniques.
Meizhou Island
Meizhou Island is the place where Matzu was deified. Heralded as a “paradise in the south”, the island is home to over 30 famous scenic spots, including gorgeous coastal landscapes, an ancestral temple, a golden beach that has been described as the “Hawaii of the East”, and interesting rock formations. The island is also home to the original temple to Matzu, a goddess worshiped by over 200 million people worldwide. Known as the “Mecca of the East”, the temple receives a stream of pilgrims each year on Matzu’s birthday and Ascension Day, which fall on March 23rd and September 9th of the lunar calendar, respectively.
Guanghua Temple
Established in the 2nd year of Emperor Yongding’s reign in the Southern Chen dynasty, Guanghua Temple is a renowned site that boasts a history of over 1,430 years. It is regarded as one of the four great Buddhist monasteries of Fujian along with Gushan Temple of Fuzhou, South Putuo Temple of Xiamen, and Kaiyuan Temple of Quanzhou.
South Shaolin Temple
Originally known as Linquan Temple, South Shaolin Temple was built during Emperor Yongding’s reign in the Southern Chen Dynasty (577 CE). Archaeologists unearthed remnants of South Shaolin Temple in 1986, and the temple was rebuilt in 1998. The construction project spanned an area of 26.1 square kilometers encompassing Jiuhua Mountain and includes interesting rock formations - two locations that are listed among Putian’s 24 great sights.
Shouxi Park
Shouxi Park is a 4A national scenic area. With the theme of "Qingxi, Green Island, Ancient Bridge, Danli, Pastoral and Rural", the park highlights the protection of ecological base, and creates distinct features of beautiful natural landscape, profound cultural heritage and prominent leisure functions, as well as a governance model of Mulan Creek with the characteristics of Putian Lilin water town.
