Quanzhou
Quanzhou is a coastal city in Fujian Province. As the eastern terminus of the Maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou was an important hub of ancient commerce and trade, culture, and religious exchange. In the Tang Dynasty, Quanzhou was one of four major foreign trade ports in China. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, Quanzhou was China's hub for global maritime trade and reputed as "the largest port in the Orient." It was a magnet for merchants and travelers from all over the world and a melting pot of many cultures. The vibrancy of the bustling emporium that traded with over 100 countries and regions was captured by lines from poems such as "people from many foreign countries were a common sight on streets" and "when the tide rises, merchant ships from all countries come ashore to trade." It was dubbed a "World Museum of Religions."
Quanzhou was known as a "World Museum of Religions" for a long time. Historically, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Judaism, Protectantism, Hinduism, Manichaeism, and other religions spread from other parts of the world and were widely observed in Quanzhou. They left behind a large volume of cultural heritage and historical sites such as temples, churches, and stone carvings, all physical testimony to a marvelous blend and assimilation of diverse cultures and the harmonious coexistence of different religions in Quanzhou. In 2021, "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
泉州
泉州，是位于福建省的沿海城市。作為海上絲綢之路起點，泉州是古代商貿、文明和宗教交流的重要樞紐。在唐朝，泉州是中國對外貿易的四大口岸之一。宋元時期，泉州是中國的世界海洋商貿中心，是各國商旅云集、多元文化交融的“東方第一大港”，與100多個國家和地區通商貿易，呈現出“市井十洲人”“漲海聲中萬國商”的繁榮景象，被譽為“世界宗教博物館”。
歷史上，佛教、伊斯蘭教、天主教、猶太教、基督新教、印度教、摩尼教等世界多種宗教在泉州廣泛傳播，留下了寺廟、教堂、遺址、石刻等大量文化遺產，共同見證了泉州多元文化匯集融合、多種宗教和諧共存的盛景。2021 年，“泉州：宋元中國的世界海洋商貿中心”列入世界遺產名錄。
