The First Anniversary of Quanzhou, a World Heritage Site｜That city, that person, that fireworks

Thousands of years have passed, and the echoes of the Song and Yuan Dynasties have made Quanzhou in the southeast corner once again transcend geographical boundaries.

On July 25, 2021, the World Heritage Committee decided to include "Quanzhou: China's World Marine Trade Center in the Song and Yuan Dynasties" on the World Heritage List.

The meeting decided that the 22 heritage sites included in this project, including transportation, production, and commerce, will help Quanzhou become a maritime hub for the trade network in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

This is the result of 20 years of hard work. So far, the total number of world heritage sites in our country has increased to 56, and Quanzhou, the largest port in the East, has officially become a world heritage site.

A series of core questions always linger in the mind of every forge ahead: How to continue to expand the effect of Quanzhou, a world heritage site, and comprehensively enhance Quanzhou’s humanistic advantages and cultural influence?

How to protect, inherit and utilize heritage sites in the post-World Heritage era, and create a model city for World Heritage protection and utilization?

How to expand World Heritage Quanzhou’s circle of friends in multicultural exchanges and expand economic cooperation in multiple fields?

How to build Quanzhou into an important sea channel connecting the inland areas to the Maritime Silk Road and reproduce the glory of the largest port in the East during the Song and Yuan Dynasties?

Looking back at the road ahead, the ancient wind echoes loudly; looking forward to the new road, spring is full of vitality.

Standing at the forefront of the strategic trend of "World Heritage Quanzhou", the ancient city with "Heritage of the Song and Yuan Dynasties" has emerged with many touching stories, which also shows the boundless prospects after the transformation of the new city.

The hard work of the people of Quanzhou and every step they take are worthy of being recorded, written, and further disseminated to promote better development of Quanzhou.

To this end, the Propaganda Department of the Quanzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Strait Metropolis Newspaper launched the "World Heritage Quanzhou: That City, That People, That Fireworks"? The First Anniversary of the Successful Application of Quanzhou as a World Heritage Site? A special plan focusing on all the things that happened in the past year after the successful application of Quanzhou as a World Heritage.

The specific changes that have occurred are reported in multiple dimensions, from multiple angles, and on multiple platforms.

I hope that this planning can authentically display the fireworks of Quanzhou, a World Heritage Site. I also hope that each of these heart-felt humanistic stories can truly record the wishes of every Quanzhou person and apply for the World Heritage Site after blessing.

The ancient city of Quanzhou in this era is becoming more and more lively and popular.

Facing the sea, embracing the blue is the ancient city, and riding the wind and waves is Quanzhou.

In the long alleys of the market, what is gathered is fireworks, and what is spread out is written about the human world.

Everything seems like yesterday, and everything is changing again. First stop: Flower Alley. The summer days are long, and the sky is not completely dark in Quanzhou at seven o'clock in the evening. The red lanterns hanging high at the entrance of Hua Alley on Zhongshan Road have already lit up.

The red night lights reflected the quaint arcade and flashed outside the Fanzai Building. The brick carvings under the eaves were sprinkled on the bluestone slabs glowing with blue light.

Under the night lights, the bustling tourists are leisurely and comfortable, enjoying the fireworks in the old alley in slow time.

After years of renovation and upgrading of the ancient city, the former landmarks and famous scenes in the ancient streets and alleys have restored their old appearance like an embroidery.

Last year, Huaxiang, which had been tarnished for a century, also underwent renovation and upgrading.

In the embroidery work of restoring the old, the century-old flower alley is blooming again, those period buildings scattered in time, and those signature shops that disappeared over the years have restored their original appearance.

Last weekend, we revisited this street that bears the mark of vicissitudes of life, shines with scenery and culture, and flows with bustling fireworks.

I can’t help but marvel, Huaxiang? Everything seems like yesterday, and everything is changing again.

Whisk: Flowers are blooming again in the ancient alley. After systematic renovation, upgrading and restoration of drainage pipes, facades and landmark buildings, the once grimy flower alley has revealed its long-lost smile.

On the newly paved bluestone, a century of architectural history is revealed at a distance of 200 meters.

Qilou, fanzilou, girls' school? Different periods and different styles of Chinese and Western construction techniques intertwined here to create architectural flowers.

When I looked up, I saw traditional Chinese red brick carvings, wood carvings, and gargoyles. In the next moment, I saw Western-style window sills and roofs.

The most interesting thing is that there is a two-story building from the 1920s at No. 46 Huaxiang. The first floor is made of bricks and stones. It can be seen at a glance that it is the most typical southern Fujian tradition. However, the style of the second floor has suddenly changed into an Islamic style.

, the roof is a dramatic insertion of Nanyang style.

Different from the surprises often expressed by tourists, the old alley residents are happy that the brand-new ancient alleys have made their living conditions better, but the familiar life scenes are still the same as before, such as photo studios, noodle shops,

Nothing about the flower shop or even the humble tailor shop in the alley has changed.

Imprint: Mottled light and shadow leave memories. In fact, these old shops mentioned by the old lane residents have been engraved with profound memories of the old Quanzhou people.

The photo studio with many old photos hanging at the entrance of the alley contains many precious memories from the past.

Chen Peixin, the owner of this photo studio called Luo Xin, has been a well-known photographer in Quanzhou since his grandfather's generation.