The fishing village of Xunpu (sometimes Xunbu), some 10km southeast of the city centre of Quanzhou, was on the old trade route of the maritime Silk Road and was perhaps the Arabs’ first port of call when they set foot in Quanzhou during the Song dynasty. The village, now under encroaching urbanisation, is still fascinating and you’ll find some old houses built with oyster shells behind the main road in the village and older women still wearing flamboyant traditional head ornaments.
The Mazu Temple (妈祖庙. Māzǔ Miào) on the knoll in the village is the local centre of worship. It’s dedicated to the goddess of seafarers and turns very lively on the 29th day of the first lunar calendar month, the birthday of the protector. All the women in the village turn out in traditional costumes to join in the annual Mazu procession.
A taxi from Quanzhou bus station is about ¥25.