Putian

Birthplace of Mazu worship, where the Meizhou Mazu Ancestral Temple is the mother temple of all Mazu temples worldwide; the island has a golden beach and the Ewei Rock Garden, while the city has Song-era sites such as Guanghua Temple and the ancient Drum Tower.

Putian lies midway along the Fujian coast between Fuzhou and Quanzhou. Known historically as Xinghua, it is famed as 'Mazu's hometown' and a 'land of scholarship'. Meizhou Island sits at the mouth of Meizhou Bay southeast of Xiuyu District; covering about 14 km², it is the birthplace of Mazu belief and customs (inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list). The Meizhou Mazu Ancestral Temple in the north of the island is the mother temple of all Mazu temples worldwide, Jiubaolan Golden Beach lies in the southwest, and the Ewei Mountain Rock Garden is at the southern tip. In the city are the Song-dynasty Sanqing Hall of Yuanmiao Taoist Temple, the ancient Drum Tower and the old streets of the former Xinghua prefecture; the western outskirts have Guanghua Temple with its Shakyamuni Pagoda and the Mulan Weir, the northern outskirts the Southern Shaolin Temple, and Xianyou County offers scenic areas such as Jiuli Lake, Maixie Rock and Caixi Rock. The best seasons are Mar–May and Sep–Nov; you can swim in summer, but watch for typhoons. Grand ceremonies are held on Mazu's birthday (23rd day of the 3rd lunar month) and the anniversary of her ascension (9th day of the 9th lunar month), drawing big crowds, so book ahead. Getting there: take the high-speed train to Putian Station, then a taxi or shuttle to Wenjia Pier (about 1 hour) and a roughly 20-minute ferry to the island; on the island you can rent an e-bike or bicycle or ride the sightseeing bus around the coast. Allow 2–3 days: spend a night on the island for the Ancestral Temple, sunset on the beach and sunrise; spend another day exploring the old city and Guanghua Temple, or hire a car to Jiuli Lake in Xianyou. Visiting the island requires an admission ticket and a ferry ticket, and ferries may be suspended in strong winds. Local food to try includes braised noodles, Xinghua rice noodles, qiangrou (starch-coated pork soup), oyster cakes, lychees and longans.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries