Stand on Tumen Street and you can see the city's story in a single block: the stone walls and restored dome of Qingjing Mosque, and just east of it the smoke and red candles of Guan-Yue Temple, where people line up to feed a furnace more than two storeys tall. This is what Quanzhou does best — religions that rarely share a street elsewhere sit within a few minutes' walk of each other.
Quanzhou suits travellers who are more interested in stone inscriptions, temple courtyards and old bridges than in nightlife or shopping districts. It rewards slow walking and a tolerance for heat. This guide covers the sights named in the source material, ordered by how much of your time they deserve.
Top things to do in Quanzhou
1. Kaiyuan Temple
The largest and most famous Buddhist temple complex in the area, with well-landscaped grounds, several temple buildings, religious art and two tall pagodas. Look for the ancient stone turtle on the grounds.
The Xi Jie (West Lane) outside the temple is a busy shopping street selling souvenirs, joss paper and other Buddhist items, snacks and books. The Ancient Ships Pavilion of the Maritime Museum sits in one of the temple's ancillary buildings, so you can combine the two in one stop.
2. Qingjing Mosque
The only surviving mosque of the many that once existed in Quanzhou, over a thousand years old and rebuilt in 2009, when its dome returned after a two-hundred-year absence. It stands on Tumen Street.
Visit it together with Guan-Yue Temple just to the east, and note that the two are close enough to see in the same hour.
3. Guan-Yue Temple
A large Taoist warrior temple on Tumen Jie dedicated to the generals Guan Yu and Yue Fei. The ritual furnace for burning joss paper is over two storeys tall and has a big chimney.
The furnace becomes very busy around holidays such as Yuanxiao, when people line up to burn their offerings — worth seeing, but expect crowds.
4. Quanzhou Maritime Museum
An excellent museum covering the city's history as one of China's greatest trading cities and a major base for its fleets. Alongside ship models and nautical artifacts it holds a large collection of stone inscriptions and reliefs from ancient tombstones and temples, evidence of the city's connections with India, the Middle East and Europe.
Do not miss the collection of stone tombstones and stelae in the back yard. The Islamic Culture Exhibition is on the same grounds, sharing the parking lot.
5. Tian Hou Gong
A temple at the southern edge of downtown dedicated to Tian Hou, also known as Mazu, the sea goddess worshipped by sailors and fishermen. Look for the ancient bixi turtles with an illegible stele on the grounds, and a pond with fish and turtles in one of the back courtyards.
It is free to enter and sits at Tianhou Lu and Zhongshan Nan Lu, convenient to the southern end of a downtown walk.
6. Qingyuan Mountain
Climbing this mountain is a way to get away from the city's heat and noise. The paths are clearly marked and paved in most places, with steps up the steeper sections, and there are plenty of places to buy drinks or snacks along the way. The Lao Tse statue is near the main entrance.
Temples, pavilions and even carnival-style games sit along the route. It is a strenuous climb, so start early and carry water.
7. Lingshan Islamic Cemetery
The first Islamic missionaries to China came to Quanzhou by ship. Tradition holds that Muhammad sent four of his personal disciples, who arrived in the late 7th century; upon their deaths they were buried here, and the tombs became a place of pilgrimage for some Muslims.
It lies near what was the east gate of the old walled city, so it fits naturally into a walk around the historic core.
8. Zhenwu Temple
A Taoist temple dedicated to Zhenwu, the "True Warrior", first built over a thousand years ago during the Northern Song Dynasty and extensively renovated in later dynasties. It is free to enter and open from 06:00 to 17:30.
It is at 301 Tonggang West Street in Fengze District, reachable on bus routes 1, 14, 21, K503, K505, K510, K606, Tourist Bus 1 or Tourist Bus 3.
9. Luoyang Bridge
A bridge considered one of the four ancient bridges of China. The railings look remarkably well preserved; look at the pillars instead, which are more indicative of its age.
Take bus no. 19 or Tourist Bus 4 to reach the south side of the bridge.
10. Confucian Temple
The main Confucian temple in town, a couple of blocks west of the Taoist temple and just off Tumen Street.
Because it sits so close to Qingjing Mosque and Guan-Yue Temple, it is easiest to see all three on the same walk along Tumen Street.
11. Chongfu Temple
A beautiful if small active Buddhist temple on Chongfu Road, northeast of the city centre near where Dong Road turns into Donghu Road.
Its size makes it a short stop, so pair it with the museums along Donghu Street rather than making a separate trip.
12. Fujian-Taiwan Kinship Museum
A museum dedicated to the cultural and historical ties between Fujian and Taiwan, at 212 Beiqing Road East in Fengze District, in a park north of the West Lake just east of Quanzhou Museum. Entry is free.
It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–17:00, extended to 17:30 between June and September, with no entry during the last 30 minutes.
13. Quanzhou Museum of Overseas Chinese History
Each floor has a different focus: the first introduces the circumstances under which people emigrated from Quanzhou, the second shows how migrants adapted to life abroad, particularly in Singapore, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia, and the top floor covers contributions Overseas Chinese people have made to the city's social and economic development.
It is at 732 Donghu Street, opposite East Lake, open 09:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays. Entry is free.
14. Quanzhou Museum
Set in a park north of the West Lake, this museum is closed for renovations as of April 2026; normal opening hours are 09:00–17:00. Entry is free.
If you go when it reopens, do not miss the small "stele forest" behind the museum.
15. Statue of Koxinga
An enormous equestrian statue that appears to be guarding the town, up on a hill on the east side of the city. Koxinga was a local boy from a family of seafarers, merchants trading with Japan and pirates, who became a general and is best known for driving the Dutch out of Taiwan in the 1660s.
Take bus no. 55 to the entrance of Koxinga Park, then walk up the hill. Related sites and monuments can also be found in Nan'an and on nearby Kinmen Island.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Kaiyuan Temple when it opens, giving the pagodas and grounds proper time, then walk the Xi Jie outside for snacks and Buddhist goods. Step into the Ancient Ships Pavilion on the temple grounds before you leave.
Afternoon. Walk Tumen Street: Qingjing Mosque first, then Guan-Yue Temple just east of it, then the Confucian Temple a couple of blocks west. Continue to Tian Hou Gong at the southern edge of downtown, and finish the afternoon at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum, including the stone tombstones and stelae in the back yard and the Islamic Culture Exhibition on the same grounds.
Evening. Take bus no. 55 to Koxinga Park and walk up the hill to the Statue of Koxinga for the view over the city as the light goes.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Quanzhou?
The city has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons and moderate temperatures. Summer brings typhoons that cause rain and some damage to the city, so plan around that season if you can.
Do I need to book ahead for the museums?
Quanzhou Science and Technology Museum requires visitors to make a booking before visiting, made through the museum's WeChat account. The Quanzhou Museum is closed for renovations as of April 2026, so check before you go.
How do I reach Qingyuan Mountain and Luoyang Bridge without a car?
Both are served by public buses. For Qingyuan Mountain, take bus 15, K203, K205, Tourist Bus 1, Tourist Bus 5 or Tourist Bus 7 to the main entrance. For Luoyang Bridge, take bus no. 19 or Tourist Bus 4 to the south side.
Is there a Manichean temple in Quanzhou?
Neighbouring Jinjiang has the world's only surviving Manichean temple, so it is a separate trip from the city itself.
Pick the temples and museums that match your interests, check the bus routes that serve them, and start mapping out your days in Quanzhou.