Chongwu Ancient City Scenic Area

Chongwu Ancient City Scenic Area is located at the eastern end of Chongwu Peninsula in Hui'an County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, this scenic area is a combination of coastal scenery, historical relics, folk customs, and sculpture art. It has been praised as a "natural film studio", a "Beidaihe in the South", and a "Badaling in Southern Fujian". The highlight of this scenic spot is the magnificent seaside stone city, Chongwu Ancient City, which is the only intact stone city among more than 60 coastal fortresses built in the early Ming Dynasty. The three main attractions of the scenic spot are the ancient city wall, the stone carvings, and the rocky reefs by the sea.

History of Chongwu Ancient City

Chongwu Ancient City was built in the 20th year of the Hongwu Emperor's reign (1387) as a coastal stone city to resist the Japanese pirates. It is a famous anti-pirate city in the ancient southeast maritime frontier of China, and has a history of more than 600 years. Chongwu Ancient City is entirely built of granite stone strips, not only the city wall, but also most of the streets and houses inside the city. The structure, material, and construction technique represent the local architectural achievements at that time. The construction of the entire ancient city is a model of the integration of ancient architectural technology and art.

Top Attractions to See

1. Ancient City Wall（古城墙）

The ancient city wall is the iconic building of Chongwu Ancient City. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and has been repaired and rebuilt for hundreds of years. It has a history of thousands of years. The city wall is about 10 meters high and 2 meters thick, surrounded by a moat, the city gates, arrow towers, and city towers are arranged rigorously. You can walk on the city wall and enjoy the panoramic view of the ancient city and the surrounding scenery. 

2. Chongwu Ancient Port（崇武古港）

Chongwu Ancient Port is located outside the south gate of the ancient city. It is a historical fishing port. Here you can see the traditional fishing boats and fishermen, and feel the strong fishing village atmosphere. In addition, you can also taste the authentic Chongwu seafood, which is an unforgettable gourmet trip.

3. Ancient North Gate（古北门）

The ancient north gate is one of the important gateways of Chongwu Ancient City. It was built in the Ming Dynasty. The gate tower is tall and majestic, the gate hole is wide, and there are watchtowers and sentry posts on both sides of the gate tower. You can learn about the architectural features and historical culture of the ancient city gate here.

4. Museum

The Chongwu Ancient City Museum is located inside the city wall. It is a museum with the theme of ancient city culture. It collects a large number of historical relics and documents, and displays the historical evolution and cultural connotation of Chongwu Ancient City.

5. Ancient Buildings

There are more than 30 ancient buildings inside and outside Chongwu Ancient City, which were built in the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and have been repaired and continued to this day. They are temples, monasteries, etc. They reflect the complex and diverse religious beliefs from different angles. For example, the Chengying Temple built in the Song Dynasty, which was changed to the City God Temple in the Ming Dynasty; the Guandi Temple, Tianfei Palace, Side Temple, Sanguan Temple, Chongshan Palace, Chongbao Temple, Yunfeng Temple, Hengdan Temple, and Dongyue Temple built in the Ming Dynasty, etc., form a group of ancient sites that can be visited and studied with the ancient city.

Travel Information

How to get there:

By bus: Take bus 225 to the station "Chongwu Ancient City Scenic Area" and walk there

Food recommendation:

1. Chongwu fish roll（崇武鱼卷）: Chongwu fish roll is a traditional specialty of southern Fujian, and one of the top ten snacks in Quanzhou. Its main ingredient is selected high-quality fish, among which mackerel, eel, and shark are the best.
2. Koushu（口酥）: The golden crust contains peanut powder mixed with sugar, sesame, and green onion. The shape resembles a crescent moon, and it looks like a bright golden ingot from a distance after frying.
3. Fried kueh（炸粿）: It is a special delicacy in Hui'an County. It is filled with oysters, lean meat, and chives, and wrapped in starch rice.
4. Piglet kueh（猪仔粿）: It is an authentic Chongwu snack, named after its shape like a piglet. The piglet cake just out of the cage is tender and not greasy, sweet and delicious, and its unique sweet potato crust and peanut filling have always been loved by people.
5. Crab noodle（蟹子面）: Chongwu are rich in swimming crabs, with a lot of meat, fat and creamy, delicious and nutritious, and is a good dish for entertaining guests.