Quanzhou, with a pillow of mountains and seas, is one of the starting points of the Maritime Silk Road. In 2021, at the 44th World Heritage Conference, "Quanzhou: The World Marine Trade Center of Song and Yuan Dynasties" was successfully included in the World Heritage List.

Ships were an important carrier of East-West exchanges during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In order to showcase the shipbuilding technology that ancient China led the world, in the 1990s, the Quanzhou Overseas Transportation History Museum organized experts and scholars and experienced shipbuilders to carry out the restoration project of ancient wooden sailing ships, but after the ship model was completed, the museum did not have the funds to build the exhibition hall. After everyone discussed it, they decided to write a report to Xi Jinping, then governor of Fujian Province.

After learning about the situation, Xi Jinping attached great importance to it and immediately issued an instruction: "Fujian is the ancient shipbuilding center of China, and Quanzhou is the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road in China. It is suitable to prepare for the construction of an ancient ship development history exhibition hall at the Quanzhou Maritime Transportation Hall in Fujian Province. It is suitable, distinctive, meaningful, and basic and basic conditions." At the end of the instruction, he also specifically reminded: "Form a report as soon as possible and submit it to me for approval."

Soon, all the funds required for the renovation of the exhibition hall and the exhibition hall were implemented. In the summer of 2001, the Ancient Ship Development History Exhibition Hall was officially opened.

While bringing merchant ships to all parts of the world, the monsoons and ocean currents also bring cultures from various countries back to China. Buildings such as Kaiyuan Temple, Qingjing Temple, and Tianhou Palace reflect Quanzhou's tolerance for different ethnic groups and cultures.

The protection of cultural heritage in Quanzhou has been steadily advancing. In November 2001, Xi Jinping, then Governor of Fujian Province, presided over a meeting of the governor's office to study the plan to apply for the World Cultural Heritage. The following year, Xi Jinping went to Quanzhou for investigation again and demanded that the application for world cultural heritage be carried out as soon as possible.

After 20 years of hard work, in July 2021, "Quanzhou: The World Marine Trade Center of Song and Yuan Dynasties" was successfully included in the World Heritage List. 22 heritage points, such as 22 pearls, connect the brilliant crown of the World Marine Trade Center of the Song and Yuan dynasties.

As time passes, the prosperity of Quanzhou ancient city has never faded. Today, this city that has flourished because of the sea is inheriting the ancient cultural context and continuing to write a glorious chapter of the sea.

Planning: Huang Huo, Fan Hua

Coordinator: Han Shen, Wang Zhibin

Director: Ji Yang