The Exhibition of the World Heritage City Quanzhou and Its Intangible Cultural Heritage: Quanzhou, the Best City Representing China during the Song and Yuan Dynasty was unveiled on August 10, 2023 at the China Cultural Centre in Sydney, Australia. The exhibition is sponsored by the China Cultural Centre in Sydney and Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and organized by Quanzhou Culture, Broadcasting and Tourism Bureau.
Quanzhou is the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and an ancient port city that embodies the exchanges and integration between Chinese and Western civilizations. “Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China” was inscribed onto the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in July 2021, becoming the 56th World Heritage in China. As a World Heritage City, Quanzhou has 22 heritage sites scattered throughout the city. The city’s enduring history and magnificent culture has given birth to a rich intangible cultural heritage with distinctive regional characteristics. Quanzhou’s culture reflects the aesthetics of the culture of Southern Fujian province, and embodies the profound historical memory and culture roots of the Maritime Silk Road.
Leveraging Quanzhou’s dual-heritage as its narrative entry point, the exhibition showcases Quanzhou’s remarkable history and distinctive characteristics as a World Heritage City. It also features the spirit of craftsmanship from Quanzhou’s intangible cultural heritage inheritors, including Li Yaobao’s paper cuttings, as well as Quanzhou’s tin carving, gold and blue embroidery, puppetry and others. Rooted in the pursuit for a better life, these artistic creations illustrates Quanzhou’s unique cultural charms.
Source: China Cultural Centre in Sydney (Abridged)