Looking at the whole of China, there are not many cities that can be said to have had an impact on the world. Quanzhou is fortunate to be one of them, and it is an extremely important one. Quanzhou was called Citong in ancient times because its city walls resembled carps, so it was also called Carp City.
Calling Quanzhou Licheng is really appropriate. For a very long period of history, Quanzhou City could only be said to be ordinary and inconspicuous. Since the establishment of Minzhong County in the Qin Dynasty, the land of Quanzhou has begun a life of "displacement" and has been continuously divided into different counties. Even during the Tang Dynasty, the name Quanzhou belonged to Fuzhou.
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Quanzhou became increasingly prominent as a port, but it still lacked confidence in front of the big brother Guangzhou. In terms of history, it is not as good as Hepu, Xuwen and other places further south.
However, the "carp" in Quanzhou finally had the opportunity to leap over the dragon gate. Since the Jin Dynasty moved south, the southeastern part of China has gradually been developed. After the steady development of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, "today's gifts are all over the world, and Jiangnan ranks 19th." Finding sales for products has been on the agenda of the rulers.
Coincidentally, on the other side of the continent, a great empire spanning Asia, Africa and Europe is rising. The Arab Empire was under the rule of the Abbasid Dynasty, and there were constant fleets heading to the East to purchase silk, porcelain and other handicrafts. They were the largest buyers of Made in China. They landed from the coast of the South China Sea in search of the most valuable goods to fill the empty bellies of merchant ships.
The constant flow of ships has overwhelmed most ports in China. China’s goods don’t have to worry about sales, but where to trade them. In the second year of Yuanyou of the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 1087), the Song Dynasty government established the Shipping Department in Quanzhou, and Quanzhou's status as an official trading port was officially established. The rise of Quanzhou can be said to have taken full advantage of the opportunity.
In the southeastern corner of An'an in the Southern Song Dynasty, the Song royal family lost a large area of ??land and urgently needed tax revenue from overseas trade to meet its huge expenses. At this time, the capital Lin'an (today's Hangzhou, Zhejiang) and the adjacent Mingzhou (today's Ningbo, Zhejiang) both had the potential to become major trade ports. Quanzhou saw that the advantage it had just gained was about to slip away. Fortunately, Quanzhou also has a good location.
"The spring is located in the south of Ba Fujian. The mountains are winding and there is no carving; the harbor is winding and there is no wave. ——"Longqing Mansion Chronicles""
A short sentence The words fully illustrate Quanzhou’s geographical advantages as a port. Quanzhou is located in the southern part of Fujian Province, with a winding coastline, many bays, and no cold winters, so it is perfect for building a port.
Although the shipbuilding technology in China, Arabia, Southeast Asia and other places during the Tang and Song Dynasties was sufficient for ocean voyages. However, businessmen all hope to shorten the sailing distance to minimize risks and costs and maximize benefits. For these merchants, it is not cost-effective to travel to Lin'an and Mingzhou for an extra three months.
After seeing this, some people may think that Guangzhou must be the most suitable place. The truth is far from that simple. Merchants hoped that the port would be as far south as possible, but the Southern Song government wanted the "money bag" to be as close to itself as possible. A compromise between both sides, Quanzhou’s choice is the right balance.
Moreover, during the Tang and Song Dynasties, the Fujian-Ryukyu sea route was opened and became increasingly mature. Quanzhou Port can simultaneously undertake three routes: southwest (Southeast Asia-Arabia-Africa-Western Ocean), southeast (Taiwan-Ryukyu), and northeast (Korea-Japan). Quanzhou's location is unparalleled.
In addition, Fujian's "winding mountains" have done Quanzhou a favor.
With more mountains and less fields, a large number of Fujian people fled the land and went to sea to make a living, scorning the so-called "agriculture is the basis of business". Quanzhou people have a strong sense of being local and are helped by their fellow villagers. More and more people are going overseas to do business. In the feudal society, the rebellion of this group of people was precisely the people and people who rose up in Quanzhou.
Thereafter, Quanzhou provided more than one-fifth of the annual income for the Song Dynasty royal family. It was only natural that it would surpass Guangzhou, become the "largest port in the East" during the Yuan Dynasty, and connect China with the world through the "Maritime Silk Road".