A famous fishing village in Quanzhou in Fujian, China receives a lot of tourists every day.
Xunpu Village is popular for its unique practices and architecture.
First, the village is known for its colorfully dressed women with flowery headwear, traditional Chinese garments, and wooden sabots.
“Chinese girls are chasing for beauty. And this garden in their hair is a symbol of beauty. It’s their lifestyle, the garden in their hair,” Necros Wong said.
Since Quanzhou is one of the important port cities on the Maritime Silk Road, the flowers worn by Xunpu women originally came from Arabic countries.
In 2008, the said practice of women was recognized as a ‘national intangible cultural heritage’ in China.
Xunpu Village famous for its oyster shell houses
Aside from the villagers who wear colorful headdresses, Xunpu Village is also known for its houses made of oyster shells.
According to the people of Xunpu, the construction of oyster shell houses began during the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
“It’s very rare from the whole country. They are made with oyster shells. It keeps [the villagers] warm in the winter and cold [during] summer. So, it’s very amazing and impressive,” Necros Wong added.
But the oyster shells used to build the houses did not come from Quanzhou but from Africa.
In ancient times, the Xunpu people traded goods with African countries.
They went there with silk and tea and returned with oyster shells to increase the weight of their ship and prevent capsizing.
Besides China, most of the tourists here come from Japan, South Korea, and other countries in Southeast Asia.
