The South China Coast

We have already visited Shanghai, which is about in the middle of China's coast. We have also visited Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou (Canton), which are in the south. Today we will see the coastal cities that are in between. North of Hong Kong but south of Shanghai.

This area is so important because it is a logical place for China to do so much of the trading that it does by ship. This stretch of coast was the location of the first Special Economic Zones that were designated by Deng Xiaoping. Possibly the most visible Special Economic Zone today is the Lujiazui area of Shanghai, but that was not designated as a Special Economic Zone until later.

In a Special Economic Zone trading can be done with other countries without requiring the express permission of the government. More free-enterprise is permitted and foreigners are allowed ownership and investment.

China has traded by ship for a very long time. The fabled Silk Road was not only by land. Much of the trading along the road was done by sea. These cities along the coast were mostly walled because piracy and raiding by sea was an ever-present menace. This area is on the mainland directly opposite Taiwan, which we have also visited.

The first part of this coast that we will visit, the southern part, is in Fujian Province. In this province there is yet another way to speak Chinese, aside from Mandarin and Cantonese, the dialect here is Fujianese.

Xiamen is an island city on the coast that has been designated as a Special Economic Zone. A lot of shipping is done from this city. This was one of the first Special Economic Zones in China. 

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https://www.google.com/maps/@24.4970245,118.1828842,3a,75y,97.5h,108.94t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNA4W4RyrhIyjOVglJrGBs3Uv7iSGcf5vFJFtAN!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNA4W4RyrhIyjOVglJrGBs3Uv7iSGcf5vFJFtAN%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-18.941883-ya298.64285-ro-0-fo100!7i6912!8i3456

Regardless of how modern these cities look, they are actually very old. Here is some traditional Chinese architecture in Licheng.

https://www.google.com/maps/@24.9082581,118.5857412,3a,75y,91.5h,104.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMbegdGnFYXAYXLYU6jYXZUOSJEMd-WM99v4Cl2!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMbegdGnFYXAYXLYU6jYXZUOSJEMd-WM99v4Cl2%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.933861-ya65.50001-ro-0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120

This is the coastal city of Quanzhou.

https://www.google.com/maps/@24.8744295,118.6351763,3a,75y,271.5h,92.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPvn4UwWiWH44Pwz9edlNBxaey__PeILVT2vk0!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPvn4UwWiWH44Pwz9edlNBxaey__PeILVT2vk0%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya141.5-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

The largest city in Fujian province is Fuzhou. This is the central part of the city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.0558828,119.3337558,3a,75y,124.5h,104.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNzla0A927i5MLS6j43M-mMdsdNzk2aSzn3c82K!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNzla0A927i5MLS6j43M-mMdsdNzk2aSzn3c82K%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.933861-ya249.5-ro0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120

Here is more of central Fuzhou.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.0868464,119.2926077,3a,75y,112.5h,101t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPtZsoTuYNiJNwr02iXOkcM4XNZymvi4kmMOJAc!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPtZsoTuYNiJNwr02iXOkcM4XNZymvi4kmMOJAc%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-11-ya111.5-ro-0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120

This is Minhou, to the north of Fuzhou.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1446333,119.1467445,3a,75y,169.5h,92.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOEXnpUdxIIJFDJ2S0SwwFF8BjZLeQptKIPZD3T!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOEXnpUdxIIJFDJ2S0SwwFF8BjZLeQptKIPZD3T%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya169.5-ro-0-fo100!7i5376!8i2688

Moving northward along the coast, beyond Fujian province, we come to Wenzhou.

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0149293,120.6535481,3a,75y,46.5h,92.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPQCxUnrLv9TweZRPnCmxBYbhhEbW9Ex2zR6ec5!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPQCxUnrLv9TweZRPnCmxBYbhhEbW9Ex2zR6ec5%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya342.5-ro-0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120

Finally, at the end of our journey northward along the coast of southern China, we come to the area of Taizhou. This is in the Yangtze Delta, one of the great early centers of civilization. Shanghai is also in the Yangtze Delta.

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.6407714,121.2577859,3a,75y,187.5h,96.94t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPx6hSUhK9UBESVYwgFGPx0w8CEBpCIaPVHPG0a!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPx6hSUhK9UBESVYwgFGPx0w8CEBpCIaPVHPG0a%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-6.941883-ya8.750007-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352