Walking down the bustling alleys and streets of Quanzhou's old town in Fujian province, it is hard not to imagine a similarly prosperous scene in Zayton, a city known to Arab and European traders between the 10th and 14th centuries.
Then a world-class seafront emporium, Quanzhou was visited and inhabited by people from around the world. The intense cultural exchanges reshaped the city's appearance, and the legacies of its past glory are vivid in its architecture, historical sites, and arts and crafts.
Now at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum, an exhibition of designs and cultural products inspired by Quanzhou's diverse history, enriched by its past as a pivotal port on the Maritime Silk Road connecting the East and the West, is on display. The works are prizewinners of the first Quanzhou Cup: World Heritage Cultural and Creative Design Competition.
Organized by Quanzhou's culture and tourism bureau, the competition aims to foster deep integration between the city's 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites and the modern design and tourism market. Drawing inspiration from Quanzhou's maritime culture and Fujian's distinct folk culture, designers reimagine traditional motifs through a global design lens.
