Zhongshan Road in Quanzhou

A single Zhongshan Road encapsulates a millennium of Quanzhou's history.

Stretching 2,495 meters, Quanzhou's Zhongshan Road is one of China's most completely preserved commercial streets lined with continuous qilou (arcade-style buildings). It runs from north to south, traversing the entire old town, and is divided into three sections: South, Middle, and North.

The use of red brick, a hallmark of traditional Minnan architecture, in the road's qilou buildings creates a striking encounter between East and West, as well as a powerful juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern.