Site of the Maritime Trade Office

Site of the Maritime Trade Office

The Site of the Maritime Trade Office is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province.

The Site of the Maritime Trade Office was established in the second year of Yuanyou during the Song Dynasty (1087). Its function was to specialize in “managing the taxation and trade of foreign goods and seagoing vessels, in order to welcome distant peoples and facilitate the exchange of exotic commodities.” It is an important ancient customs site in China today. Based on archaeological excavations, references to the scale of the Maritime Trade Office setup, and factors such as the composition of the water systems and roads around the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office/Office site, it is inferred that the site of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office roughly spanned from Zhuye Street to the southwest, to the road west of Maban Lane and Maban Lane to the northeast, to Shuimen Lane to the southeast, and to Bagua Gou to the northwest. The overall compound was within an area approximately 89.4 meters wide (oriented 72 degrees) and 134.1 meters deep (oriented 162 degrees), covering an area of about 12,000 square meters. Within the current site of the Maritime Trade Office lies the affiliated cultural relic XianShui Palace. Nearby are the Shuimen Sluice Gate and Nanxunmen Sluice Gate, which were used to regulate water flow and control the entry and exit of boats. The Site of the Maritime Trade Office is not only a significant physical testament to the ancient maritime trade management system of Quanzhou but also one of the historical witnesses to the prosperity of Quanzhou Port. It provides valuable historical material for studying the ancient trade management system of the Quanzhou region and its maritime trade.

Address: Shuimen Community, Haibin Subdistrict Office, Licheng District, Quanzhou City

Haibin Subdistrict: [Overview] Haibin Subdistrict is located in the central-southern part of Licheng District. It got its name because the Confucius Temple within its jurisdiction features a stele inscribed with the words “Haibin Zoulu” (Coastal Land of Eminent Scholars) by Zhu Xi, a Neo-Confucian scholar of the Song Dynasty. It is currently the location of Quanzhou’s municipal party and government offices as well as the Licheng District Administrative Service Center. The subdistrict boasts bustling commerce and convenient transportation, making it one of the most vibrant commercial areas in the urban district. It covers a total area of 3.73 square kilometers, governs 8 community neighborhood committees, and has a total population of about 43,000. The Subdistrict Party Working Committee oversees 1 non-public enterprise Party committee, 1 community Party committee, 1 general Party branch, and 31 Party branches, with a total of 829 Party members.

[History] Haibin Subdistrict…… More details about Haibin Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Fujian Province