The Wudianshi neighborhood in Quanzhou includes buildings from the Song and Ming dynasties. Shi Qingliang / For China Daily

Although the hall's large dome collapsed in an earthquake, the open-air, grassy field dotted with gigantic pillars evokes an awe-inspiring sense of solemnity.

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Place of pilgrimage

For a closer glimpse into the city's historical and cultural past, include Wudianshi neighborhood, or "Five Shops District", in your itinerary. A 30-minute car ride from the city's downtown area, the district includes more than 100 traditional buildings from the Song and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties. The buildings were renovated and relocated into the area, part of a project launched in 2012 to resurrect and protect the city's cultural heritage.

The neighborhood gets its name from a Tang Dynasty legend that boasts of the first-class dishes and impeccable service of five restaurants owned by a family surnamed Cai.

Walking among the buildings is like walking down the city's memory lane. Almost all of the traditional houses were built with huge granite slabs mixed with red brick in what seems like an irregular pattern, but which is a distinctive style of southern Fujian architecture. The architectural craftsmanship is illuminated by the Cai Family ancestral hall, the centerpiece of the district.

In honor of the family who operated the five restaurants, the hall has a graceful swallowtail roof ridge that is dotted with intricate carvings of flowers and birds. Vivid brick sculptures of people and time-honored couplets are inscribed on pillars featuring vigorous cursive script.

Quanzhou bustles with a lively street food scene, which last year attracted A Bite of China, the documentary series about Chinese cuisines, to film in the city.

Top on the recommendation list are beef noodles that have a chewy and tender texture and paste noodles, a signature local soup that combines thread-like noodles, shrimps and clams.