In the Song and Yuan centuries, roughly a thousand years ago, Quanzhou on the coast of Fujian was one of the busiest ports on the planet. Arab, Persian, Indian and Southeast Asian merchants lived here, ships loaded silk, porcelain and tea for the Indian Ocean, and Marco Polo, who knew it as Zayton, described a harbour crowded with vessels. The Zhenwu Temple stands on a small rise by the estuary of the Jin river, where officials once made sacrifices to the god of the sea before the fleets sailed, and the old docks along the shore nearby are part of the World Heritage Site inscribed in 2021 as Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China.
The temple is modest in size but rich in atmosphere: curved roofs with upturned eaves, incense smoke, stone steps leading up from the water's edge. From the terrace you look out over the estuary, which has silted and changed since the great days of the port, with mudflats, fishing boats and the modern city spreading along both banks. The other sites of the World Heritage group, scattered around Quanzhou, include mosques, Hindu temple carvings, Buddhist temples, bridges, pagodas and kilns, reflecting the extraordinary diversity of the medieval city.
Riding in China as a foreigner is complicated. You need a Chinese driving licence or a temporary permit, and importing a foreign bike requires special arrangements, usually through an agency. Many Chinese cities also restrict or ban motorcycles in their central districts, so check local rules for Quanzhou before planning a route. Traffic is dense, with electric scooters everywhere, and road manners can be very different from what you are used to.
If you do ride in Fujian, the countryside offers mountains, tea plantations and coastal roads. Anxi, in the hills north-west of Quanzhou, is the home of Tieguanyin oolong tea, and the roads through its terraced plantations are beautiful. The coast to the south has fishing villages, beaches and the island city of Xiamen.
Quanzhou is a big city with fuel and services everywhere. Its food is distinctive: thin rice noodles in rich broth, oyster omelettes, peanut soup and a huge range of seafood. Walking the old streets in the evening, with their temples, shops and noodle stalls, is a pleasure after a day on the road.