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AmoyMagic--Guide to Xiamen & Fujian
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Photograph of Matthew Brown , in Xiamen, two years old, looking at photographs

"A picture's worth 1,000 words"--especially if they're my words! Fortunately, my books on Xiamen, Quanzhou, Fujian, Gulangyu, Xiamen Univ. etc. have numerous prize photos by award-winning photographers from all over Fujian (the books have my photos as well but you'll survive them).
Click links below for photos:

Zhu Qingfu Award-winning photographer's photos of Xiamen & Fujian Click Here for Page 2 (new!)

Gulangyu Postcards by master photographer Bai Hua

World of Lily Wang Great collection of Lily's Gulangyu architectural photos

Hong Bu Ren Historic B&W photos of Old Amoy, collected by Xiamen's "Walking History Book," Prof. Hong

Hu Shaogang (Babushka) excellent photos by master renowned photographer in West Fujian (many photos of Hakka festivals)

Wu Guangmin Beautiful photos of Fujian by Wuyi Mountain's famous photographer -- to be added

Fujian Churches -- photos of many of Fujian's beautiful churches, and various Christian activities

Fujian Temples and Religious Sites -- to be added

Brown Family Photos -- to be added

Photos of Fujian by Location (under construction)
Zhangghou Info (a few photos; more coming)

Zhouning -- Land of Kungfu fighting highlanders, carp worshippers, China's largest waterfalls complex...

Quanzhou City -- "Start of the Maritime Silk Road"

Chongwu -- Walled City & Hui'an Maidens

Wuyi Wonderland -- the natural, historic and cultural richness of Wuyi Mountain

Sanming -- the scenie Hakka Homeland, site of China's 4th largest gem deposits, sleeping Buddha,...

Yongding -- the unique Hakka earthen roundhouses

Ningde -- Taimu Mountain, Sandu'ao, deng deng (New photos still being added)

Xiapu -- Kukai's Cove, Seafood, Rafting

Changtai -- Kayak Capital of China!

Changting-- Little Red Shanghai!

Liangcheng-- X-rated mountain scenery!

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Last Updated October 2006

Excerpt from Introduction to Longyan (Hakka Homeland).

Click Here for text and 100+ photos of "Journey to the West" (trip to Longyan, in West Fujian).

West Fujian is one roller coaster range of mountains after another, but it’s well worth the ride to the Hakka Earthen Houses (about 20,000 of them, altogether!), and “Little Red Shanghai—” the Hakka Homeland, Cradle of Chinese Communism, and start of the Long March (followed by the Short April ).

South China tigers roam Meihua Nature Preserve, and the subterranean beauty of Dragon Cave and the Immortal Lake Cave compete with the surrealistic scener of Guanzai Mountain above.

The six hour drive from Amoy to Changting winds past ancient villages and banyans (the ‘fengshui tree’ ) nestled deep within dark valleys shrouded by mists and time. Old stone bridges irrigate patches of sweet potatoes, tobacco, and taro, guarded by colorful scarecrows (with crows often perched right on their shoulders).

Mysterious temples cling precariously to cliffs, pagodas crown bald peaks, and solitary bamboos tower here and there like giant brushes painting the mist on mountains lifted straight from a Chinese watercolor.

“Don’t view flowers on horseback!” Chinese warn. (走马观花, zouma guanhua). In other words, “Take time to smell the roses.” So I prefer to drive slowly (relatively) and savor the sites. I ignore the honks behind me because I know that Darwinian Driving (Survival of the Fastest) and Sunzi’s Art of Auto Warfare (孙子汽车兵法) require they pass me anyway, whether I’m driving 50 kph or 150 kph. But this helps keep the population down.

Endless seas of banana trees fill the valleys west of Zhangzhou. Zhangzhou bananas are no cheaper here than in Xiamen but they’re so fresh that one stalk included a pair of field mice, at no extra charge. Zhangli would have had kittens if he’d known that our cat Charlemagne got to them.

Past the bright red and white cottages of “China Orchid Garden (中国兰花园)” begin the endless villages, temples, ancient banyan trees, and the endless billboards that help entertain bored Bills.

Billboards and slogans painted on old walls, buildings, and farmhouses once proclaimed, “Long Live the Victorious Struggle of the People!” Nowadays they exhort citizens to “Have one child!” “Cherish the Roads,” “Help Fight Fires,” or “Drink HuiQuan Beer!” Bright red “Robust!” mineral water signs adorned buildings in even the remotest valleys. They reminded me of the “See Rock City! ” barn roofs once scattered all over the Southeastern U.S.

A Dog’s Life I swerved to avoid a hound in the highway and my friend said, “The She worship dogs as gods.”
“I know,” I said. “And I almost sent that god back to heaven!”
Legends claim that an ancient king offered his daughter in marriage to whomever could save the village from bandits—never dreaming a dog would win the pretty prize. He didn’t want a dog for a son-in-law, so he used a 7-day magic transformation to turn the mutt into a man. But on the last night the curious King took a peek. The magic stopped, leaving a man with a mutt’s head. Ever since, the She have worshipped dogs, and would no more eat a dog than other Chinese would chow down on boiled Buddha.

Hakka also worship dogs, but preferably puppies, ten pounds or less, in a pot. During the 1930s, some soldiers sold their blankets (and probably pup tents as well) for a hot pot of potatoes ‘n puppy. A hot Hakka dish today is QiLing TouTai—“Unicorn pokes out his head” (puppy steamed in a pig’s stomach). Yum.

Highway Heaven
Fujian’s modern highways are shrinking our convoluted province faster than Chinese jeans washed in hot water. Highways bore through mountains and arch across deep valleys. And every meter is meticulously manicured with grass, shrubs, bougainvillea, azaleas, a kaleidoscope of potted plants, and “Cherish the Greenery!” signs. I love the new highways. They are a real contrast from the dirt roads common only a decade ago! But they fly right past delightful little towns like Shizhong (适中), about 170 km west of Xiamen.

Shizhong’s plain has some fascinating 4-story rammed-earth Hakka Castles. These aren’t tourist traps. Real people live and work here, and when you show up on their doorstep they’ll grin and say, “You’ve come! Have some tea!” You might as well sit down because they’re going to keep offering it until you do!

Click Here for text and 100+ photos of "Journey to the West" (trip to Longyan, in West Fujian).