Editor's note: This report focuses on Quanzhou as part of our special series, "Rising Star Cities," about Chinese cities whose annual GDP each exceeds 1 trillion yuan ($155 billion). At the end of 2021, there were 24 such cities. Click here for more stories on Quanzhou, an ancient trading hub known for its cultural diversity. You can also explore our earlier coverage of Ningbo, Changsha and Chongqing. 

Quanzhou made the world cultural heritage list last year due to 22 historical sites scattered across the city. Quanzhou is also a key maritime hub and the starting point of the Ancient Maritime Silk Road. Zhong Shi has more details from the city.