From Gods Above to Shoes Below: Just How Magical is Putian, Fujian?
You may not know where Putian is, but you must have heard of its name.
▲ Scenery of Putian under the sunset. Photo by Cai Hao
Putian is the second smallest prefecture-level city in Fujian, covering an area of 4,200 square kilometers—only a quarter of Beijing’s size. Yet, this small city wields enormous commercial influence across China and Southeast Asia.
Putian businesspeople contribute 85% of China’s private healthcare industry, nearly 70% of the timber market, 60% of the gold and jewelry trade, and one-third of oil painting exports. They also play a vital role in Fujian’s construction industry.
Putian’s shoe-making technology leads the world. No two feet are the same, yet there’s no foot that can’t find a suitable shoe in Putian—so much so that a joke goes: to judge whether a footwear brand is world-class, check if it has an OEM base in Putian.
▲ Putian Fine Arts Industrial City and Apparel & Footwear City. Photo by Cai Hao
Putian’s legend extends far beyond commerce. It truly deserves the title “Magic City,” a nickname often associated with Shanghai. On this small land, Putian people have mastered almost every skill: farming, imperial examinations, business, faith, folk customs, and migration, making it the most fantastical presence in “Refreshing Fujian.” Putian and Xianyou are even endowed with an ethereal alias—“Puxian.”
▲ Putian shrouded in mist, full of “magical aura.” Photo by Cai Hao
Defying Fate, Reclaiming Land from the Sea
How Did It Become a Land of Culture?
Putian lies at the midpoint of Fujian’s coastline, bordered by Fuzhou to the north, Quanzhou to the south, and the Daiyun Mountains—a barrier to transportation—to the west. The Mulan River, Putian’s mother river, originates here and flows eastward, nourishing the Xinghua Plain.
But as the saying goes, “Fujian was once in the sea.” This land sandwiched between mountains and ocean was once a bay nearly 30 meters deep in ancient times. It only gradually emerged as vast tidal flats around two to three thousand years ago, by the time of the Zhou Dynasty’s feudal enfeoffments.
▲ Pinghai Bay in Putian. Photo by Wuyuchuan
Such a “bitter saline land” was inherently ill-suited for human settlement and development. During four periods—the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties; the late Tang Dynasty; the transition between Northern and Southern Song; and the late Song and early Yuan—northern China experienced large-scale turmoil, driving waves of migrants from the Central Plains into Fujian. These immigrants formed the foundation of Putian’s diverse population today.
▲ Influx of immigrants from different regions created Putian’s diverse folk customs. Pictured: Huangshi Parade. Photo by Cai Hao
To accommodate such a large number of newcomers in this limited space, Putian embarked on a fantastical journey of “defying fate”—building water conservancy projects and reclaiming farmland.
It is no exaggeration to say that Putian is one of China’s oldest and greatest “land reclamation” projects. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Wu Xing of Putian led the construction of the Yanshou Weir. A weir (陂, bēi) is a type of hydraulic engineering structure that retains water for irrigation during droughts and allows floodwaters to smoothly overflow into the sea during wet seasons.
▲ Putian once had several weirs. Pictured: The existing Mulan Weir. Photo by Cai Hao
In coastal areas like Putian, weirs also serve an additional purpose: blocking seawater intrusion and preventing soil salinization. Also during the Tang Dynasty, Pei Ciyuan, the provincial governor of Fujian, built the Zhenhai Embankment to hold back tidal waves, leading to the formation and expansion of the Nanyang Plain.
Even today, many village names in Putian hide traces of human advancement and sea retreat: “Pu” (浦) in Qingpu and Xinpu originally meant “beach”; “Zhu” (渚) in Chengzhu means “sandbar”; “Bu” (步) in Qibu means “ferry by the water”; “Dai” (埭) in Qiandai and Daitou means “seawall.”
▲ Xinghua Bay and the seaside of Jiangshan Village. Photo by Cai Hao
In Putian, there is a vivid folk saying that describes the arduous history of pioneering against all odds: "Seven continents sank, Putian rose." Claiming land from the sea was only the beginning of Putian's magical history.
Due to its proximity to the sea, Putian became one of the earliest places in China to introduce certain foreign crops. During the Song Dynasty, Champa rice from the Indochina Peninsula took root in Putian; in the Ming Dynasty, sweet potatoes from the Philippines also arrived in Putian after braving the winds and waves. These high-yield crops gradually turned Putian into a land of fish and rice, making it a relatively prosperous region in an agricultural society.
▲ The affluent and fertile Xinghua Plain. Photo by Cai Hao
This economic prosperity was subsequently reflected in economic and cultural development. According to statistics, during the entire imperial examination period, Putian County (now downtown Putian) produced over 1,700 jinshi (imperial scholars), while Xianyou County produced over 700 jinshi. The Putian-Xianyou region, with more than 2,400 jinshi and 13 zhuangyuan (top scholars, including two military zhuangyuan), led all of Fujian and ranked among the top nationally.
▲ Ancient Watchtower. Photo by Yang Yucheng, Image from Tuchong Creative
Even today, the east-west road in the most central location of Putian city is still called "Wenxian Road," commemorating this glorious history of being a "cultural hub by the sea, a land of renowned scholars."
Putian's specialty is "creating gods."
If it were merely the successful transformation of the material environment, Putian could hardly be called a city of magic. However, the outstanding achievements in water conservation and imperial examinations were just the beginning for the people of Putian. Their true masterpiece lies in folk beliefs. Unlike all other Chinese cities, Putian's most unique specialty is its abundance of various deities.
▲ Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island. Photo by Cai Hao
Putian is close to the sea, and facing the unpredictable ocean, people's beliefs are naturally fervent. Lin Mo, a resident of Meizhou Island (some say Xianliang Port), who was highly respected during her lifetime for her many good deeds, became the sea goddess. The people of Meizhou respectfully call her "Mazu." Due to the active maritime trade during the Song Dynasty and the peak of the Maritime Silk Road, Mazu's role in "safeguarding voyages" gradually gained the attention of the central government.
▲ Panoramic view of Meizhou Island. Photo by Cai Hao
In the fifth year of the Xuanhe era of the Song Dynasty (1123), the Northern Song government bestowed the temple with the name "Shunji," marking the beginning of Mazu's successive canonizations by later dynasties. Even more remarkably, over the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Mazu was promoted from Lady, to Consort, to Heavenly Consort, and finally to Heavenly Empress and Holy Mother. She was honored by 14 emperors a total of 36 times, receiving a title with up to 42 characters—so lengthy that the last canonization during the Tongzhi era had to specify "limited to 42 characters, with no further additions."
▲ Statue of Mazu. Photo by Cai Hao
The powerful folk beliefs, combined with official support across dynasties, made Mazu one of the most influential and widely spread beliefs in China. With the large-scale migration of Fujianese people in modern times, Mazu信仰 further spread worldwide, becoming one of China's most globally influential religious figures—wherever there are Chinese people along coastlines, Mazu's presence can be seen.
Today, the ancestral Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island serves as the root temple for approximately 6,000 Mazu temples worldwide and over 200 million Mazu believers, adding an enduring "divine aura" to the Putian-Xianyou region.
▲ Grand ceremony of Mazu worship. Photo by Cai Hao
However, the magic of Putian is not only that it is the birthplace of Mazu信仰, but also that it is a stage for the vigorous development of folk beliefs such as Marshal Tian Gong, Chen Wenlong, and Consort Mei. Those who built ponds and canals, such as Wu Xing, Qian Siniang, Lin Congshi, and Li Hong, were experts in water conservation like the mythical Jingwei filling the sea during their lifetimes. After their deaths, they were enshrined as local deities guarding the region.
As an important port on the Maritime Silk Road, Putian was undoubtedly a melting pot of diverse religions. The Guanghua Temple on South Mountain, built during the Southern Dynasties, is one of the key national monasteries in Han Chinese regions and the location of the Fujian Buddhist College. It is renowned as one of the three great model monasteries in China—the Shakyamuni Pagoda in the temple, built during the Southern Song Dynasty, served as both a Buddhist pagoda and a lighthouse on the coastline.
▲ The Shakyamuni Pagoda of Guanghua Temple. Photo by Manly, Image from Tuchong Creative
The Southern Shaolin Temple, originally built during the Tang Dynasty, is an important birthplace of Southern Chinese martial arts. During the Ming Dynasty, its monk soldiers played a significant role in resisting Japanese pirate invasions. Additionally, there are many other temples such as Meifeng Guangxiao Temple, Nangshan Cishou Temple, Yunmen Temple, and Bao'en Temple, making it a veritable urban jungle.
▲ Above: A martial monk walking across Mulan Weir. Below: Southern Shaolin Temple. Photo/CAI Hao
The Yuanmiao Taoist Temple in the urban area was once a Taoist palace. Although it is no longer used as a religious site today, the preserved Sanqing Hall is an extremely precious architectural relic from the Song Dynasty. Considering that Putian is located in the humid, typhoon- and earthquake-prone southeastern coast, the survival of such ancient wooden structures seems almost divinely protected.
▲ Above: Exterior view of Sanqing Hall. Below: Interior view of Sanqing Hall. Above photo/Wuyuchuan; Below photo/LUKE
Why does the Lantern Festival last for a whole month?
Putian’s多元魔幻属性多元魔幻属性 (diverse and magical nature) can be best illustrated through its local folk customs. In November of the 41st year of the Jiajing era (1562), Japanese pirates invaded Putian, causing many casualties and forcing locals to flee, missing their New Year’s Eve celebrations. On the second day of the first lunar month, people returned to collect the remains of the deceased, and it was not until the fourth and fifth days that they belatedly celebrated the New Year, locally known as “Making Up the New Year” (做大岁).
Even today, visiting someone’s home on the second day of the first lunar month is considered inauspicious, as it is associated with mourning. Therefore, locals avoid visiting relatives or friends on this day. Due to these traumatic memories associated with the first day of the lunar new year, the entire month’s festive customs lost their central “anchor”—as a result, Putian’s Lantern Festival became both extremely “flexible” and grand.
▲ Putian’s lively Lantern Festival activities. Above: Lantern Festival parade. Below: Nine-Carp Dance. Photo/CAI Hao
The so-called “flexibility” means that each village celebrates the Lantern Festival at different times and with different customs. Putian’s Lantern Festival has become China’s most fitting equivalent of a “carnival.” Starting from the third day of the first lunar month, various grand, lively, and even bizarre celebrations gradually unfold across the Putian region.
In the main hall of Pukou Palace, tall orange towers are erected.
In Hanjiang’s Yanning Palace, tall sugarcane towers are built instead.
▲ Orange tower at Pukou Palace and sugarcane tower at Yanning Palace. Photo/CAI Hao
On the ninth day, the Pinghai City God Temple parades with deity statues.
From the tenth to the fourteenth day, there is a grand procession of Mazu’s golden statue.
▲ Sedan chair display with zongzi. Photo/Zhuangdaiyu
On the fifteenth day, there are lively events such as sedan chair displays and spark-grinding rituals to welcome deities.
On the eighteenth day, Nanri Island hosts the unbelievable ritual of carrying deities into the sea.
▲ Carrying deities into the sea. Photo/Zhuangdaiyu
On the nineteenth day, Putxi Ancient Town features the mysterious ritual of spirit mediums climbing knife ladders.
On the twenty-fourth day, Xiajiangtou hosts the more blood-filled ritual of spirit possession to summon deities.
▲ Climbing the Knife Ladder at Puxi Ancient City. Photo by Cai Hao
This grand, nearly month-long carnival does not conclude until the Mazu Weiming Lantern ceremony is held at Wenfeng Palace on the 29th day of the first lunar month. This ancient and profound folk memory has almost always accompanied the lives of Putian people, with the New Year celebration and the Lantern Festival being the most important moments of the year.
▲ Weiming Lantern at Wenfeng Palace. Photo by Cai Hao
Putian is more than just shoes, shoes, shoes!
This seemingly traditional and conservative folk culture embodies a sense of loyalty and responsibility to the homeland, which in modern times has become the spiritual pillar for many Putian people to venture far from home and make their way in the business world. Putian businesspeople have become a highly influential branch of the Fujian business community, with 2.2 million fellow townspeople engaged in business nationwide and abroad, including 1.5 million overseas Chinese distributed across 85 countries and regions.
▲ The Fuzhou-Xiamen High-Speed Railway under construction. Photo by Cai Hao
What is most well-known is that, under the wave of global industrial transfer in the 1980s, Putian became a manufacturing hub for many famous brands and gradually evolved into an important center for China's footwear and leather industry. In 2020, mainland China produced 13.5 billion pairs of shoes, 1.26 billion of which came from Putian. The 4,200 footwear enterprises spread across the city employ 500,000 people.
▲ Above: outdated factory buildings of traditional industries; Below: workshops of intelligent emerging industries. Putian is exploring its own path toward sustainable economic development. Photo by Cai Hao
Putian businesspeople from all walks of life still adhere to a strong sense of local sentiment and family consciousness. After accumulating wealth, they most commonly give back to their homeland by donating to various temples and religious sites, turning these places into modern landscapes that inherit a magical sensibility.
▲ Grand ancestral temple ceremony. Photo by Cai Hao
Emerging from the incense-filled temples and shrines, one can immediately dive into the lively backstreets and alleys to enjoy a bowl of Xinghua rice noodles mixed with seafood or a hearty serving of Putian braised noodles—even these snacks carry a touch of magic. Xinghua rice noodles have long dominated Fuzhou, the stronghold of Fujian cuisine. The most common dish on the dining tables of Fuzhou people, "laohua," is short for "braised Xinghua rice noodles." Meanwhile, the name "Putian" has crossed oceans to become a Michelin-starred restaurant, expanding its reach across the world.
▲ Xinghua rice noodles and Putian braised noodles. Photo by Wuyuchuan
Putian marinated meat, soybean stir-fried rice, braised tofu... Any ingredient, in the hands of Putian people, can be transformed into something new. High-quality lychees and pomelos, festive red dumplings—these foods carrying local memories can be found at street stalls, on Michelin-starred tables, or at sacred altars. The flavors of Putian are something both humans and gods wish to savor.
Putian, the hometown of Mazu, is also the real-life myth of Jingwei filling the sea. The city of Putian was born from the ocean, a masterpiece of the Putian people's relentless spirit to defy fate. This tenacious and unyielding spirit is also the foundation for Putian's business success across the world. No matter where they go, Putian people never forget the deities and spirit nurtured by this land, for this is also "Puxian."
▲ Sunrise in Putian. Photo by VCG
Cover photo | VCG
"Overview of Administrative Divisions" Putian Municipal People's Government
Light up "Wow" and go to Putian to worship Mazu!