China: Quanzhou – Dejimen Relic Site & Thean Hou Temple

And finally two more sites from Quanzhou, both UBESCO World Heritage – Dejimen Relic Site and Thean Hou Temple – located right next to each other in the southern part of the old city. Dejimen Relic Site preserves the excavated foundations of the southern gate of Quanzhou’s ancient city wall, built during the Southern Song Dynasty in 1230. Next to it, the spectacular Thean Hou Temple the oldest and highest-status sanctuary dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, in the world. Built in 1196, it was the official imperial site where high-ranking local administrators and global traders performed state-sanctioned sacrifices before launching ocean-bound fleets. Because it was patronized directly by the imperial court, the temple features grand, palatial layouts.