First of all, from its historical premise, the rise of the Maritime Silk Road has provided Quanzhou with historical opportunities. Before the rise of the Maritime Silk Road, the communication between the East and the West was mainly through the overland Silk Road. However, with the smoke of war and the shift of economic center of gravity to the south, the Silk Road on land gradually lost its former style until it was finally replaced. It should be said that this is inevitable, inevitable and accidental for economic development.
While China was in the period of disintegration, a nomadic people, Mongols, rose on the Mongolian Plateau and swept the land of China with their cavalry and thoughts, thus unifying the whole of China and creating a new historical world. Vigorously develop water and sea transportation, straighten out the Grand Canal and communicate the north-south route, which further promoted the prosperity of the Maritime Silk Road. Driven by this historical opportunity, Quanzhou is at the forefront of history. Moroccan traveler Ibn Titu said that it "can keep pace with Alexandria in Egypt and is one of the two largest ports in the world." Kyle Poirot, an Italian who went to China later, even said that China is "the largest port in the world". History: "At that time, there were more than 100 ships in Quanzhou Port, and there were countless boats. The silks and satins produced here are better than those in Hangzhou, and most of them are better than those in Hangzhou. " It shows the prosperity of Quanzhou at that time and is a typical performance of Quanzhou as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.
Of course, this prosperity was maintained by the ruler's ruling strategy in addition to the development of goods and overseas trade at that time. This is very different from the maritime ban implemented in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Enlightening was the policy concept of the Yuan government at that time. With the development of overseas trade, in the 14th year of Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1277), the Yuan government set up the Municipal Shipping Department in Quanzhou, Qingyuan and other places, that is, the organization specialized in managing overseas trade. On the basis of this orderly management, the scope of international trade has expanded and the export commodities have increased. On such a Silk Road, Quanzhou undoubtedly played the role of a land-sea transit station.
Furthermore, as one of the four largest merchants in ancient China, Fujian merchants played an important role. Since ancient times, there has been a saying in Fujian that "eight points are divided, one point is divided, and one point is divided". Because there is less arable land, there are relatively many people doing business, especially in southern Fujian. Minnan people adhere to the concept of "only fight will win" and create a new world belonging to Fujian businessmen. Regardless of the root cause of its formation, we can know a thing or two just by looking at the situation at that time. At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a Pu tycoon in Quanzhou who was originally a descendant of Arabs. After the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty, he invested in Yuan and became a director of the shipping company to manage fraudulent overseas trade in an orderly manner. In addition, Fujian businessmen have also made extensive contacts between these routes, which not only strengthened their own strength, but also opened up a new situation of increasingly close exchanges with other countries. Therefore, in a sense, Fujian businessmen are like "walk-ons" in Peking Opera. They are matchmakers and communicators of the Maritime Silk Road.
We should look at its history, its reality and its own advantages. Quanzhou is located on the southeast coast of Fujian. The middle section of the coastline between Shanghai and Zhanjiang. The mainland coastline is tortuous, with many bays and good ports. It is such a superior geographical environment that Quanzhou has the basic conditions as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. The starting point at that time was Quanzhou Port. Quanzhou Port is located at the mouth of Jinjiang River, which is neither frozen nor cold nor silted, and has a wide shelter from the wind. These geographical conditions have created the brilliance of Quanzhou Port. Only later, this advantage gradually weakened because of siltation. Quanzhou is the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road and cannot be ignored. It's a perfect match
Quanzhou, which occupies "the right time", "the right place" and "the harmony between people", has become the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.
Research topic: Why did the Maritime Silk Road start in Quanzhou?
Instructors: U.lin and Huang Guiyu.
Members of the research group: Zheng, Lu Yanling, Chen, Zheng.
Project leader: Zheng