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Fujian

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Fujian is a province located in southeastern China.

XiamenCity
XiamenCity

It sits along the west coast of the Taiwan Strait. To its north lies Zhejiang province. To its south is Guangdong. To its west lies Jiangxi. Because of its location, it is the closest province to Taiwan geographically and culturally. This connection is partly a result of the Chinese Civil War. A small portion of historical Fujian is also administered by the Republic of China (ROC).

Republic of China edcp location map (disputed territories) Fukien 1945
Republic of China edcp location map (disputed territories) Fukien 1945

The name Fujian is a combination of two city names. It joins Fuzhou and the nearby city of Jianzhou, which is now Nanping.

Min River in Nanping
Min River in Nanping

The name translates to "happy establishment." One character in the name means "fortune" or "good luck." This character is sometimes shown pictorially on figurines of male star gods. The second character means "establish." For much of the 20th century, the province was known by the romanized names Fukien or Fuchien. The current pinyin name, Fujian, was adopted by the PRC in 1958. Later, international organizations like the United Nations adopted this spelling.

Fuzhou, Kuiqi Interchange
Fuzhou, Kuiqi Interchange

Fujian is a very diverse place for language and culture. Most people identify as Han Chinese. However, many different linguistic groups live there. The Min Chinese language group is the most common. This includes the Fuzhou dialect and Eastern Min languages in the northeast. It also includes the Hokkien dialect and Southern Min languages in the southeast.

She ethnic townships in Fujian
She ethnic townships in Fujian

The Hakka people also live in the province and speak Hakka Chinese. These different languages are mutually unintelligible. This means speakers of one cannot understand the others. Because of historical emigration, Southern Min is also spoken in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Archaeological finds show that Fujian has a very long history. By the middle of the 6th millennium BC, the area had entered the Neolithic Age.

At the Keqiutou site on Pingtan Island, researchers found stone and bone tools. They also found ceramics and spinning wheels used for weaving. In the Neolithic period, the coastal population was low. These people mostly relied on hunting, fishing, and limited agriculture. There were four major Neolithic cultures on the coast. Two other distinct cultures, the Niubishan and Hulushan, lived in the inland areas.

Peak Yunu
Peak Yunu

Ancient kingdoms also ruled this land. The Minyue kingdom was located in Fujian. Its name came from the ethnic name "Min" and the state of "Yue." The royal family of Yue fled to Fujian in 306 BC after their kingdom was annexed. Later, the Qin dynasty abolished Minyue and created the Minzhong Commandery. During the Han dynasty, the Minyue king Wuzhu supported Liu Bang. This helped Liu Bang found the Han dynasty. In 111 BC, the Han emperor launched a military campaign against Minyue. The rulers of Fuzhou surrendered to avoid destruction.

Map of Minyue
Map of Minyue

Migration has shaped the population of Fujian for centuries. During the Jin era, noble families from central China moved to the province. Even though the population grew, the rugged terrain kept the economy undeveloped. The population density remained low compared to other parts of China. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, even larger waves of migrants arrived. In the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the Wang brothers arrived. They established the independent Kingdom of Min with its capital in Fuzhou.

Map of Fujian, 957 Eng
Map of Fujian, 957 Eng

Today, Fujian is a major economic and scientific hub. It has a population of 41.5 million people. This makes it the 15th most populated province in China. In 2022, its GDP reached CN¥5.31 trillion, which is about US$790 billion. This makes it the 8th largest economy in China. The GDP per capita is the second highest in the country, after Jiangsu.

Fuzhou Train
Fuzhou Train

Fujian is also a leader in research. In 2023, Xiamen and Fuzhou were both ranked in the top 45 cities globally for scientific research output.

XiamenCity
XiamenCity
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🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:Map of Minyue.png
Map of Minyue.png
File:Map of Fujian, 957 Eng.png
Map of Fujian, 957 Eng.png
File:Later Zhou.png
Later Zhou.png
File:闽南护法区.png
闽南护法区.png
File:Republic of China edcp location map (disputed territories) Fukien 1945.svg
Republic of China edcp location map...
File:Peak Yunu.jpg
Peak Yunu.jpg
File:Min River in Nanping.JPG
Min River in Nanping.JPG
File:XiamenCity.jpg
XiamenCity.jpg
File:Fuzhou, Kuiqi Interchange.png
Fuzhou, Kuiqi Interchange.png
File:Fuzhou Train.JPG
Fuzhou Train.JPG
File:FuzhouTaijiang.jpg
FuzhouTaijiang.jpg
File:Anhai Bay - DSCF8869.JPG
Anhai Bay - DSCF8869.JPG

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