Putian (Chinese: 莆田, Putian dialect: Pó-chéng), also known as Puyang (莆阳) and Puxian (莆仙), historically known as Hinghwa/Hinghua (simplified Chinese: 兴化; traditional Chinese: 興化), is a prefecture-level city in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. It borders Fuzhou to the north, Quanzhou to the south, and the Taiwan Strait's Xinghua Bay to the east.[4] Mulan River flows through the city.

Putian
莆田市
Clockwise from top: Licheng District, Putian University, Guqiaolou Temple, Guanghua Temple in Chengxiang District, the Municipal Government building of Putian.
Location of Putian in Fujian
Location of Putian in Fujian
Putian is located in Fujian
Putian
Putian
Putian is located in China
Putian
Putian
Coordinates (Putian Government Plaza): 25°27′09″N 119°00′28″E / 25.4526°N 119.0078°E / 25.4526; 119.0078
CountryChina
ProvinceFujian
Government
 • CPC SecretaryFu Chaoyang
 • MayorLin Xuyang
Area
 • Prefecture-level city4,119 km2 (1,590 sq mi)
 • Urban
2,284 km2 (882 sq mi)
 • Metro
2,284 km2 (882 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 census)[1]
 • Prefecture-level city3,210,714
 • Density780/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
 • Urban
2,305,646
 • Urban density1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
 • Metro
2,305,646
 • Metro density1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
GDP[2]
 • Prefecture-level cityCN¥ 277 billion
US$ 38.3 billion
 • Per capitaCN¥ 94,109
US$ 12,995
Time zoneUTC+8 (Time in China)
Postal code
351100、351200
Area code594
License Plate Prefixes闽B
Local varietyPuxian Min
Websitewww.putian.gov.cn
Putian
Simplified Chinese莆田
PostalPutian
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinPútián[3]
Wade–GilesP'u2-t'ien2
Hakka
RomanizationPhû-thièn
Southern Min
Hokkien POJPhô͘-chhân
Eastern Min
Fuzhou BUCPuò-dièng
Pu-Xian Min
Hinghwa BUCPó-chéng

History

edit

Putian was first founded as an administrative area in the year of 568 as a city county during the Chen dynasty.[citation needed]

Putian was later established as a military administered city in 979. Putian is known as the counterfeit sneaker capital with counterfeiters protected from internationally intellectual property law enforcement by the notoriously corrupt local courts.[5]

Language

edit

Pó-chéng-uā (莆田话), a sub-dialect of Min Chinese is spoken.

Economy

edit

Putian has become an export base for Fujian products. The main industries are shoe-making, brewing, electronics, garments, fruits, vegetables, machinery and electrical goods.[6] In particular, the area is known for high-quality counterfeits of shoes[7] and the domination of Chinese private healthcare.[8][9]

Culture

edit
 
Salt-baked duotou clams

Putian is known for Putian (Henghwa) cuisine, a unique style of cuisine that places a heavy emphasis on fresh seafood. Duotou clams, locally harvested around the village of Duotou, are particularly well known.

Tourism

edit

Meizhou Island, most famous for being the legendary birthplace of the goddess Mazu, is located closely offshore of Putian. According to legends, Mazu in her earthly incarnation died on the seashore of Xianliang Harbor, in the coastal area of Putian, where Xianliang Mazu Temple hosts pilgrims from different Chinese provinces and from Taiwan, particularly for the ceremonies commemorating the goddess' death held in October.[10] Because of its hosting "the most sacred places for Mazu believers," Putian is known as "Mazu's hometown."[11]

Higher education

edit

Climate

edit
Climate data for Putian (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 27.0
(80.6)
31.1
(88.0)
30.3
(86.5)
32.0
(89.6)
33.8
(92.8)
35.6
(96.1)
36.9
(98.4)
36.7
(98.1)
36.4
(97.5)
33.5
(92.3)
31.1
(88.0)
28.4
(83.1)
36.9
(98.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.4
(61.5)
16.9
(62.4)
19.3
(66.7)
23.7
(74.7)
27.2
(81.0)
30.3
(86.5)
33.1
(91.6)
32.7
(90.9)
30.8
(87.4)
27.0
(80.6)
23.3
(73.9)
18.7
(65.7)
25.0
(76.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12.6
(54.7)
12.9
(55.2)
15.1
(59.2)
19.5
(67.1)
23.5
(74.3)
26.7
(80.1)
29.0
(84.2)
28.7
(83.7)
27.1
(80.8)
23.4
(74.1)
19.7
(67.5)
15.0
(59.0)
21.1
(70.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2)
10.4
(50.7)
12.4
(54.3)
16.6
(61.9)
20.7
(69.3)
24.1
(75.4)
26.0
(78.8)
25.8
(78.4)
24.5
(76.1)
21.0
(69.8)
17.3
(63.1)
12.5
(54.5)
18.5
(65.2)
Record low °C (°F) 1.5
(34.7)
4.1
(39.4)
2.8
(37.0)
9.1
(48.4)
15.0
(59.0)
16.2
(61.2)
22.0
(71.6)
21.5
(70.7)
19.8
(67.6)
13.2
(55.8)
6.3
(43.3)
1.8
(35.2)
1.5
(34.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 47.1
(1.85)
73.2
(2.88)
116.3
(4.58)
123.9
(4.88)
199.6
(7.86)
274.0
(10.79)
183.1
(7.21)
251.3
(9.89)
145.8
(5.74)
57.3
(2.26)
42.7
(1.68)
37.3
(1.47)
1,551.6
(61.09)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 8.0 10.6 15.1 14.3 15.8 15.6 9.9 13.3 8.8 4.9 5.8 6.9 129
Average snowy days 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1
Average relative humidity (%) 71 74 76 76 79 82 77 77 71 65 67 66 73
Mean monthly sunshine hours 121.5 101.9 116.4 130.9 137.1 153.7 243.2 213.7 182.5 179.2 140.8 135.8 1,856.7
Percent possible sunshine 37 32 31 34 33 37 58 53 50 51 43 42 42
Source: China Meteorological Administration[12][13]

Administration

edit

Putian's municipal executive, legislature and judiciary are in Chengxiang District (城厢区). The municipal region comprises three other districts and one county:

Map

References

edit
  1. ^ "China: Fújiàn (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  2. ^ 福建省统计局、国家统计局福建调查总队 (August 2021). 《福建统计年鉴-2021》. 中国统计出版社. ISBN 978-7-5037-9510-7. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  3. ^ 教育部重編國語辭典修訂本. Retrieved 17 August 2019. 字詞 【莆田縣】 注音 ㄆㄨˊ ㄊㄧㄢˊ ㄒㄧㄢˋ 漢語拼音 pú tián xiàn
  4. ^ Litchi City Putian Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Rechtschaffen, Daniel. "How China's Legal System Enables Intellectual Property Theft". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  6. ^ China today Archived 2007-09-07 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Schmidle, Nicholas (2010-08-19). "Inside the Knockoff-Tennis-Shoe Factory". New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  8. ^ "The Putian phenomenon". Week in China. HSBC. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Baidu's "moral dilemma" – How a Cancer Case aroused National Attention". China Spoon. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  10. ^ Hsun Chang, "Multiple Religious and National Identities: Mazu Pilgrimages across the Taiwan Strait after 1987," in Cheng-tian Kuo (Ed.), Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2017, 373–396 (378).
  11. ^ Hsun Chang (2017), 378.
  12. ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  13. ^ 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
edit