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The Glossary

Qi Pao - "Also known as "Cheongsam"; A traditional one-piece garment worn by Chinese women."

From China Glossary

From Taoist fairies and snake-headed barbarians to Confucian philosophers, actresses, and Tang Dynasty statesmen, Fujian is home to a myriad of characters, historical and World Heritage Sites, as well as cultures that change every five kilometers, and languages that vary per 10-kilometer radius. Even linguists tire out just naming every single dialect in Fujian as this southeastern province of river valleys, steep mountains, and lush subtropical coastlines has seen many waves of migration that made it one of China's most linguistically diverse places.

As varied as the people's dialects are their forms of opera: Minju in Fuzhou, Gaojiaxi in Jinjiang and Quanzhou, Fujian Nanqu in the south, Xiangju in Zhanzhou, and Puxianxi around Putian and Xianvou County.

Fujian cookery, which emphasizes seafood, is one of the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine. The most celebrated dish is Fotiaoqiang or "Buddha jumps over the wall," a complex dish of many ingredients such as shark's fin, sea cucumber, abalone and Shaoxing wine.

Many famous teas also originated in the province. Examples are oolong, Wuyi Yancha and Fuzhou jasmine tea, which are served in every Fujian tea ceremony, an elaborate way of preparing and serving tea. Mount Wuyi, a World Heritage Site, is a rich source of many of Fujian's teas. It is also one of the most outstanding biodiversity conservation zones in southeast China for its meadows and bamboo forests in which leopards, tigers, and other 5,000 species thrive.

Another entry in the World Heritage list is the 12th to 20th-century Fujian Tulou of the upland Hakka people. UNESCO describes the tulous as "the most extraordinary type of Chinese rural dwellings" for their rectangular or circular walls that can shelter up to 80 residents. The houses have attic gun holes for defense against bandits. As for handicrafts, Fuzhou is prominent for its bodiless lacquer ware and Shoushan stone carvings.

Mazu, a local goddess of the sea, is often visited by seafarers at pilgrimage centers around Meizhou Island. Pilgrimage is also practiced in ancient temples such as Guanghua in Putian, Nanshan in Zhangzhou, Yongquan in Fuzhou, and Kaiyuan in Quanzhou.

One of Fujian's top tourist attractions listed in China's list of National Scenic Spots is Gulangyu Island in Xiamen. The island is notable for its varied architectural design that ranges from Buddhist to Victorian. China's only piano museum, which has a collection of over 200 pianos, made the island earn the nickname "Piano Island."

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