Longhai District 龙海区

Setting and landscape

Longhai lies on the alluvial plain of the lower Jiulong: hills close it in on the north, west and south, the centre is flat, and the south-east opens to the sea. The highest point is Dajian Mountain (大尖山) in Chengxi town (程溪镇), at 953.6 metres. The North Stream (北溪) and West Stream (西溪) of the Jiulong meet at Dashazhou (大沙洲); below that, the islands of Humao (浒茂) and Wujiao (乌礁) split the river into three channels known together as the Jinjiang (锦江). The district government lists the Jiulong estuary mangroves (九龙江口红树林) among its natural landscapes. The climate is south-subtropical monsoon, and typhoons arrive mainly between July and September.

History

Longhai joins two old counties. Longxi County (龙溪县) was created in 540 under the Liang dynasty; Haicheng County (海澄县) was created in January 1567 with its seat at Yuegang (月港), today's Haicheng town (海澄镇). The district government calls Ming-dynasty Yuegang an important starting port of the Maritime Silk Road and the largest foreign-trade port of its day. The two counties merged as Longhai County in 1960 with its seat at Shima (石码), became a county-level city in 1993 and a district of Zhangzhou in 2021.

What to see

Daimei Ancient Village (埭美古村) in Dongyuan town (东园镇) is described by the town as the largest and best-preserved group of traditional southern Fujian houses in Zhangzhou. On the coast of Longjiao She Ethnic Township (隆教畲族乡), the Baitang Bay tourist area (白塘湾旅游区), rated national 3A, has a 3.2-kilometre crescent beach and the ancient crater of Niutou Mountain (牛头山古火山口), nicknamed the "terracotta army of the sea". Close by are Zhenhai Wei (镇海卫), a garrison town built in 1387, and Mount Nantaiwu (南太武山), a Song-dynasty scenic spot that faces Mount Beitaiwu on Kinmen (金门) across the water. At Baijiao (白礁), the Ciji Temple (慈济宫) honours Wu Tao (吴夲), worshipped as Baosheng Dadi (保生大帝).

Food and local products

Baishui tribute candy (白水贡糖) and Fugong red bayberries (浮宫杨梅) are among Longhai's seven national geographical-indication products. Longhai also grows lychees, citrus and longans, and of its many flowers the narcissus is the best known. Local opera includes gezai opera (歌仔戏), also called Xiang opera (芗剧).

Getting oriented

The district government sits in Shima Subdistrict (石码街道). Longhai shares its bay with Xiamen and has a 25.22-kilometre land border with it, and the Fuzhou–Xiamen and Xiamen–Shenzhen railways both pass through. Offshore, Longhai lies 4 nautical miles from Dadan Island (大担岛) and 9.4 nautical miles from Kinmen.

Highlights

• Daimei Ancient Village 埭美古村: Described by Dongyuan town as Zhangzhou's largest and best-preserved group of traditional southern Fujian houses.
• Baitang Bay tourist area 白塘湾旅游区: National 3A coastal area with a 3.2 km crescent beach and the ancient Niutou Mountain crater.
• Mount Nantaiwu 南太武山: Scenic spot opened in the Song dynasty, facing Mount Beitaiwu on Kinmen.
• Baijiao Ciji Temple 白礁慈济宫: Temple of Baosheng Dadi, a belief on the national intangible-heritage list.
• Fugong red bayberry 浮宫杨梅: National geographical-indication fruit from Fugong town.