Zhao'an County 诏安县

Setting and landscape

Zhao'an borders Yunxiao County (云霄县) to the east and faces Dongshan County (东山县) across Zhao'an Bay (诏安湾) to the south-east. Raoping County (饶平县) in Guangdong lies to the west and Pinghe County (平和县) to the north, and to the south it fronts the meeting of the East and South China Seas along an 88 km coastline. The land is mostly mountainous, rising to Longsandong (龙伞岽) at 1,152 metres.

The main river is the Dongxi (东溪), which rises on Daqin Mountain (大芹山) in Pinghe, has a main stream 93.3 km long and reaches the sea at Gongkou Bay (宫口湾). Northern towns such as Xiuzhuan (秀篆), Guanbei (官陂) and Xiage (霞葛) speak Hakka; the rest of the county speaks Southern Min.

History

Under the Qin the area belonged to Nanhai Commandery (南海郡). In 686, under the Tang, it came under Zhangzhou as Nanzhao Bao (南诏保), and in the Song it was called Nanzhao Chang (南诏场). The county was created in 1530, in the Ming, from four wards of Zhangpu County (漳浦县); its name comes from the phrase "南诏安靖" ("Nanzhao at peace").

What to see

The Qixian Hermitage (七贤庵), a provincial protected site in Meishan village of Meizhou township (梅洲乡), was first known as Pomegranate Cave (石榴洞); the philosopher Zhu Xi (朱子) met his friend Chen Jingsu (陈景肃) there, and the Shiping Academy (石屏书院) was founded on the spot. In Xiage, the Wutong Palace (五通宫), begun in 1403, is also a provincial protected site.

Fengshan Lou (凤山楼) in Guanbei is described by the county as its best-preserved large round Hakka tulou. Longtan Lou (龙潭楼) in Xiuzhuan, begun in 1941, is called the finest tulou in Zhao'an. Jiuhou Mountain (九侯山) in Jinxing township (金星乡), called the "first peak of southern Fujian", has a Chan temple and old inscriptions.

Food and local products

Red mud crab rice (红蟳饭) uses Xiantang (仙塘) crabs: rice is cooked with the roe and crab pieces, dried scallop, pork belly, lard, ginger, Shaoxing wine and bone broth, and served with the whole shell laid on top. Xiuzhuan rice noodles (秀篆米粉) are made from rice soaked in local spring water, steamed and pressed into thread-like strands, and are best stir-fried with seafood. Zhao'an Hongxing green plums (诏安红星青梅) are a national geographical-indication product.

Cut-porcelain carving (剪瓷雕), placed on the provincial intangible heritage list in December 2011, covers temple roof ridges with figures, animals, flowers and landscapes made from chips of brightly coloured porcelain.

Getting oriented

The Shenyang–Haikou Expressway (沈海高速公路) and national roads G228 and G324 cross the county.

Highlights

• Qixian Hermitage 七贤庵: Provincial protected site where Zhu Xi met Chen Jingsu; site of the Shiping Academy.
• Fengshan Lou 凤山楼: Described by the county as its best-preserved large round Hakka tulou.
• Jiuhou Mountain 九侯山: Called the first peak of southern Fujian, with a Chan temple and inscriptions.
• Red mud crab rice 红蟳饭: Rice cooked with Xiantang crab roe, dried scallop and pork belly, served with the crab shell on top.
• Xiuzhuan rice noodles 秀篆米粉: Rice noodles made with local spring water, stir-fried with seafood.
• Cut-porcelain carving 剪瓷雕: Provincial intangible heritage since 2011, used on temple roof ridges.