Putian (, Putian dialect: Pó-chéng), also known as Puyang (莆阳) and Puxian (莆仙), historically known as Hinghwa, Hinghua, or Henghua (), 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.Litchi City Putian Mulan River flows through the city.
History Putian was first founded as an administrative area in the year of 568 as a city county during the Chen dynasty. 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.
Language Pó-chéng-uā (莆田话), a sub-dialect of Min Chinese is spoken.
Economy Putian has become an export base for Fujian products. The main industries are shoe-making, brewing, electronics, garments, fruits, vegetables, machinery and electrical goods.China today In particular, the area is known for high-quality counterfeits of shoes and the domination of Chinese private healthcare under the so-called "Putian system", where approximately 80% of private Chinese hospitals during the mid-2010s were owned by people connected to Putian, which was brought to Chinese public attention by the death of the cancer patient Wei Zexi in 2016 due to an unproven treatment used at a private hospital connected to the system.
Culture
Putian is known for Putian (Henghwa) cuisine, a unique style of cuisine that places a heavy emphasis on fresh seafood. Duotou clams (哆头蛏, Sinonovacula constricta), locally harvested around the village of Duotou (哆头), are particularly well known.
Tourism
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.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). Because of its hosting "the most sacred places for Mazu believers," Putian is known as "Mazu's hometown."Hsun Chang (2017), 378.
Higher education
Putian University Meizhouwan Vocational Technology College
Climate On September 4 2026 the city was struck by severe flooding caused by the landfall of Typhoon Saudel causing widespread damage.https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/typhoon-saudel-brings-torrential-rain-flooding-chinas-coastal-areas-2026-09-04/https://english.news.cn/20260905/606215c5d6044d219efb66cebdcbe829/c.html all-time Oct high
Administration Putian's municipal executive, legislature and judiciary are in Chengxiang District (). The municipal region comprises three other districts and one county:
Hanjiang District () Licheng District () Xiuyu District () Xianyou County ()
Map
References
External links
Putian Government Website