Ɑrtpieces

A stone sculpture of Laozi, located north of Quanzhou at the foot of Mount Qingyuan

A stone sculpture of Laozi, located north of Quanzhou at the foot of Mount Qingyuan

At the base of Mount Qingyuan, just north of Quanzhou, you’ll find a huge stone statue of Laozi, the founder of Taoism. Carved during the Song dynasty, this sculpture is over 8 metres long and is the largest of its kind in China. Laozi is shown sitting calmly, with a long beard and gentle eyes, looking out over the landscape. His hand rests on a table shaped like a cloud-a symbol often linked to Taoist ideas of harmony with nature. A fun fact: local legend says that if you touch Laozi’s foot, you’ll have good luck on your travels. The area around the statue is filled with other ancient carvings and stone inscriptions, making it a fascinating place for history lovers. The walk up Mount Qingyuan is peaceful, with beautiful views and lush greenery. Visiting this site is a great way to experience both the natural beauty and deep cultural roots of Fujian.

The China House, also known as the Porcelain House, is one of Tianjin’s most unusual landmarks. It’s a French-style mansion from the early 1900s, completely covered in over 400 million pieces of ancient porcelain and ceramic shards collected from dynasties as old as the Tang (600s AD).​ Businessman and art collector Zhang Lianzhi bought the decaying villa in 2002 and spent five years turning it into a porcelain museum. The result is a glittering mosaic of vases, plates, bowls, and dragons that gleam in the sunlight. A 768-meter-long porcelain dragon curls across the roof, and the outer wall—known as the “Peace Wall”—is made from 635 antique vases symbolising harmony.​ Inside, porcelain fragments create mosaics of famous art, from Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to China’s Five Oxen painting. The collection also includes rare Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and over 200 artworks inspired by both Chinese and Western masters.​