Fujian

Fujian ({{zh-cpw |c=福建 |p=Fújiàn |w=Fu-chien}}; Postal System Pinyin: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of China. Fujian borders Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait.

Culture

Because of its mountainous nature and the numerous waves of migration from central China in the course of history, Fujian is one of the most linguistically diverse places in all Han Chinese areas of China. Local dialects can become unintelligible within 10 km. This is reflected in the expression that "if you drive five miles in Fujian the culture changes, and if you drive 10 miles, the language does". Classification of these various dialects have confounded linguists. In general, most dialects of Fujian are put into a broad Min category, then subdivided into Min Bei, Min Dong, Min Zhong, Min Nan, Pu Xian, and Shao Jiang. (The seventh subdivision of Min, Qiong Wen, is not spoken in Fujian.) The Fuzhou dialect is part of Min Dong; the Xiamen dialect is part of Min Nan. Hakka, another subdivision of spoken Chinese, is spoken around Longyan by the Hakka people who live there.

Related Topics:
Han Chinese - Min - Min Bei - Min Dong - Min Zhong - Min Nan - Pu Xian - Shao Jiang - Qiong Wen - Fuzhou dialect - Xiamen dialect - Hakka - Longyan - Hakka

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As is true of other provinces, the official language in Fujian is Standard Mandarin, which is used for communication between people of different localities. During the Qing dynasty, traders in Fujian also used pidgin English as a common language, although this is now extinct.

Related Topics:
Standard Mandarin - Pidgin English

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The cultural diversity of Fujian is also reflected in the various Chinese opera forms of different regions. Minju (Fujian Opera) is popular around Fuzhou; Gaojiaxi around Jinjiang and Quanzhou; Xiangju around Zhangzhou; Fujian Nanqu throughout the south, and Puxianxi around Putian and Xianyou County.

Related Topics:
Chinese opera - Minju - Fuzhou - Gaojiaxi - Jinjiang - Quanzhou - Xiangju - Zhangzhou - Fujian Nanqu - Puxianxi - Putian - Xianyou County

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Fujian cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood, is one of the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine. It is composed of traditions from various regions, including Fuzhou cuisine and Min Nan cuisine. The most prestiged dish is Fotiaoqiang (literally "Buddha Jumps Over Wall"), a complex dish making use of many ingredients, including shark fin, sea cucumber, abalone, and Shaoxing wine (a form of "Chinese wine").

Related Topics:
Fujian cuisine - Seafood - Chinese cuisine - Fuzhou cuisine - Min Nan cuisine - Fotiaoqiang - Shark - Fin - Sea cucumber - Abalone - Shaoxing wine - Chinese wine

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Many famous teas originate from Fujian, including oolong, Wuyi Yancha, and Fuzhou jasmine tea. Fujian tea ceremony is an elaborate way of preparing and serving tea. In fact, the English word "tea" is borrowed from the Xiamen dialect. (Standard Mandarin and Standard Cantonese pronounce the word as chá.)

Related Topics:
Tea - Oolong - Wuyi Yancha - Fuzhou jasmine tea - Fujian tea ceremony - Xiamen dialect - Standard Mandarin - Standard Cantonese

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Fuzhou bodiless lacquerware, a famous type of lacquerware, is noted for using a body of clay and/or plaster to form its shape; the body later removed. Fuzhou is also famous for Shoushan stone carvings.

Related Topics:
Fuzhou bodiless lacquerware - Lacquerware - Clay - Plaster - Fuzhou - Shoushan stone carvings

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See also:

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• Music of Fujian
• Hakka architecture