pu – My Content Resources

Summary of Video

China Hour (2020) explains the three cuisines that you can enjoy in Quanzhou with some interesting historical tidbits on the sides. The host, Vang Wei, explains that Quanzhou is known for its seafood especially oysters. One of Quanzhou’s historical attractions is Xunpu Village, an ancient oyster fishing village. At Xanyu village, houses were built using oysters since they were good at regulating temperatures. For example, in the summer, these walls keep the house cool, and in the winter, these walls keep the house warm. The host also explains that many people in the village claim that they are the descendants of the powerful Quanzhou merchant, Pu Shougeng. This powerful merchant also introduced the “circle hairpin”, the hairstyle that village women wear. The second food is a snack that you can eat today in West Street, Quanzhou. According to local legend, it was created by a local general to feed shipbuilders. The third cuisine is tea. One of the local Quanzhou customs is to drink tea while watching “Southern Ancient Rhyme”. Listed as a World Culture Heritage, Southern Ancient Rhyme uses the the crooked-neck Pipa instrument, which looks like the Oud, an Arabic instrument.

Interesting Tidbit

Although I wanted to hear more about the local cuisines, Vang Wei told me more about Quanzhou’s local legends. One was about the construction of the Keiyuan Temple and how the builder of Keiyuan temple owned land with many mulberry trees. One of his trees was covered with white lotuses, so he decided to build the Keiyuan temple around that tree. Although that story is just a legend, the host explains that the builder or land owner of Keiyuan Temple was a second generation leader of a clan that introduced mulberry tree planting, silk weaving, and others skills to the Quanzhou locals. Vang Wei says that because of this, Quanzhou was able to keep selling silk to Europeans and Arab merchants.

Connection to Guided Question

Through all my research, I learned how the multiculturalism of Quanzhou affect Quanzhou’s local culture, architecture, religion, and economy, but I have yet to see how they affected Quanzhou’s local cuisine. Although this video did not share as much as I would like about Quanzhou’s food, the video did share how these cuisines affected the local customs and these customs were influenced by the city’s multiculturalism. An ancient village that fishes for oysters are descendants from a foreign merchant and keep the traditions they learned through him. Quanzhou as a maritime trade city was known for shipbuilding, so of course, a local snack is related to that industry. Lastly, Quanzhou like to drink tea while listening to the Pipa instrument. The development of the Pipa instrument was inspired by the Arabic Oud instrument.

China Hour. (2020, June 16). The taste of silk road: The taste of Quanzhou [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/gQ3Q3GKPcnA

Summary of Article

John W. Chaffee (2017) tells the story of a cultural assimilated Muslim, Pu Shougeng, and his role in the maritime trade of Quanzhou under the Song and Yuan Dynasty. Pu Shougeng’s family were successful Muslim traders from the “Western Regions” who made their fortune first in Guangzhou and then in Quanzhou. For thirty years, Pu Shougeng dominated the maritime trade and held many political leadership roles such as superintendent. He is most known for his surrendering of Quanzhou to Mongols, the leaders of Yuan Dynasty, in 1276. With the support of Emperor Qubilai, Pu Shougeng became the prime political, military, and economic leader in Quanzhou. He was admired for his knowledge about Chinese maritime trading as well as handling foreign affairs of foreign merchants.

Like their father, his sons also had an impact on the political affairs of China. His oldest kept foreign trade routes safe and managed foreign affairs as Fujian Maritime Trade Superintendent. His second son proposed the restoration of examinations while his third son drafted an imperial declaration that supported Confucian beliefs. His brother’s son, Pu Rihe, took part in the restoration of Quanzhou’s Qingjin Mosque. However, their legacy was cut short in the late Yuan period. A long military conflict between foreign Muslims and widespread riots led to Pu family’s decline. Later, the Ming emperor blacklisted the Pu family because he considered Shougeng’s most famous act as a traitorous act towards the Song dynasty.

Interesting Tidbits

While reading this article, I was surprised how influential the role that Pu Shougeng played as a non-Chinese resident in Quanzhou. He controlled the maritime trade in Quanzhou, played a role in protecting borders against the pirates, and spoke directly to the Yuan emperor. Although backed by the 1% of Quanzhou, he is the one who did and later was blamed for the surrender of Quanzhou to Mongols. Another interesting tidbit that I found interesting is that according to historians and John Chaffee, many tribute envoys like Shougeng’s family adopted the last name “Pu” because it was close to the last name “Abu”.

Connection to Guiding Questions

The article helped answer my guiding question because it provides an example and a name of a foreign merchant who politically and socially impacted Quanzhou and its role in maritime trade. Pu Shougeng was a political voice of Quanzhou. He took on leadership roles in the community and communicated directly with the Yuan emperors. He and his sons were involved in making sure Quanzhou remained open and safe for trade with non-Chinese merchants. His family made personal connections with successful foreign merchants including marrying into their families. His role in Quanzhou demonstrated the large impact the Muslim community had in Quanzhou during the open trade policies of Song and Yuan as well as the decline of that power during the xenophobia of the Ming Dynasty.

Antony, R. J., & Schottenhammer, A. (2017). Pu Shougeng Reconsidered: Pu, His Family, and Their Role in the Maritime Trade of Quanzhou. In Beyond the Silk Roads: New discourses on China’s role in East Asian maritime history (pp. 63-75). Wiesbaden, Germany: Harrassowitz Verlag. doi:http://www.jstor.com/stable/j.ctvckq3m6.8

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The Taste of Silk Road: The Taste of Quanzhou