The museum, shaped like a giant sailing ship, was established in 1959, with the relatively new section completed in 1991. [Photo by Hu Zhe/Chinaculture.org]

As part of the cultural discovery tour to the port city Quanzhou in Fujian province, a group of diplomats based in China visited the city's landmark attraction - Quanzhou Maritime Museum.

Quanzhou Maritime Museum, which is located in the Fengze district of Quanzhou city, is the only museum in China featuring overseas communication history.

It consists mainly of four exhibition halls, including Quanzhou Maritime Exhibition Hal，Quanzhou Religious Stone Carving Hall, Quanzhou Folk Culture Exhibition Hall and Ancient Chinese Ship Replica Hall.

Quanzhou was once named by UNESCO as a "World Museum of Religions". The Quanzhou Religious Stone Carving Hall is exactly an exhibition area dedicated to displaying numerous delicate religious stone iInscriptions, including 138 Islamic pieces, 133 Hindu, 44 Christian and one Manichean.

The Quanzhou Maritime Museum doesn't only display the glorious ocean culture of the city, but also signifies Quanzhou’s significant role in opening up the maritime Silk Road, and its contributions to enhancing China’s economic and cultural exchanges with other countries.