Off the Beaten Path: Explore Minority Culture in Southern China
We love Beijing and Shanghai, however, if you are looking to experience the traditions of a well-preserved ancient oriental culture, you ought to get off the beaten path!
Real China invites you to Fujian province, where you can enjoy 11 unique days in charming southern China.
Still relatively exotic, even to well-traveled Chinese tourists, Fujian is a true hidden gem. Yet this is a place where ancient cultures, architectures, and traditions have been well-kept, thanks in large part to the local people's resilience as well as support from the overseas Chinese community.
Our base city Quanzhou was once a major international port, the New York City of the 7th - 14th century A.D. spanning the Sui and Yuan Dynasties. Situated upon the important maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou was not only pivotal in the exchange of goods, but was also a major conduit of cultural components from such distant regions as Southeast Asia, the Indonesian archipelago, the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia, Egypt, and even Europe.
As China continues her march towards modernization, there truly is no better time to take advantage of the present and come with Real China to this amazing area before it's distinct ancient culture is changed forever.
想要探索真正的中国，探访在这个国家高速发展中，仍然保存完好的东方民俗文化？那么，你需要选择一条不寻常的路。
这次，Real China希望能够带你去到中国的南方，走进福建省。在11天的游学中，每一天的学习、观察、体验、对话和感受，都会让你更接近“浸入式“文化之旅的真正意义所在。
福建位于中国东南沿海。这里依山傍海，九成陆地面积为山地丘陵地带，被称为“八山一水一分田”。
事实上，很多中国人都没有去过福建。但大概正是因为这个原因，让这里没有成为游客云集的热门地区。因此，宋元文化在这里得到了最好的保护。更重要的是，福建人对于中国传统文化的坚持和传承，也是现代社会中少见的。
从多个角度了解福建，其实是在了解中国。
由于福建位于东海与南海的交通要冲，这里是历史上海上丝绸之路、郑和下西洋的起点，也是海上商贸集散地。
福建沿海的文明是海洋文明。我们通过探寻海上丝绸之路作为起点，从厦门到永宁、永定，再到泉州，这一路上的风景和民风时刻都在改变，就像从酒店到民宿，再到土楼，这种体验是在层层递进的。然而，即使每一天的体验都是新鲜的，有一个东西一直都没变，那就是中国文化的符号。
不论是在土楼，还是在安平桥、三坊七巷……同样是中国人面庞，但他们的语言、风俗和文化，却那么迥异。只有在福建，这种汉族内部语言文化高度多元的现象，才更直观的体现出中国语言文化的丰富和精深。
和Real China一起去福建，在中国的南方，中国文化的另一页，正在等着你翻开！
