Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32October 2016 7 B lazing fake bank notes drift over tinsel-decked headstones; a giant firework explodes with a rocket-launcher roar; incense smoulders in front of ancient Islamic tombs, their long-dead occupants warm beneath cosy quilts. It’s tomb-sweeping season in Quanzhou, the time of year when the Chinese honour their departed ancestors. And, although Lingshan Cemetery is Islamic, the locals don’t want to leave out the old Muslim saints. It’s very inclusive and friendly — slightly goofy, but heartwarming. In fact, it’s Quanzhou in a nutshell. When Marco Polo visited during the 13th century, Quanzhou was one of the biggest ports in the world. The city was the terminus of the legendary Silk Road, alive with traders, seafarers and merchants from across the globe. Ivory, pearls and spices poured into its docks; porcelain, tea and silk flowed out. So famous was Quanzhou for silk, in fact, that its old Arabic name, Zaitun, gave us the English word “satin”. Before Polo, another brave medieval traveller, Jacob D’Ancona, described Quanzhou as “a city of light”. Today, bright fairy lights still deck the city’s gothic rooftops and drip from the shady groves around West Lake. During the 13th century, Quanzhou was one of the biggest ports in the world beibaoke / Shutterstock.com China West Lake: stunning at night