Why did Quanzhou replace Guangzhou as China’s largest trade port during the Southern Song period?

During the Southern Song period (1127–1279), Quanzhou surpassed Guangzhou as China’s largest trade port primarily due to its development as a major center for the manufacture of oceangoing ships. This shipbuilding capability allowed Chinese merchants from Fujian to gradually replace Arab traders as the primary carriers of maritime commerce with the Middle East.1

While Guangzhou remained a significant commercial hub, Quanzhou’s strategic growth in both trade volume and vessel production enabled it to outstrip its rival. By the 13th century, Quanzhou had become a globally renowned port, hosting a large population that included a significant community of foreign merchants who maintained their own quarter on the waterfront.12