December 29, 1604 Earthquake: Off Coast, Fujian Province, China

December 29, 1604, Off shore of Quanzhou, of Fujian Province, 25 N, 119.5 E, magnitude 8.

Quanzhou: Storied buildings and city walls were razed almost completely. On the top of the eastern pagoda in Kaiyuan Temple, two and eight stone rafters were damaged from the south and southeast sides respectively. Houses were ruined in and out of the town. Mountains shook and the sea surged with many ships capsized. The ground fissured at several places.

Putian: Several places of the city walls collapsed. In the town, high buildings almost collapsed and in the country, countless houses were ruined. Injuries were reported. In Yangwei, Xiakedi and Ligang, the fields fissured with emission of black sand. Pools dried up because of the fissures.

Nan'an: All the battlements on city walls were razed, many civilian houses were damaged. The ceremonial gate of the county school was broken. Two stone memorial archways collapsed. The ground fissured at some places.

Tong'an: Most of the city walls and houses were devastated. The ground opened about 5 m in length with water overflowing.

Zhangpu: Most houses collapsed. The tops of two pagodas fell off. The field caved in tens of meters with emission of water mixed with sand and mud.

Anxi: Mountains broke.

Haicheng: Most houses were damaged. The ground opened and springs appeared.

Fuzhou: Most city walls collapsed.

Pinhe: The northeastern city walls were damaged for more than 28 m.

Changtai: Stones fell and houses collapsed.

Shaxian: Walls and rooms collapsed. River water surged.

Dehua: City walls, sheds and watch towers were damaged heavily.

Shangrao and Yiyang: Houses collapsed.

Zixi: Houses and posts cracked.

Shangyu: Some houses collapsed.

Jiallde: Some walls and buildings Were damaged.

Reian : All the tiles on buildings fell off.

Wenzhou: Most tiles on buildings fell off.

(above from reference #3939)

The China Sea earthquakes sometimes can also cause great damage and impact, for example, the Quanzhou offshore earthquake of Ms 8 on December 29, 1604, had the earthquake intensity of Ⅸ in the extreme shaking area, the area with intensity greater than or equal to VII reached 20,669 km2. According to historical records, Quanzhou suffered more from this earthquake - mountains, rocks, and waters were all shaking: “the whole city is destroyed, wall and shop and battlements are all completely collapsed, 10 sharply pointed stones fell from east tower top cover; land had several cracks especially in Quncheng, Qingliang mountain had cracks and sand leaking with smell of gas; Luoyang is collapsed.” There were 22 counties (cities) recording different levels of earthquake hazard in Fujian, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces (Li and Yao, 1998). (reference #12988)

This earthquake occurred offshore of Quanzhou, Fujian province with a big magnitude and broad effects. The historical record refers to "...mountain, stone, and sea water were totally moving; many boats sank down; the ground was cracked apart." This earthquake was. generated along the seismic belt of the Fujian Guangdon coast. (reeference #549)

1604 Dec 29, 24.7 N 119 E, magnitude 7.5 (reference #10200)

1604 Dec 29, 25 N 119.5 E, magnitude 8 (reference #1052)