Gulangyu Island is located just
southwest of Xiamen City. Visitors can reach it by steamship from Xiamen
City in about 5 minutes. This scenic area is renowned for its delicate
natural beauty, its ancient relics, and its varied architecture. The
island is on China's list of National Scenic Spots and also ranks at the
top of the list of the ten most-scenic areas in Fujian Province. In
July 2017, it was listed as a world heritage site by the UNESCO.
Gulangyu Island History
During
the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the island was called 'Yuanshazhou
Island'. It got its present name from the huge reef surrounding it. When
the tide comes in, the waves pound the reef and it sounds like the
beating of a drum. The island came to be named 'Gulang'. Gu in Chinese
means 'drum', and Lang, 'waves'.
During the later Ming Dynasty,
the troops of national hero Zheng Chenggong were stationed here. After
the Opium War in 1842, 13 countries including Great Britain, France and
Japan established consulates, churches, and hospitals, turning Gulangyu
Island into a common concession. In 1942, Japan occupied the island
until the end of the War of Resistance against Japan.
This area
has about 20,000 permanent residents, all of whom enjoy a comfortable,
relaxing life. Only electric-powered vehicles are permitted on Gulangyu
Island, so the environment is free from the noise and pollution of
combustion engines. You can have many things to do on Gulangyu Island.
Breathing the clean air, appreciating the ever-present green trees and
lovely flowers, anyone here can feel like they are in heaven. With
classical and romantic European-style architecture, Gulangyu Island
truly deserves to be called the 'Architecture Museum'. It is also known
as the 'Cradle of Musicians' and 'Island of Music' because of its
reputation for music appreciation. To comply with the music atmosphere
of the island, a Piano Museum was built there in 2000.
The Island Ring Road, which circles Gulangyu Island, allows you to fully enjoy all the sights of this small, charming island.
Among the many scenic spots on the island, the most attractive are Sunlight Rock and the Shuzhuang Garden.
Sunlight Rock
Located
in the south-central part of Gulangyu Island, Sunlight Rock is the
island's highest point with an altitude of 92.7 meters (304 feet).
Though it may not rank with high mountain peaks, it appears superb and
grand when seen from afar. The name comes from a sun-shaped formation in
the granite. When the sun rises, the morning light illuminates the
granite in Sunlight Temple and the rocks are bathed with sunlight.
At
the foot of Sunlight Rock stands the Memorial Hall of Zheng Chenggong,
built in honor of the hero's feats which include expelling the Dutch
colonists and re-occupying Taiwan. Wandering up the steep rock path,
visitors will see many profound inscriptions left by poets, the oldest
of which dates back to over 400 years. This is the main cultural sight
on the hill. Continuing on, you will see the preserved training grounds
of Zheng Chenggong's troops. Near the field is a huge rock bridging two
cliffs, forming a natural entrance to a cave. This is called 'Old Summer
Cave' (Gu Bishu Dong) where you can feel a pleasantly cool breeze. It's
the perfect viewing spot to appreciate the scenery of Gulangyu Island. A
fantastic panorama of Xiamen City, including Nanputuo Temple, Xiamen
University, and Hulishan Battery is within view.
Sunlight Rock Scenic Spot
First
built in 1931 on the southside of Gulangyu Island, Shuzhuang Garden was
once a private villa. It became a garden park open to the public in
1955. It is divided into two parts - the Garden of Hiding the Sea
(Canghaiyuan) and the Garden of Making-Up Hills (Bushanyuan). It was
exquisitely designed to embody three important characteristics in
gardening - hiding elements, borrowing from one's surroundings, and
combining movements.
The principle of hiding elements is embodied
in the way the ocean remains hidden from view even if you walk right up
to the garden gate. However, once you emerge from the bamboo forest,
the seascape leaps into view. Climb the Tower of Tide-Viewing to really
get a terrific look at the sea.
Borrowing from one's surroundings
refers to cleverly using naturally available scenery. Using the
original slopes facing the sea, the reefs in the bay, and the shape of
the shoreline, the former garden owner built bridges and pavilions at
various levels. The panorama changes from a small bay to a vast ocean as
you ascend. Here, visitors can taste the spray of the surging waves and
get a bird's-eye view of other charming islands. Both Sunlight Rock and
Hero Hill (Yingxiongshan) are also visible.
The garden also
possesses another characteristic - the combining of movements. Its
unique arrangement joins a rockwork that includes a maze of connected
caves with fine pavilions on the side of the slope. Lovely children
chasing and gamboling among the caves represent movement and activity,
while people resting in the pavilions give a feeling of tranquility and
harmonious contemplation.
As a complex of Chinese traditional
gardens, Shuzhuang Gardens entices visitors so much that one cannot help
but want to see inside.
Gulangyu Island has other sights worth
seeing including the Bright Moon Garden, the Seasight Watch Garden, Yu
Park, and Xiamen Museum. The Bright Moon Garden is located in the
southeast of the island with an area of over 20,000 square meters
(23,921 square yards). It is a statuary garden of national hero Zheng
Chenggong with enchanting views. The appealing Seasight Watch Garden
boasts villas of various styles of both China and the West. It has
become a noted resort for visitors.