Xiamen: Piano History, Temples and Island Culture

An unusual way to explore Xiamen is through the Piano Museum in Shuzhuang Garden: designed like a piano keyboard, the museum displays more than a hundred historic pianos in two sections. Hu Youyi, a patriotic Chinese expatriate, collected the instruments from around the world. The collection brings music history to life through a diverse range of pieces, including a rare gilded piano and the world’s first rectangular piano.

Historic Sites and Special Collections

Other exhibits include the world’s oldest and largest upright piano, a historic hand-operated instrument, a hundred-year-old self-playing piano with a foot pedal, and a historic piano with eight pedals. Those interested in the history and design of musical instruments will find several specific examples here that differ in form and function. The Piano Museum brings this collection together with its setting in Shuzhuang Garden; both are also part of the Gulangyu Island Scenic Area.

Another historical highlight is South Putuo Temple, at the foot of Wulao Peak in the south of Xiamen Island. It was built during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) and is one of the most visited Buddhist sanctuaries in Fujian and China. The South Fujian Buddhist Academy is part of the temple. Master Huiquan founded it in 1925; it is considered China’s oldest Buddhist academy. The history of the temple and that of its affiliated academy offer different points of interest for visitors interested in cultural history.

Hulishan Fort adds another historic site, with its scale expressed in concrete figures: it covers more than 70,000 square metres, including a 13,000-square-metre fortress complex. The fort was built in 1891 during the Qing dynasty. The date and area figures provide a tangible framework for exploring the site’s history.

Island Route and Scenery

Xiamen Botanical Garden is located on Wanshi Mountain in the southeast of Xiamen Island and was first established in 1960. It offers another point of interest for travellers who want to include the island’s landscapes alongside its cultural sites. The Island Circle Route is also useful for getting your bearings: it runs for 31 kilometres along the southern part of Xiamen Island and connects attractions such as Hulishan Fort, Shangli Reservoir and the International Convention and Exhibition Center. Its length is a useful measure when deciding how much of your trip to devote to this route.

Gulangyu and Its Heritage

The island of Gulangyu lies close to Xiamen and forms part of the Gulangyu–Wanshi National Scenic Area. The Gulangyu Island Scenic Area is classified as a 5A tourist attraction; 5A is China’s highest tourist classification. It can be reached from Xiamen Island by a ferry ride of about five minutes. Its attractions include Sunlight Rock, Bright Moon Garden, Shuzhuang Garden, the Piano Museum and the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall.

Kulangsu’s cultural heritage also paints a multifaceted picture of the island: it includes 931 historic buildings in a variety of local and international architectural styles, as well as natural landscapes, a historic network of paths and historic gardens. Kulangsu is considered the birthplace and finest expression of the Amoy Deco style. At 92.68 metres above sea level, Sunlight Rock is the highest point on Gulangyu. Architecture, historic paths, gardens and landscapes offer different themes to help you choose the focus of your trip.

These interests can help guide your choice of a holiday apartment in Xiamen: the sites mentioned on Xiamen Island, the 31-kilometre Island Circle Route and the attractions on Gulangyu offer a variety of themes. Other destinations include Quanzhou, Nanping, Ningde, Putian, Fuzhou, Longyan, Zhangzhou and Sanming.

For the broader travel overview: Fujian.