Discover Xiamen

Xiamen brings together a range of travel interests: historic pianos, Buddhist heritage, gardens, and a route along the southern part of the island. Nearby Kulangsu adds another destination, with its own architectural and landscape history.

Piano history and Buddhist heritage

The Xiamen Piano Museum is located in Shuzhuang Garden. Designed like a piano keyboard, it displays more than a hundred historic pianos across two sections, collected from around the world by Hu Youyi, a patriotic overseas Chinese. The exhibits include a rare gilded piano, the world’s first rectangular piano, and the oldest and largest upright piano in the world. Also on display are a historic hand-operated piano, a hundred-year-old self-playing piano with a foot pedal, and a historic piano with eight pedals. The pieces on display may change.

The South Putuo Temple offers a different historical perspective. It stands at the foot of Wulao Peak in the south of Xiamen Island. Built during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD), it is one of the most visited Buddhist sanctuaries in Fujian and China. The South Fujian Buddhist Academy is affiliated with the temple: Master Huiquan founded it in 1925, and it is considered China’s oldest Buddhist academy. The temple and academy thus combine religious heritage with a clearly dated educational history.

Gardens, fortifications, and an island route

The Xiamen Botanical Garden is located on Wanshi Mountain in the southeast of Xiamen Island and was first established in 1960. Hulishan Fort, meanwhile, dates to 1891, during the Qing dynasty. It covers more than 70,000 square meters and includes a 13,000-square-meter castle complex. The two sites offer different points of interest: a botanical garden with a history stretching back to its establishment in 1960, and an expansive fortification complex from the late 19th century.

The Island Circle Route is also worth considering when planning your way around the island. It runs for 31 kilometers along the southern part of Xiamen Island and connects numerous attractions, including Hulishan Fort, Shangli Reservoir, and the International Convention and Exhibition Center. This offers a choice between individual historic sites and a longer route connecting multiple destinations.

Kulangsu: architecture, gardens, and a ferry ride

Kulangsu is located near Xiamen. Its Gulangyu Island Scenic Area is classified as a 5A tourist attraction—the highest tourist classification level in China. If this classification is important to your plans, check its current status. You can reach the area from Xiamen Island by ferry in about five minutes; check the current timetable before traveling.

Kulangsu’s cultural heritage includes 931 historic buildings in a range of local and international architectural styles, natural landscapes, a historic network of paths, and historic gardens. The island is considered the birthplace and finest expression of the Amoy Deco style. Kulangsu is also part of the Gulangyu–Wanshi National Scenic Area. The Gulangyu Island Scenic Area includes Sunlight Rock, Bright Moon Garden, Shuzhuang Garden, the Piano Museum, and the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall, among other attractions. At 92.68 meters above sea level, Sunlight Rock is the highest point on Gulangyu.

For planning your trip, two different scales of travel sit side by side: the 31-kilometer Island Circle Route along the southern part of the island and the approximately five-minute ferry ride from Xiamen Island to Kulangsu.

Discover more destinations: Longyan, Putian, Nanping, Zhangzhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Sanming, Ningde

For the broader travel overview: Fujian.