Name
Xiamen had always been known asGeography
Xiamen is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian whose urban core grew up from the port of Xiamen on southernClimate
Xiamen has a monsoonal humid subtropical climate (History
The area of Xiamen was largely bypassed by the Qin and Han conquests and colonization of Guangdong, which passed west of Fujian down theDemographics
A large number of the populace are migrants. According to the Seventh National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, 2020 Census, Xiamen has a population of 5,163,970 inhabitants. According to the Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, 2010 Census, Xiamen has a population of 3,531,347 inhabitants, almost 1.8 times the population counted for the last census in 2000 (which was of 2,053,070 inhabitants). The annual average population growth was of 5.57% for the period 2000–2010. This masks the population explosion in Jimei District, however, which quadrupled since the prior census;Languages
As with all of China, the official language is Mandarin. Migrants of non-Hokkien ancestry usually speak Mandarin and/or their inherent tongues. The indigenous language is Hokkien, a subgroup of Southern Min, with the Tong'an, Tong'an dialect being the most populous and prevalent. The Xiamen dialect is mostly defined to the southwest quarter of Xiamen Island, while theReligion
The first evidence of organised religion existed in the area was dated to Sui dynasty when Buddhism was first spread to Tong'an region and spread to Xiamen Island during Tang dynasty. In the 19th century, Xiamen proper had two Dutch Reformed Church, Dutch Reformed and two London Missionary Society, LMS churches. Xiamen Island was home to three Dutch Reformed Church, Dutch Reformed Christian mission, missions at "Kang-thau", "Kio-than", and "Chhan-chhu-oa".Administration
Xiamen is a sub-provincial city of Fujian with direct jurisdiction over 6 District of China, districts. In May 2003,Economy
Xiamen has a diverse and well-developed economy. It is the first to refer to the business environment indexes of the World Bank with the aim of creating world's first-rated business environment. In 2018, its business environment ranked 2nd among 22 cities across the country that was evaluated by the National Development and Reform Commission. Its measures in areas such as dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, and trading across borders take the lead in the country. Its social credit system has been improved. In 2018, its overall credit index ranked 2nd among 36 provincial capitals and sub-provincial cities and above. The Siming and Huli districts form its Special economic zones of China, Special Economic Zone. Xiamen focuses on the development of five major industries – electronic information, equipment manufacturing, tourism and culture, modern logistics, and financial services. The city strives to build more than 10 industrial chains, each with an output value of 100 billion yuan ($14.71 billion), including panel displays, computer and communication equipment, semiconductors and integrated circuits, software and information services, machinery and equipment, new materials, tourism and exhibitions, cultural creativity, modern logistics, financial services, biological medicine and urban modern agriculture. Xiamen's GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 15.4 percent since China's reform and opening-up four decades ago. In 2018, per capita GDP: 118,015 yuan ($17,105); per capita disposable income: 50,948 yuan; public financial budget revenue: 128.3 billion yuan; 1,626 hi-tech enterprises, accounting for 44 percent of the total number of Fujian province; 600.5 billion yuan of total foreign trade value; degree of dependence on foreign trade has reached 125 percent. By the end of 2018, Xiamen brought in a total of 14,818 foreign-invested projects; contractual foreign investments: $66 billion, actual foreign investments: $37.9 billion; 62 overseas Fortune 500 companies invested in 112 projects in Xiamen. The city has economic and trade relations with 162 countries and regions worldwide, and benefits from foreign investment, particularly capital from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, US, Japan, Switzerland, Malaysia, Philippines, Germany and UK. Xiamen is also the host of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade held annually in early September to attract foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland. Xiamen also hold Straits Forum annually. The 2019 edition kicked off in the coastal city from 15 to 21 June. More than 10,000 people attended the annual forum this year.Financial services
Xiamen has highly developed banking services. The biggest bank is the state-owned commercial bank, Sino-foreign joint venture Xiamen International Bank, solely foreign-funded Xiamen Bank, and Xiamen Rural Commercial Bank. Various foreign banks that have established representative offices in Xiamen. There are more than 600 financial institutions in operation in Xiamen.Development zones
Haicang Investment Zone () is situated to the southeast of Xiamen Island, at the tip of the Xiamen-Zhangzhou-Quanzhou Delta in South Fujian bordering Zhangzhou City to the west, Jimei District to the north, and overlooking Xiamen Island across the narrow water. The 100-square-kilometer Haicang Investment Zone is the largest national investment zone for Taiwan business people authorized by the State Council in 1989. It is situated close to Xiamen Port. The zone aims at becoming a new port area, a new industrial area and a sub-center of greater Xiamen in the 21st century. It is divided into the following four functional areas in line with its overall plan: Haicang Port Area, Xinyang Industrial Area, Southern Industrial Area and Haicang New Urban Area. Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone () is located in the northwest part of Xiamen, within the area of Dongdu port. Near No 319 national road and Yingxia railway, it is connected with Gaoqi International Airport. On 15 October 1992, the State Council approved establishment of the zone with an area of 5 square kilometers; the first phase covers 0.63 square kilometers and was put into operation on 28 November 1993. It is the most modern international logistics zone in the southeast part of China. Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries () was jointly established by the former State Scientific and Technological Commission and the Xiamen municipal government in 1990 and has gradually developed into "one zone with multi parks". A favorable investment environment and high returns has made the zone into a hot spot for foreign investment. Bourns Inc. of the United States concluded the zone the most ideal target for foreign investors in China. Some of the world's top 500 companies such as Dell, ABB Switch, ABB Low-Voltage, ABB High-Voltage, Panasonic, FDK, Xiamen Tungaloy, and Fujitsu are rapidly expanding their operations in Xiamen. The zone is oriented towards information technology, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, oceanology, advanced manufacturing, and environment technology. Most of its exports go to countries and areas such as the US, Japan, Southeast Asia, West Europe, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Hi-tech exports include computers, color monitors, microscopes, power supply units, integrated circuits, stepping motors, wireless telephones, switching equipment, tungsten carbide micro-drills, and similar products.Key industries
Panel display industry
Xiamen is one of China's regions with rapid development of the TFT liquid crystal display (LCD) industry. Its industrial scale ranks sixth in the country and is the only pilot city with a national optoelectronic display industrial cluster. The city also has the largest R&D and production base of touch screen modules in the world. Xiamen's panel display industry reached an output value of 131.5 billion yuan in 2018, forming a complete industrial chain layout. Industrial parks include Xiamen Tongan Xiang'an Hi-tech Industrial Base and Xiamen Torch Hi-Tech Industrial Zone (Xiang'an).Computer and communication equipment industry
Xiamen has gathered integrated manufacturing enterprises in such fields as complete computers, mobile phones, mobile phone lenses, micro motors, flexible circuit boards, bluetooth and wireless access equipment, and positioning and navigation sensors, as well assupporting enterprises of basic components, accessories, external equipment and IT services. The complete machine brand has global influence. The industry reached an output value of 120.4 billion yuan ($17.68 billion) in 2018. Industrial parks include Xiamen Tongan Xiang'an Hi-tech Industrial Base and Xiamen Torch Hi-Tech Industrial Zone (Xiang'an).Semiconductor and integrated circuits industry
Xiamen is home to more than 200 integrated circuit (IC) enterprises which form an industrial chain covering IC design, manufacturing, testing, equipment and materials as well as applications. Xiamen's IC industry reached an output value of 41.7 billion yuan ($6.11 billion) in 2018. Industrial parks include Xiamen Tongan Xiang'an Hi-tech Industrial Base, Xiamen Science and Technology Innovation Park, Xiamen Haicang Information Industrial Park, and Xiamen IC Strait Free Trade Zone Industrial Base.Software and information services industry
The software and information services industry in Xiamen covers various fields including the platform economy, industrial application software, animation and games and cloud computing and information security. The city has won the title of "China's Characteristic City in Software". The industrial output value of Xiamen's software and information services industry in 2018 reached 149.3 billion yuan ($21.78 billion), with Xiamen Software Park accounting for 67 percent of that figure.Machinery and equipment industry
Xiamen's machinery and equipment industry covers five industrial sectors – large and medium-sized passenger cars, power transmission and distribution equipment, aviation maintenance, engineering machinery and shipbuilding, with an output value of 103.7 billion yuan ($15.13 billion) in 2018. Industrial parks include Xiamen Machinery industry concentration area, Xiamen Torch Power Transmission and Distribution Industry Base, Xiamen Haicang Ship Industrial Zone, Xiamen Aviation Industrial Zone, and Xiamen Airport Industrial Zone.New materials industry
Xiamen's new materials industry is dominated by special metal materials and advanced polymer materials, including photoelectric information materials, new energy, energy saving and environmental protection materials, and advanced carbon nanomaterials. The industry reached an output value of 88.9 billion yuan ($12.95 billion) in 2018. Industrial parks include Xiamen Tongan Xiang'an Hi-tech Industrial Base and Xiamen Torch Hi-Tech Industrial Zone (Xiang'an).Tourism industry
Xiamen has been honored as the Top Tourist City in China, a Demonstration City of Tourism and Leisure in China and one of China's most romantic leisure cities. The holiday tourism popularity and tourist satisfaction in Xiamen has long been at the forefront in China, and its inbound tourism and foreign exchange earnings have been ranked in China's top 10. The number of people going to Taiwan via Xiamen Port ranks first in China.Exhibition industry
In 2018, Xiamen held a total of 229 exhibitions, with a total exhibition area of 2.38 million square meters, up 8.6 percent year-on-year. The hotels and conference centers in the city hosted 9,262 commercial meetings with more than 50 people attending, up 12.1 percent year-on-year. The total number of participants from home and abroad to Xiamen reached 1.88 million, with a year-on-year increase of 12.1 percent. The total revenue of the exhibition industry in Xiamen reached 40.3 billion yuan ($5.86 billion). Industrial parks include Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center, Xiamen International Conference Center, Xiamen Fliport Conference & Exhibition Center, and Xiamen east sports exhibition area (under construction).Culture and creativity industry
Xiamen has seen rapid development in creative design, the film industry and high-end artworks in recent years. The city was listed among the first National Culture Export Bases and is home to the world's third Red Dot Design Museum. Also, the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, one of the top events in China's film industry, is to be presented in Xiamen once every two years for the 10 years following 2019. The total revenue of Xiamen's culture and creativity industry reached 104 billion yuan ($15.13 billion) in 2018. Industrial parks include National demonstration base for the integration of culture and science and technology, National Fujian and Taiwan cultural industry experimental park, Longshan cultural and creative industrial park, Huli creative industrial park, Jimeiji film and television industrial park, Tongan cultural industrial park, and Cross-Straits architectural design cultural and creative park.Modern logistics industry
Xiamen has been approved as a national modern logistics innovation and development city, a national cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone, a smart logistics city and a logistics standardization pilot zone, and a demonstration city for the standardization of cold chain circulation of agricultural products. In 2018, the modern logistics industry in Xiamen achieved an output value of 118 billion yuan ($17.17 billion). And Xiamen port ranked 7th in China and 14th in the world in terms of container throughput. Xiamen has formed a freight hub integrating the southeast coastal area highways and railroads. There are five logistics industry agglomeration areas in Xiamen: Haicang and Dongdu port-surrounding areas, Qianchang, Tongan and Xiang'an.Financial services industry
In 2018, Xiamen's total revenue of financial services reached 152.9 billion yuan ($22.24 billion), and added value accumulated to 52.4 billion yuan. Industrial parks include Xiamen cross-Straits financial center and Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone.Bio-medicine and health industry
Xiamen is a pilot city for the regional agglomeration of emerging industries in bio-medicine, with a total output value of 58.9 billion yuan ($8.56 billion) in 2018. A total of 241 State-level high-tech enterprises have settled in the city. Xiamen Biobay is the incubation center for local bio-medicine achievements.Urban modern agriculture industry
Urban modern agriculture in Xiamen covers the planting industry, animal husbandry, agricultural and sideline products, the food processing industry, rural tourism and ecological leisure agriculture. In 2018, Xiamen's agricultural product processing developed steadily, with 44 leading agricultural industrialization enterprises generating sales revenue of 55.3 billion yuan ($8.05 billion). Industrial parks include Xiamen cross-Straits agricultural high-tech park, Xiamen Tongan National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, Xiamen Tongan light industry food industrial park, Agricultural and sideline products logistics center of southern Fujian, and Leisure agriculture areas including Xiangshan, Damaoshan and Zhubawuxian.Automotive
Sanyang Motor's subsidiary Xiamen Xiashing Motorcycle Company, Limited operates an Original design manufacturer, ODM/Original equipment manufacturer motorcycle parts manufacturing plant in Xiamen. The products are manufactured to support French-based Peugeot Motocycles and Korean-based SNT Motiv, S&T.Transportation
Local transportation
TheRailway
Xiamen is a railway hub city in southeast coast of China and has two stations, Xiamen Railway Station and Xiamen North Railway Station. Passengers can buy the tickets on China Railway, www.12306.cn. Xiamen is served by the Yingtan–Xiamen railway, Fuzhou–Xiamen railway, Longyan–Xiamen railway and the Xiamen–Shenzhen railway, which are connected to List of railway lines in China, China's national railway network and make it possible for passengers to arrive in Shanghai in five hours, Shenzhen in three-hour, and Fuzhou in two hours. Currently, the Fuzhou–Xiamen high-speed railway between Fuzhou and Xiamen and an intercity rail transit connecting Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou are under plan. The Xiamen Railway Station on the island of Xiamen is connected to the mainland by a railway bridge. It is 10 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, 23 km from Xiamen North railway station and 7 km from South Putuo Temple, Nanputuo Temple. First opened in 1957, it underwent major reconstruction and expansion in March 2014 and was put into service again on 4 February 2015. The Xiamen North Railway Station is located in Jimei District. In operation since April 2010, the station is 13 kilometers from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and 23 km from Xiamen Railway Station. The station operates bullet trains only. At present, its trains run to Beijing, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Nanjing, Shenzhen and other cities.Road
The expressway networks of Xiamen and the mid-west area of Chinese mainland are connected seamlessly by Shenyang-Haikou Highway, Xiamen-Chengdu Highway, Xiamen-Shaxian Highway, and urban expressways.Bridge
Xiamen Bridge, the first road bridge in China that crossed the straits, opened to public in 1991. Eight years later, Haicang Bridge was opened to traffic, which made it Asia's first and world's second suspension bridge with floating rebar at the time. In 2008, Xiamen built Jimei Bridge and Xinglin Bridge. Meanwhile, 14 roads for entry and exit at the north gate of Xiamen were added to the map. Moreover, there is the Xiang'an Bridge, scheduled to be opened to traffic in 2023, under construction. At present, Xiamen is working on a road system containing two inner and outer ring roads as well as eight supplementary roads.Submarine tunnel
In addition to bridges, tunnels also help Xiamen connect the inside and outside parts of the island. Xiang'an Tunnel is China's first submarine tunnel with large cross-section and is also the sixth route to access Xiamen Island. It was opened to traffic on 26 April 2010, with a total length of 8.695 km, of which the tunnel part covering 6.05 km connecting Xiaman Island and Xiang'an district. Moreover, there is the Haicang Tunnel, was opened to traffic on 17 June 2021. It has a total length of 7.102 km, of which the tunnel part covering 6.28 km. It set three interchange to connect Haicang and Huli districts.Subway
Xiamen subway initiated construction on 1 April 2014 and was put into experimental operation on 31 December 2017. According to Xiamen's rail traffic planning approved by the central government, the city has three metro lines by 25 June 2021 and will also accelerate the construction of Metro Line 4 and 6, with a total length of 233 kilometers. The city will witness the rapid development of its subway traffic network. The Metro Line Line 1 (Xiamen Metro), 1, Line 2 (Xiamen Metro), 2 and Line 3 (Xiamen Metro), 3 has currently started operation.BRT
Xiamen BRT was put into operation on 31 August 2008. Its BRT system features a dedicated bus-only closed road system with stations and ticketing system similar to light rail. Most of the 115-kilometer (71 mi) BRT network consists of bus lanes along expressways and elevated BRT viaducts on Xiamen Island. BRT routes have no traffic lights and travel speed is limited by design to 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph). Nine BRT routes are currently in service, including BRT-1 Route, BRT-2 Route, Huandao Avenue BRT Route, Chenggong Avenue BRT Route and Connecting BRT Route. The fare is 0.6 RMB per km for the air-conditioned busses. The BRT is supplemented by 20 shuttle bus services that connect nearby places to the BRT stations. The shuttle bus service has a flat rate of 0.5 RMB. Fare discount is available when pre-paid e-card is used.Cycle-way
As early as 2013, Haicang built a 13.4-kilometer-long green cycle-way outside Xiamen Island, making it the first district in the city to fulfill a public bicycle system. At the beginning of 2017, Xiamen built the country's first and the world's longest aerial cycle-way. The white hollow guardrails with 1.5 meters high on both sides won't make people "fear of height" or cause any impact on the vision.Air
The Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (IATA: XMN; ICAO: ZSAM) in northeasternSea
Ferries
Xiamen has passenger ferry services to cities along the coast of China as well as the neighbouring island of Kinmen (Quemoy) to the east, which is administered by the Republic of China on Taiwan. These ferries are all served from the Wutong Ferry Terminal to Shuitou Pier, Kinmen on the north-east side of the Xiamen Island (quite distant from downtown Xiamen), ferries to Kinmen take 60 minutes. There are facilities in both directions allowing for quick transfers between Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (for Mainland destinations) and Kinmen Airport (for Taiwanese destinations), which are very popular especially among large tour groups. While the Heping Wharf Ferry Terminal on the south-west side of Xiamen Island offers short 5-minute boat rides to the island ofPort
The historic port of Xiamen in Yundang Bay on the southwest side ofTourism
Xiamen and its surrounding countryside is known for its scenery and tree-lined beaches. Xiamen's Botanical Garden is a nature lover's paradise. The Buddhist Nanputuo Temple, dating back to the Tang dynasty, is a national treasure. Xiamen is also well known as a continuing frontline in the Chinese Civil War, with the nearby Kinmen Islands (Quemoy), Republic of China (Taiwan). Water Garden Expo Park has a total area of about , with a land area of consisting of five exhibition park islands, four ecological landscapes, islands, and two peninsulas, including the main pavilion, Chinese Education Park, Marine Culture Island, Spa Island, and other functional areas and related facilities.Tourist attractions
Gulangyu Island
Sunlight rock
Sunlight Rock (), nicknamed as Huang Rock, lies on the top of Longtou Mountain in south-central Gulangyu Island. Two rocks, leaning against each other, are the highest on the island which stand at 92.7 meters above sea level. There is a saying that goes "if you haven't ascended Sunlight Rock, you haven't really been to Xiamen".Kulangsu Historic International Settlement
Kulangsu is an example of the cultural fusion that emerged from international exchanges, which remain legible in its urban fabric. Buildings here have a mixture of different architectural styles including Traditional Southern Fujian Style, Western Classical Revival Style and Veranda Colonial Style. An example of the fusion of various stylistic influences is a new architectural movement, the Amoy Deco Style, a synthesis of the Modernist style of the early 20th century and Art Deco.Yundang Lake
Yundang Lake () is originally called Yundang Harbor, which was named after a bamboo's name that have grown in forests there. The lake, standing at the center of the new and old urban areas of Xiamen, boasts night views, which has Bailuzhou in the center of the lake, the People's Hall at the back of the lake, a large number of high buildings and footpaths along the lake banks, and illuminated bridges.Hulishan Fortress
The Hulishan Fortress () is a concrete defensive outpost on the south side of Xiamen, just across the water from the historically contentious Kinmen Islands. The highlight for present-day visitors is the 28 cm MRK L/40, enormous cannon that still remains (there were originally two; one for east and west defense). Built by the German munitions company Krupp, the two 14 m (46 ft) cannons, when viewed in tandem with the dozens of other, smaller artillery. The Hulishan Fortress is located on the southern coast of Xiamen, just south of Xiamen University.Zengcuoan
Located at Huandao Rd, Zengcuoan () used to be a small fishing village near the sea. People who live by the water made their livings on the water. Gradually, many ancient houses with red bricks were established one after another and small alleys came into being. Nowadays, Zengcuoan has become the gathering place of literature and art. With its unique geographical advantage and artistic characteristic, Zengcuoan attracts many innovative artists to live here. They operate shops here, which turns this small fishing village to be a cultural and recreational park.Shapowei
Hidden in the downtown, with docks and low houses, Shapowei () entails the scene of the old Xiamen. The stone road baptized by the time and the rusty wharf both witness the growth of several generations of Xiamen people. The flavor of old Xiamen has become the reason why young people with artistic talents like to go to Shapowei. In the past, there were many small and medium-sized wharfs, but now it is a destination for food and shopping.Aotou village
Aotou Village (), located in the Xindian town in Xiang'an district, is near the sea and mountain. It is opposite to Kinmen Island and Xiamen Island across the sea. It is not only a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in South Fujian, but also a harbor and fishing village.Arcade Building
Just like the broad quadrangle courtyard in Beijing, and the Shikumen with Chinese and western features in Shanghai, the arcade building () is the symbol of Xiamen's traditional culture. The popularity of arcade buildings is due to the boom of "going overseas" at the beginning of the 20th century. Many overseas Chinese who made a great fortune in foreign countries came back home with new business ideas as well as foreign architectural ideas. Within the arcade building, the upstairs has rooms where people live while the downstairs has corridors which are used as shops. The arcade buildings along Lujiang Ave, which are on the opposite of Gulangyu Island, enjoy a history of more than 100 years.Xiamen Horticulture Expo Garden
The Xiamen Horticulture Expo Garden () is located in Xinglin Bay in Jimei district, Xiamen, Fujian province. The park covers a total area of about 10 square kilometers, with land and water landscapes accounting for half of the total area. As the venue for the sixth China International Garden and Flower Exposition, the park enjoys a natural and environmentally-friendly layout. It consists of nine islands and various gardens with different styles. It serves as a venue for horticultural exhibitions, tourism, recreational activities, and educational activities for the public.Chengyi Discovery Center
Themed on aerospace, navigation, natural disasters and information communication, Chengyi Discovery Center () has seven exhibition areas, including dream seeking, space exploration, aeronautical laboratory, and navigation laboratory. The center has five initiative key exhibition projects in China, including two special cinemas of X-Flight space exploration and pleasant trip, Tiangong-1, a huge slide, and light show. Besides, theme restaurants, coffee bar and shopping mall are available here. All these elements make the center China's first indoor large-scale science themed park.Museums
Xiamen Museum
Founded in 1983, Xiamen Museum () was located in Gulangyu Island, the most renowned scenic spot in the city, and was relocated to the Xiamen Culture and Arts Center in Siming district in 2007. Covering 25,300 square meters, the new museum is six times larger than the original, and displays 30,000 pieces of cultural relics, mostly featuring porcelain, paintings, calligraphy works, jades, and stone carvings.Tan Kah Kee Memorial Museum
Tan Kah Kee Memorial () Museum is a museum to memorialize social and historic celebrities. Its building inherits unique southern Fujian features, which integrate with Jimei Aoyuan Park and Kah Kee Park, forming a tourist destination. As holder of the cultural memorials of Tan Kah Kee (a well-known patriotic overseas Chinese leader), the museum is also an important patriotic education base in Xiamen.Overseas Chinese Museum
Founded by Tan Kah Kee, an entrepreneur whose ancestral home is in Xiamen, the Overseas Chinese Museum () shows the history of Chinese people living outside their home country, integrating collections of cultural relics, exhibitions and academic research. By March 2017, the museum was displaying more than 1,200 photos, 2,000 cultural relics and 1,000 specimens of rare birds, animals and marine creatures.Gulangyu Piano Museum
Gulangyu Island, listed as a World Heritage Site, world cultural heritage site in 2017, is also dubbed the Island of Pianos because more than 100 musical families once lived in the 1.87-square kilometer area. The Piano Museum () exhibits more than 40 old pianos donated by the pianist Hu Youyi, including a gilded piano, a piano with four corners, the earliest one in the world, and a mechanical piano operated by pumping pedals.Xiamen Olympic Museum
Xiamen Olympic Museum () is the first Olympic-themed museum in China approved by the International Olympic Committee and Chinese Olympic Committee. It houses a collection of Olympic-related relics.Oriental Fish Bone Gallery
The Oriental Fish Bone Gallery () in Xiamen, Fujian province was founded by Chinese artist Lin Hanbing in April 2006 and is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Lin creates artworks by arranging raw materials, commonly food waste such as fish bones, fins, scales, eyes, shrimp antennae and crab shells, through 12 processing steps including separating bones and meat, washing, removing the fishy flavor, whitening, applying mildew proof, and dehydrating. The raw materials, due to their various shapes and colors, are arranged by Lin into realistic paintings like flowers, birds and beasts, as well as abstract artworks imbued with a deeper meaning. In recent years, Lin has changed his style from original landscape paintings to artwork that reflects environmental problems, including air, river, and sea pollution.Museum of 'incessant' Xiamen memories
The museum () at No 122 Minzu Rd in Xiamen, Fujian province, is home to a variety of old gadgets that hold the memories of the coastal city. Chen Zhaowei, the 48-year-old native Xiamen curator, said the museum is inspired by and named for ''Analects, The Analects of Confucius'' and means 'incessant' in Chinese.Culture
Xiamen is known for its music, puppet shows, Gezai Opera, and temple celebration events.Folk customs
Gongfu tea
Xiamen is one of the origins of Gongfu tea ceremony, gongfu (kung fu) tea ceremony with a profound tea culture. The essence of Xiamen tea culture is tea ceremony, which involves five elements: tea leaves, water, tea set, fire and environment. Xiamen people mostly drink Oolong tea and especially love Anxi Tieguanyin, which is known as the highest grade of tea. Xiamen people usually start their day by making a cup of kungfu tea.Jianggu
Jianggu () is a kind of storytelling in Minnan (southern Fujian province) dialect and can be seen in Minnan, Taiwan and Chinese inhabited areas in Southeast Asia. The performer usually tells stories with vivid and funny slang, proverbs or doggerel, using a dramatic tone, strong facial expressions and body language to attract the audience. It is a popular traditional Chinese folk entertainment performance.Mid-Autumn mooncake gambling
Mid-Autumn mooncake gambling (), betting on moon cakes, is a folk game played around the Mid-Autumn Festival. It originated in Xiamen and then traveled to the neighboring Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Kinmen (Quemoy). It is a game played with six dice. Just throw the dice into a bowl and the different pips you get stand for different ranks of awards you will win. The gambling game has six ranks of awards, which were given the names of winners in ancient imperial examinations: ''zhuangyuan'', ''bangyan'', ''tanhua'', ''jinshi'', ''juren'' and ''xiucai''.Sending off the Wang Boat
The celebration called "''Song Wang Chuan''" () is an very important and longstanding traditional festival held in coastal villages in Fujian province, Taiwan and oversea Minnan communities to avert calamities and pray for divine blessings. Also known as "''Shao Wang Chuan''" () or "''Ji Wang Chuan''" (), this festival originated from a religious tradition that ancient voyagers released little boats or decorated ships to send off calamities or plague while invoking for the blessings of various Wang Ye worship, Wang Ye like Zheng Chenggong, an admiral of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and the Taoist ritual "Hai Jiao". During the celebration, the local community would also incorporate a variety of folk performances into the traditional religious festival. The custom was spread to Taiwan and oversea Minnan communities through boats traveling there, migration and religious exchange activities. It demonstrates the Minnan (southern Fujian) people's respect for the ocean, life, peace and justice, as well as their sympathy for vulnerable groups.Cuisine
As with much of southern China, the staple foods of Xiamen have long been rice, Chinese fishing industry, seafood, pork, sweet potatoes, various Chinese pickles, pickled vegetables, and bok choy.. Its traditional dishes form a branch of southern Fujianese cuisine, with Taiwanese cuisine, Taiwanese influence. It is particularly well known within China for its xiaochi, street food and snacks. A local specialty is worm jelly ''tǔsǔndòng''), a aspic, gelatin made from Sipunculus nudus, a kind of marine peanut worm. *Satay noodles () are a street food using the spicy flavor of satay, and are sold inexpensively. *Oyster omelets (): Local residents are known to accompany this dish with porridge. Blend fresh oysters, sweet potato, starch and egg, then add a tablespoon of soy sauce and fry them in a pan with shallow oil until the oysters turn crispy. *Misua paste (): The main ingredients used for making misua paste are misua, coagulated pig blood, onion oil and seafood. All of the required ingredients are boiled together into a misua paste, which includes a tender glutinous misua noodle and a smooth taste. *Steamed taro buns (): For the older generations in Xiamen, steamed Taro Buns are an essential part of Spring Festival, similar to turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Local residents usually eat it with sweet chili sauce or barbeque sauce. *Tong'an wrapped pork (): This dish is a local cuisine with typical Xiamen flavor, involving braised pork and condiments such as black mushroom, lotus seeds, shrimps, dried oyster. *Ginger duck (): Local ducks and aged gingers are the main ingredients. Instead of being cooked over fire, the spiced duck can also be braised in sand, which is good for maintaining temperature.Music
Musicians who hail from Xiamen and Gulangyu Island include Ivy Ling Po, Huang Yujun, Yin Chengzong, Yang Jing (violinist), Jing Yang, and Xu Feiping. It has a major symphony orchestra, the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. Every May there's an international music festival, and piano competitions and music festivals are also frequently held. On Gulangyu, on Huangyan Road on the way to Sunlight Rock is the Gulangyu Concert Hall, where classical concerts are regularly held on weekends.Opera
Nanyin
Nanguan music, Nanyin (), dubbed "a living fossil of music", is one of the four oldest forms of Chinese music preserved in its original state. Also called ''nanqu'', ''xianguan'', ''nanguan'' or ''nanyue'', it developed from the imperial music of the Tang (618–907) and the Five Dynasties Period (906–960) and continues among people in Fujian's Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Southeast Asian regions. Nanyin Opera consists of three parts: ''zhitao'', ''dapu'' and ''sanqu''. It can be performed in two forms: ''tanchang'' (singing while playing a musical instrument) and ''qingchang'' (singing without playing a musical instrument). It also preserves the ancient tradition of lineups for performances in the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Various folk music instruments are used in nanyin, including ''pipa'', ''dongxiao'', ''erxian'', ''sanxian'', ''pin''(''qudi''), ''nan'ai'', ''paiban'', ''xiangzhan'', ''sibao'', ''goujiao'', ''muyu'' and ''shuangling''.Gaojia Opera
Gaojia Opera (; or Gejia Opera, Daban) is a traditional folk art in Minnan in southern Fujian province. It is also popular in Taiwan and the Chinese expatriate communities living in Southeast Asia. It grew out of ''Songjiang zhen'', a folk cultural performance that emerged in the late Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and early Qing dynasty (1644–1911), developed into Hexing drama, an art form that combined literature and martial arts in the middle Qing dynasty, then absorbed the elements of various opera styles and turned in to Gaojia Opera in late Qing dynasty. It can be classified into three categories: court drama (''daqi'' drama), shengdan opera (also xiufang opera) and choudan (comic role) opera, according to the repertoire. Its ''qupai'' (the names of the tunes) belongs to ''nanyin'', an ancient music style from East China's Fujian province. Performers sing in their native voice with a strong and high vocal tone. The role of the puppet clown, which is rare in other operas, requires good dancing skills and is very funny and interesting.Gezai opera
Taiwanese opera, Gezai Opera () is the only traditional Chinese opera that became established in Minnan, in southern Fujian province, and arose from Taiwan. It is based on Minnan ''gezai'' (ballads) and absorbs elements from Liyuan Opera, Beiguan Opera, Gaojia Opera, Peking Opera and Minju Opera. The art form emerged in Taiwan at the beginning of last century, then spread to Minnan and then to Southeast Asia through Chinese people and foreign citizens of Chinese origin. Gezai Opera uses a free metrical pattern, various tunes but few lyrics. There are more than 100 traditional tunes. ''Zasui'' tunes and seven-character tunes are the two main arias in Gezai Opera. Performers in all roles sing in their real voices. Among them, ''kudan'' (woman's role) is the most distinctive style of singing. Shao Jianghai and other folk artists in Minnan created the ''zasui'' tune and promoted this traditional art.Dazuigu
Dazuigu () is a folk comic talk and singing art popular performed in the Minnan dialect in southern Fujian province, similar to cross-talk in North China. It adopts strictly rhyming dialogue with strong linguistic rhythms, and is popular in Minnan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. With the help of the Minnan dialect's unique rhyme structure, the art boasts a unique rhythmic style. It uses vivid and humorous slang and proverbs in the dialect, focuses on storyline and characters, and is full of jokes.Chest-clapping dance
The chest-clapping dance () is a traditional folk dance in South Fujian which has been handed down since the Song dynasty. Shirtless and barefoot men squat and successively beat their chests, flanks, legs and palms with hands, shaking their heads happily. The rhythm and range of steps vary with the change of dancing environment and emotion. With a strong emotion, they will stamp feet repeatedly, clap chest, rib, and the whole body very red with hands; while in a comfortable mood, they will lift chests, turn over palms and twist waists as well as hips, soft and happy, which creates a kind of lively and humorous atmosphere. The dance emphasizes the rhythm of clapping the body. On the one hand, it reflects the characteristics of the dance itself. On the other hand, it is used to coordinate group movements and create a dancing atmosphere, well preserving the rugged and simple dance style of ancient local residents. In 2006, the chest-clapping dance was included in the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List under the approval of the State Council.Art
Xiamen Wushipu oil painting village has been named as "the second of the world oil painting industry base" and the second batch of national cultural (art) industry base" by the China artist association and the culture property department of Culture Ministry. Xiamen has strong industry advantage in hand-done oil painting, which has two main manufacturing bases here, Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village and Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village. 80% market shares in European and American market is taken up by products exported from Xiamen. As the main manufacturing base of hand painted oil painting in China, Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village has more than 5,000 artists. It has the ability to produce all kinds of oil paintings with different specifications and styles. With the support of Xiamen Municipal Government, it has formed a powerful industrial chain, provided related accessories such as frames, brushes and paint colors and formed stable target customers composed by hotels, villas, high-class departments, galleries and so on. As another mail manufacturing base of oil painting, Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village has more than 3,000 painters. The scale of Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village has developed rapidly in recent years, which is from originally 28 enterprises to more than 250 enterprises at the moment. The combination of manufacturing, sales and distribution makes it become industrial base of commercial oil painting.Lacquer thread sculpture
Lacquer thread sculpture () is a traditional artware in East China which uses well-tempered lacquer threads to build decorative patterns. The main material of lacquer thread sculpture is the mixture of lacquer, the special brick powder and boiled tung oil. After beating the mixture and twisting it into a string, the craftsmen coil, entangle, pile, carve and engrave on the sculpture which is then coated with primer. The technique's development depended on flourishing folk religions and the Buddhist sculpture tradition. As a legacy of the color sculpture of the Tang dynasty (618–907), it was inspired by the thread sculpture technology of the Song and Yuan dynasties (960–1368), especially the process of leaching powder and clay thread sculpture. The lacquer thread sculpture technique was formed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (1368–1911). It has four major steps: sculpture, foundation coating, lacquer thread decoration and gilding the surface. It focuses on the aesthetic characteristics of the lacquer thread itself, and demonstrates the evolution of the use of line in Chinese arts and crafts.Bead embroidery
The bead embroidery () in Xiamen has small pearls, glass beads and jewels embroidered on the cloth, creating the shining glory, colorful decorations, clear layout and a strong sense of art with stereoscopic impression. The craftsmanship has a history of nearly 100 years. In the 1970s and 1980s, the art reached its peak in popularity and many kinds of bead embroidery products were exported to over 50 countries and regions in Asia, Europe and America. In 2007, the art was included in the Fujian Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List.Religion
Nanputuo Temple
Like most of the temples in PRC, South Putuo Temple, Nanputuo Temple () has endured its share of violence and destruction during the disastrous cultural revolution. The temple's original construction was built more than a millennium ago, then it was destroyed and later rebuilt during the Tang dynasty, the temple was rebuilt and expanded by general Shi Lang during early Qing dynasty. The temple was named after the Buddhist sacred site Mount Putuo of Zhejiang Province, which is considered the abode of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The first elected abbot of the temple, Master Hui Quan set up :zh:闽南佛学院, Minnan Buddhist College in 1925. During cultural revolution, the temple was severely damaged and converted into a factory. After the cultural revolution, the status of the temple was finally reinstated and renovated in the 1980s. The temple consists of four separate halls of worship, monks quarters and some of the finest maintained grounds and landscapes you're likely to find in any Chinese temple. Stone carvings, lotus filled ponds and secluded caves are scattered around the grounds. If you're after a bit of good luck, try tossing a coin on the rock behind the main temple, which is said to bring good luck your way. Behind the smoky courtyards, libraries, monk's digs, temples and statues of laughing Buddha Milefo is Wulao Feng, "the peak of five old men," which overlooks the South China Sea, offering a scenic view of Xiamen University campus and the sprawling urban metropolis of Xiamen. Take a bus or cab to the temple which sits very close to Xiamen University on Siming Nanlu. The temple and the university gates are within 100 meters of each other.Brahma Temple
Brahma Temple () is located at the southern foot of Dalun Mountain (), which was established in the first year of Kaihuang of the Sui dynasty (581). Its primitive name is Xingjiao Temple, which is one of the earliest Buddhist temples in Fujian Province. Both of Miaoshi Temple in Xiamen Island and Sunlight Rock Temple in Gulangyu Island are the branch temples. Even though Brahma Temple has experienced many vicissitudes of life, it cultivated many eminent monks, attracted refined scholars, gathered unceasing burning incense and enjoyed a widespread reputation. The distinguished Master Hong Yi, Master Hong Choon and the Master Yin Shun who is the charismatic figure of Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan has once stayed in the temple. There is a Brahman pagoda of the Song dynasty in the temple, which has been included in the first group of cultural relics in Fujian province.Belief in Life Protection Emperor
Life Protection Emperor (), commonly referred to as "Baosheng Dadi" () or "Dadaogong" (), "Wuzhenren" () or "Huajiaogong" (), is the Medicinal Deity popularly worshiped by people across Southern Fujian and the Chaozhou-Jieyang-Shantou region (Teochew speaking region in Guangdong province). There are temples dedicated to the deity across the Southern China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Among them, the Qingjiao Tzu Chi Temple and Baijiao Tzu Chi Temple are recognized as the ancestral temples of Life Protection Emperor. Wu Tao or Wu Ben () was born in the village of Bailiao near Xiamen in Fujian Province, during the Song dynasty in the year 979. He was a skilled doctor and Taoist practitioner who was credited with performing medical miracles, including applying eye drops to a dragon's eye and removing a foreign object from a tiger's throat. After his death in 1036, he began to be worshiped as a Shen (Chinese religion), deity. His deified status was officially recognized by the Hongxi Emperor of the Ming dynasty who conferred on him the title of “Imperial Inspector at Heavenly Gate, Miracle Doctor of Compassion Relief, Xian (Taoism), Great Taoist Immortal, and the Long-lived, Unbounded, Life Protection Emperor“.Belief in Lord Chi
Lord Chi (), or Chi Ran, is an imperial official of Nanjing origin. He is very upright in disciplining himself and fulfilling his official responsibilities. It is said that in the era of Emperor Wanli of the Ming dynasty, Chi was appointed by the imperial court to be magistrate of Zhangzhou, Fujian province. He met two envoys when he passed Small Yingling Mountain, which is in present Xiang'an district. After having a good conversation with them, he knew that they were under the celestial imperial order from the Jade Emperor (the Supreme Lord of Heaven) and were instructed to spread plague among the population in Zhangzhou. Chi tried to get the poison from them and swallowed the poison immediately to prevent the plague. When he arrived at Maxiang, he was badly poisoned and his face turned black, then he died under a big banyan tree. Jade Emperor was touched by Chi's bravery and selfless sacrifice, and his love for the people as his children, so Chi was deified and titled "the Celestial Imperial Inspector representing the Heaven" (), and was promoted as Wang Ye worship, Wang Ye or Sacred Duke. AfterBelief in Fude Zhengshen
Belief in Fude Zhengshen () is the belief in the God of Earth. In Chinese folk religion, the Earth Deity is also regarded as God of Wealth and Prosperity, because people believe that "land can bestowed wealth" (). Every year, the second day of the second month and the fifteenth day of eighth month on the Chinese calendar, Chinese lunar calendar are regarded the birthday of the Earth Deity. Every 16th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar is the sacrifice day of the "year-end dinner". Folk activities include the ceremony to light the first incense to invite the ruler of heaven, holding the sacrifice ceremony, sending stoves, and offering incenses to Buddha. Among these activities, meeting the deities, dancing performances, and opera performed to show gratitude for gods are all cultural events.Media
Xiamen is served by Xiamen Media Group, which broadcasts news and entertainment such as movies and television series by AM/FM radio, close circuit television, and satellite television. Media in Xiamen were temporarily blocked by the Government in June 2007 when about 10,000 people participated in protests against the building of a P-Xylene, paraxylene factory by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Co. Ltd., which is owned by Taiwanese businessman Chen Yu-hao. The incident, however, was solved smoothly later that year.Colleges and universities
Public universities
The first two universities below were founded by Tan Kah Kee. * Xiamen University () (founded 1921, Project 985, Project 211, powered by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China): The school has cooperated with over 300 overseas universities and made substantive exchanges with 47 foreign universities that rank among the top 200 in the world. The university vigorously promotes the campaign of teaching Chinese as a foreign language worldwide by co-establishing 15 Confucius Institutes with universities in North America, Europe, and Africa. * Jimei University ()(powered by the Fujian Provincial Department of Education): The university enrolls students from all over the country as well as from overseas; about 600 overseas students are now studying at Jimei.Private universities
Public higher vocational schools
Private higher vocational schools
Continuing education
Non-degree higher learning institutions
Source * Xiamen Far East Training Institute ()Military
Xiamen functions as the headquarters of the 73rd Army (People's Republic of China), 73rd Group Army of the People's Liberation Army, one of the three group armies under then Nanjing Military Region, now the Eastern Theater Command which is responsible for the defense of the East China, eastern China, including any military action in the Taiwan Strait.Notable people
* Lai Changxing, Lua Chiong Seng, businessman * Raymond Lam, a TVB actor and singer who was born in Xiamen * Rosina Lam, an actress who was born in Xiamen * Yin Chengzong, Un Seng Chong, or Yin Chengzong, a Chinese pianist and composer born in Xiamen * Henry Sy Sr., businessman, founder of SM Group and chairman of SM Prime Holdings * Tan Kah Kee, businessman, community leader, and philanthropist in colonial Singapore, and a Communist leader in the People's Republic of China. * Lin Qiaozhi, a Chinese obstetrician and gynecologist born in Gulangyu, Xiamen * Walter Houser Brattain, American inventor of the transistor; co-recipient of 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics. * Han Kuo-Huang, an ethnomusicologist and musician born in Xiamen * Lin Yutang, a renowned Hoklo people, Hokkien :Republic of China writers, Republic of China writer, translator, linguist, philosopher and inventor * Lu Jiaxi (chemist), Lu Jiaxi, or Chia-Si Lu, a physical chemist born in Xiamen * Robert Lim, or Lin Kesheng, Lim-Kho-seng, a physiologist who taught at Xiamen University * Chen Duling, an actressInternational relations
Consulates
Singapore, Philippines and Thailand maintain consulates in Xiamen.Sister cities
SourceFriendly exchange cities
SourceSister ports
SourceFriendly cooperation ports
SourceExplanatory notes
References
Citations
General and cited sources
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*External links