Xiamen (Xiamen, And mine; whale. trad. 廈門市, ex.厦门市, pinyin:

Xiàmen shì

listen)) is a sub-provincial city in Fujian Province (PRC), the largest port of the province on the coast of the Taiwan Strait. Located on the islands and adjacent mainland coast between Quanzhou (to the north) and Zhangzhou (to the south).

The name Tong'an (同安) was first mentioned in 282. Under the name Amoy (茶) it was first mentioned in the chronicles of the Song Dynasty (1126-1279) and in the notes of Marco Polo. During the Yuan Dynasty, Xiamen's beautiful harbor served as a haven for local pirates.

The first English trading ship appeared on the shores of the island in 1670, and after some time the British managed to develop vigorous commercial activity here: the British East India Company opened factories and created a large trading post. But in 1730, the Beijing government, dissatisfied with the onslaught and willfulness of the British, issued a decree according to which all ships, except Spanish ones, were prohibited from trading in this port.

Trade with Europe resumed immediately after the First Opium War, which was unsuccessful for the Middle Empire. The city was captured by a British squadron under the command of Sir Hugh Gough and Admiral Parker on August 27, 1841. In 1843 the port was opened to trade of all nations. Foreigners began to settle on the islands in the bay (see Gulangyu), and an extraterritorial settlement was created on Kolongsu Island - Amoi settlement. The first settlers to arrive in Amoy were Protestant missionaries. Clergymen from the American Reformed Church, the Dutch Reformed Church, the American Episcopal Church, the London Missionary Society, the American Presbyterian Church and the English Presbyterian Church began arriving on the island in 1842. They occupied a special place in the process of formation of the settlement. Through their efforts, the Tek-chin-ka and Hope and Wilhelmina hospital chains were founded, and schools for Chinese children were created. In addition to the Tung Wen Institute and the Anglo-Chinese College, sponsored by both Chinese and foreign merchants, the universities of the three largest Protestant missions and the United High School are located on Kolongsu Island. In 1863, an English chapel was erected, where services were held in English every Saturday. It was the largest English missionary church with a capacity of nearly 1,000 people. In addition to Protestant missions, there was a Roman Catholic mission on the island, under the tutelage of the Spanish Church. By 1908 there were already about 100 missionary communities in Amoy.

Initially, all commercial enterprises were built not on Kolongsu Island, but on the shore from the city. Nevertheless, many businessmen preferred to locate their private residences on the island due to its natural protection from typhoons. Also in its southern part, on a rock, a British consulate building was erected. On the pier there are consulates of Germany, the USA, France and Japan, several post offices, two large clubs with a library and reading rooms, two hotels and a pharmacy. Kolongsu was also home to the largest sports base, with fields for tennis, cricket, hockey, etc. The eastern edge of the island was completed by a Signal Station, which notified the arrival of ships at the port and the approach of typhoons or storms. The majority of the population of Kolongsu Island was Chinese: there were three Chinese villages with a population of 4,000 people around the settlement.

Throughout the 19th century, Xiamen port remained the most important port for the tea trade. As a result, the local dialect became the source of many words that penetrated into European languages ​​(for example, “ketchup”). In addition, Xiamen served as a springboard for the settlement and colonization of Taiwan, where large tea plantations were planted by Xiamen tea traders.

Administrative division

The sub-provincial city of Xiamen is divided into six districts (qiu/khu 区):

	Districts				Population	Square
	Putonghua	Hieroglyphs	South Min name		in 2007	km²
	Xiamen proper(island of the same name)
	■ Huli District	湖里区	O-li Khu	Oli	676,400	63.41
	■Siming District	思明区	Su-beng Khu	Subing	736,400	73.14
	Suburbs(on the mainland)
	■ Haicang District	海沧区	Hai-chhng Khu	Khaitskhyn	143,000	155
	■Jimei District	集美区	Chip-bi Khu	Chipbee	340,000	276
	■ Tong'an District	同安区	Tang-uann Khu	Tangwan	548,200	658
	■ Xiang'an District	翔安区	Siong-an Khu	Xiong'an	260,000	352

Siming and Huli districts are united into a special economic zone.

Geography

The historical city center is located in the southwestern part of Xiamen Island, south of Yundan Lake (whale.)Russian, which in the past was a wide estuary of the Yundan Rivers. Xiamen Island is connected to the mainland by 4 bridges: in the west of Haicang the Haicang-Huli districts, three (Xiamen, Xiling, Jimei transoceanic bridge) in the north connect the districts of Jimei and Huli; and one tunnel (Xiang'an in the northeast between Xiang'an and Huli districts). On Gulangyu Island (English)Russian to the southwest of Xiamen Island there were foreign consulates, houses of foreign merchants, etc.; now it is a historical museum-reserve. The narrow strait between the islands of Xiamen and Gulangyu was called the Xiamen harbor itself. All of these areas are now included in the Siming District.

These days, most of Xiamen Island is urbanized, with beaches along the southern shore of the island and port facilities along the western shore (facing Xiamen Harbor in the modern, broad sense). The main campus of Xiamen University is also located on the southern shore of the island.

The four mainland districts of Xiamen are also being urbanized at a rapid pace. Located on the western shore of Xiamen Harbor, Haicang is an industrial and port area. In the Jimei district there is Jimei University and “Turtle Park” - a memorial complex in honor of the famous huaqiao, people's educator Chen Jiageng (English)Russian where he himself is buried (whale.)Russian in a traditional turtle grave (English)Russian.

Qingjiao Ciji Gong 20120225-02.jpg

Qingjiao Qiji Temple, Haicang

Jimei - Kah Kee Park - DSCF9270.JPG

Turtle Park, Jimei

Bingzhou Peninsula area - land reclamation - DSCF9205.JPG

Filling a construction site, Bingzhou Island, Tong'an

Xiamen - Xindian - DSCF9181.JPG

Xindian village, center of Xiang'an district

Twin Cities

Xiamen is a sister city to the following cities:

• Cardiff, UK - c
• Sasebo, Japan - c
• Cebu, Philippines - with
• Baltimore, USA - c
• Wellington, New Zealand - with
• Penang, Malaysia - with
• Sunshine Coast, Australia - c
• Guadalajara, Mexico - with
• Zoetermeer, Netherlands - with
• Kuching, Malaysia - with
• Surabaya, Indonesia - with
• Mokpo, South Korea - c
• Richmond, Canada - c
• Marathon, Greece - c
• Dushanbe, Tajikistan - with

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Notes

Links

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Administrative divisions of Fujian Province Sub-provincial cities: Xiamen Urban districts: Fuzhou | Longyan | Nanping | Ningde | Putian | Quanzhou | Sanming | Zhangzhou

Administrative regions of Fujian

Excerpt describing Xiamen

The next day, Prince Andrei went on visits to some houses where he had not yet been, including the Rostovs, with whom he renewed his acquaintance at the last ball. In addition to the laws of courtesy, according to which he needed to be with the Rostovs, Prince Andrei wanted to see at home this special, lively girl, who left him with a pleasant memory.
Natasha was one of the first to meet him. She was wearing a blue home dress, in which she seemed even better to Prince Andrei than in the ball gown. She and the entire Rostov family received Prince Andrei as an old friend, simply and cordially. The entire family, which Prince Andrei had previously judged strictly, now seemed to him to be made up of wonderful, simple and kind people. The hospitality and good nature of the old count, which was especially striking in St. Petersburg, was such that Prince Andrei could not refuse dinner. “Yes, these are kind, nice people,” thought Bolkonsky, who, of course, don’t understand one bit the treasure they have in Natasha; but good people who make up the best background for this especially poetic, full of life, lovely girl to stand out against!”
Prince Andrei felt in Natasha the presence of a completely alien to him, special world, filled with some unknown joys, that alien world that even then, in the Otradnensky alley and on the window, on a moonlit night, teased him so much. Now this world no longer teased him, it was no longer an alien world; but he himself, having entered it, found in it a new pleasure for himself.
After dinner, Natasha, at the request of Prince Andrei, went to the clavichord and began to sing. Prince Andrei stood at the window, talking with the ladies, and listened to her. In the middle of the sentence, Prince Andrei fell silent and suddenly felt tears coming to his throat, the possibility of which he did not know was within himself. He looked at Natasha singing, and something new and happy happened in his soul. He was happy and at the same time he was sad. He had absolutely nothing to cry about, but he was ready to cry. About what? About former love? About the little princess? About your disappointments?... About your hopes for the future?... Yes and no. The main thing that he wanted to cry about was the terrible opposition he suddenly vividly realized between something infinitely great and indefinable that was in him, and something narrow and corporeal that he himself was and even she was. This opposite tormented and delighted him while she sang.
As soon as Natasha finished singing, she came up to him and asked him how he liked her voice? She asked this and became embarrassed after she said it, realizing that she should not have asked this. He smiled looking at her and said that he liked her singing as much as anything she did.
Prince Andrei left the Rostovs late in the evening. He went to bed out of habit, but soon saw that he could not sleep. He lit a candle and sat in bed, then got up, then lay down again, not at all burdened by insomnia: his soul was so joyful and new, as if he had stepped out of a stuffy room into the free light of God. It never occurred to him that he was in love with Rostova; he didn't think about her; he only imagined her, and as a result his whole life seemed to him in a new light. “What am I fighting for, why am I fussing in this narrow, closed frame, when life, all life with all its joys, is open to me?” he said to himself. And for the first time after a long time, he began to make happy plans for the future. He decided on his own that he needed to start raising his son, finding him a teacher and entrusting him with it; then you have to retire and go abroad, see England, Switzerland, Italy. “I need to use my freedom while I feel so much strength and youth in myself,” he said to himself. Pierre was right when he said that you have to believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and now I believe in him. Let’s leave the dead to bury the dead, but while you’re alive, you must live and be happy,” he thought.

One morning, Colonel Adolf Berg, whom Pierre knew, as he knew everyone in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in a spick-and-span uniform, with his temples smeared in front, as Emperor Alexander Pavlovich wore, came to see him.
“I was just now with the Countess, your wife, and was so unhappy that my request could not be fulfilled; I hope that with you, Count, I will be happier,” he said, smiling.
-What do you want, Colonel? I am at your service.
“Now, Count, I’m completely settled in my new apartment,” Berg said, obviously knowing that it could not but be pleasant to hear this; - and therefore I wanted to do this, a small evening for my friends and my wife. (He smiled even more pleasantly.) I wanted to ask the Countess and you to do me the honor of inviting us for a cup of tea and... dinner.
“Only Countess Elena Vasilievna, considering the company of some Bergs humiliating for herself, could have the cruelty to refuse such an invitation. - Berg explained so clearly why he wants to gather a small and good society, and why it will be pleasant for him, and why he spares money for cards and for something bad, but for a good society he is ready to incur expenses that Pierre could not refuse and promised to be.
- But it’s not too late, Count, if I dare to ask, then at 10 minutes to eight, I dare to ask. We will form a party, our general will be. He is very kind to me. Let's have dinner, Count. So do me a favor.
Contrary to his habit of being late, Pierre that day, instead of eight minutes to ten minutes, arrived at the Bergs at eight hours to a quarter.
The Bergs, having stocked up what they needed for the evening, were already ready to receive guests.
In a new, clean, bright office, decorated with busts and pictures and new furniture, Berg sat with his wife. Berg, in a brand new, buttoned uniform, sat next to his wife, explaining to her that it is always possible and should have acquaintances with people who are higher than oneself, because only then can there be a pleasure from making acquaintances. - “If you take something, you can ask for something. Look how I lived from the first ranks (Berg considered his life not as years, but as the highest awards). My comrades are now nothing yet, and I am in the vacancy of a regimental commander, I have the happiness of being your husband (he stood up and kissed Vera’s hand, but on the way to her he turned back the corner of the rolled-up carpet). And how did I acquire all this? The main thing is the ability to choose your acquaintances. It goes without saying that one must be virtuous and careful.”
Berg smiled with the consciousness of his superiority over a weak woman and fell silent, thinking that after all this sweet wife of his was a weak woman who could not comprehend everything that constitutes the dignity of a man - ein Mann zu sein [to be a man]. Vera at the same time also smiled with the consciousness of her superiority over a virtuous, good husband, but who still erroneously, like all men, according to Vera’s concept, understood life. Berg, judging by his wife, considered all women weak and stupid. Vera, judging by her husband alone and spreading this remark, believed that all men attribute intelligence only to themselves, and at the same time they do not understand anything, are proud and selfish.
Berg stood up and, hugging his wife carefully so as not to wrinkle the lace cape for which he had paid dearly, kissed her in the middle of her lips.
“The only thing is that we don’t have children so soon,” he said, out of an unconscious filiation of ideas.
“Yes,” Vera answered, “I don’t want that at all.” We must live for society.
“This is exactly what Princess Yusupova was wearing,” said Berg, with a happy and kind smile, pointing to the cape.
At this time, the arrival of Count Bezukhy was reported. Both spouses looked at each other with a smug smile, each taking credit for the honor of this visit.
“This is what it means to be able to make acquaintances,” thought Berg, this is what it means to be able to hold oneself!
“Just please, when I am entertaining guests,” said Vera, “don’t interrupt me, because I know what to do with everyone, and in what society what should be said.”
Berg smiled too.
“You can’t: sometimes you have to have a man’s conversation with men,” he said.
Pierre was received in a brand new living room, in which it was impossible to sit anywhere without violating the symmetry, cleanliness and order, and therefore it was quite understandable and not strange that Berg generously offered to destroy the symmetry of an armchair or sofa for a dear guest, and apparently being in In this regard, in painful indecision, he proposed a solution to this issue to the choice of the guest. Pierre upset the symmetry by pulling up a chair for himself, and immediately Berg and Vera began the evening, interrupting each other and keeping the guest busy.
Vera, having decided in her mind that Pierre should be occupied with a conversation about the French embassy, ​​immediately began this conversation. Berg, deciding that a man's conversation was also necessary, interrupted his wife's speech, touching on the question of the war with Austria and involuntarily jumped from the general conversation into personal considerations about the proposals that were made to him to participate in the Austrian campaign, and about the reasons why he didn't accept them. Despite the fact that the conversation was very awkward, and that Vera was angry for the interference of the male element, both spouses felt with pleasure that, despite the fact that there was only one guest, the evening had started very well, and that the evening was like two drops of water is like any other evening with conversations, tea and lit candles.
Soon Boris, Berg's old friend, arrived. He treated Berg and Vera with a certain shade of superiority and patronage. The lady and the colonel came for Boris, then the general himself, then the Rostovs, and the evening was absolutely, undoubtedly, like all evenings. Berg and Vera could not hold back a joyful smile at the sight of this movement around the living room, at the sound of this incoherent talking, the rustling of dresses and bows. Everything was like everyone else, the general was especially similar, praising the apartment, patting Berg on the shoulder, and with paternal arbitrariness he ordered the setting up of the Boston table. The general sat down next to Count Ilya Andreich, as if he were the most distinguished of the guests after himself. Old people with old people, young people with young people, the hostess at the tea table, on which there were exactly the same cookies in a silver basket that the Panins had at the evening, everything was exactly the same as the others.

Pierre, as one of the most honored guests, was to sit in Boston with Ilya Andreich, the general and colonel. Pierre had to sit opposite Natasha at the Boston table, and the strange change that had occurred in her since the day of the ball amazed him. Natasha was silent, and not only was she not as good-looking as she was at the ball, but she would have been bad if she had not looked so meek and indifferent to everything.
"What with her?" thought Pierre, looking at her. She sat next to her sister at the tea table and reluctantly, without looking at him, answered something to Boris, who sat down next to her. Having walked away the whole suit and taken five bribes to the satisfaction of his partner, Pierre, who heard the chatter of greetings and the sound of someone’s steps entering the room while collecting bribes, looked at her again.
“What happened to her?” he said to himself even more surprised.
Prince Andrei stood in front of her with a thrifty, tender expression and told her something. She, raising her head, flushed and apparently trying to control her gusty breathing, looked at him. And the bright light of some inner, previously extinguished fire burned in her again. She was completely transformed. From being bad she again became the same as she was at the ball.
Prince Andrey approached Pierre and Pierre noticed a new, youthful expression on his friend’s face.
Pierre changed seats several times during the game, now with his back, now facing Natasha, and throughout the entire 6 Roberts made observations of her and his friend.
“Something very important is happening between them,” thought Pierre, and the joyful and at the same time bitter feeling made him worry and forget about the game.
After 6 Roberts, the general stood up, saying that it was impossible to play like that, and Pierre received his freedom. Natasha was talking to Sonya and Boris on one side, Vera was talking about something with a subtle smile to Prince Andrei. Pierre went up to his friend and, asking if what was being said was a secret, sat down next to them. Vera, noticing Prince Andrei's attention to Natasha, found that at an evening, at a real evening, it was necessary that there be subtle hints of feelings, and seizing the time when Prince Andrei was alone, she began a conversation with him about feelings in general and about her sister . With such an intelligent guest (as she considered Prince Andrei) she needed to apply her diplomatic skills to the matter.

This picturesque port city is located on the southeastern coast of the country, opposite Taiwan, in Fujian Province. The name translates as “Gate of China”. In fact, the city consists of two islands. The islands of Xiamen and Gulangyu are connected by regular ferry services. This unusually beautiful city with its clean air, which is unusual for China, attracts herons, which is why Xiamen is popularly called the “city of birds.”

Travelers will enjoy the mild subtropical monsoon climate. And there is a lot to see in Xiamen.

The city is connected to other regions of China by road and rail. You can arrive here from abroad either by sea or by air. The closest airport to the city, built in 1983, is Gaoqi International Airport. The distance from the airport to the center of Xiamen is about 10 km. More than 10 million people use these air gates every year. Direct flights connect Xiamen with cities in Japan, North and South America, and Southeast Asia. Direct flights are also available to 58 mainland cities. Xiamen is replete with tourist attractions and natural beauty. The city has 17 municipal and private museums, many natural parks and temples. The local cuisine is also unique.

Attractions in Xiamen

Xiamen City Museum

A museum dedicated to exploring and showcasing the heritage of Fujian and Taiwan. Visitors will get acquainted with the history of the region, the stages of historical development and see the rich cultural heritage of the region. In the halls you can see a historical exhibition dedicated to Zheng Chenggong, the famous Chinese pirate who led the people's resistance to the Manchu conquerors and liberated Taiwan from Dutch encroachment. The persona Chenggong is revered in China. The glory of the liberator from foreign invaders allowed him to become a national hero of China.

The museum fund contains about 20 thousand exhibits, 4 thousand of which are considered rare cultural relics. The visitor will be able to enjoy ancient stone sculptures, antique ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, jade crafts, handicrafts, bronze and porcelain items.

Piano Museum on Gulangyu Island

Located on a small island connected by ferry to Xiamen Island, the piano museum will amaze literally all visitors with its collection. About a hundred samples of grand pianos and upright pianos from famous brands from the UK, France, USA, Austria and Australia are collected in one place. All instruments were collected and donated to the museum by a native of the island, now living in Australia. The museum was opened in 2000 and is located in a two-story building. Visitors will see rare examples of pianos from various historical periods. While visiting the museum you will be able to listen to performances by musicians. Beautiful melodies performed on ancient instruments fill the halls with magic and give an unforgettable experience.

Xiamen Bridge Museum

The Bridge Museum is located on the eastern edge of the Haicang Bridge and is designed to showcase the achievements of Chinese and global bridge construction. All aspects related to science, technology and industry history are presented here. The museum, which is the first of its kind in China, attracts both tourists and bridge engineers from around the world. The museum demonstrates in detail the development of bridges in Fujian. Bridges are indispensable for the development of the region and are designed to expand trade and tourism opportunities. So the Quanzhou Bridge was built more than a thousand years ago using massive granite slabs, some of which reach ten meters in length. This is an unsurpassed example of ancient bioengineering, because the waste products of living oysters were used as a solution. The city has several bridges connecting the island to the mainland, among which we cannot fail to mention the Jimei, Xiamen and Xiling bridges. In addition to the bridges, the Xiang'an Tunnel also deserves special interest. About a third of the exhibition is devoted to the construction technology of the Haitsang Bridge itself.

Xiamen Olympic Museum

One of the twelve museums of the International Olympic Museum Network, located in the city of Xiamen. The museum displays a large collection of Olympic memorabilia, designed to popularize the culture of the Olympic Games, strengthen the spirit of sportsmanship and educate people about Olympic history and glory. The museum building follows the design concept of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. There is also an area for multimedia presentations, a conference hall, and a unique souvenir shop. In the museum's lobby, guests are greeted by magnificent jasper from the Yangtze River. On the second floor there are four halls with 4 thousand unique exhibits, including Olympic torches, medals, badges, talismans, and commemorative coins. This is where you can feel the healthy Olympic spirit and the very philosophy of the games, contained in the slogan “faster, higher, stronger.”

Xiamen Science and Technology Museum

An amazing modern museum located in the center of culture and art of the city. He started his work in March 2007. This is the first national science museum built on the island. The exhibition “Harmony of Man, Science and Technology” is logically divided into five thematic sections: “Cradle of the Ocean”, “Exploration and Study”, “The Origin of Civilizations”, “Harmonious Development” and “The Future of Children”.

Nanputuo Buddhist Temple

The incredibly beautiful architectural ensemble of the temple, consisting of several buildings, is located in the coastal zone of Xiamen Island, not far from the university. The foundation of the temple dates back to the Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Kaiyuan. The temple area covers an area of ​​25.8 hectares, the area occupied by buildings is 21 square meters. The temple occupies the southern part of the territory; the buildings are oriented with their facades towards the sea. The territory consists of an outer park with terraces, pagodas and ponds, and an inner park with temple buildings and monastic cells. The largest library of Buddhist literature is also located on the territory of the complex. Under the competent leadership of the abbots, Nanputuo's buildings were renovated many times, and its internal area was enlarged. The temple hosts many events for Buddhists from all over the world.

Cheap tickets to Xiamen, China

From where to where	Where	Where	departure date	Find a ticket
Ningbo → Xiamen	Ningbo	Xiamen
Nanjing → Xiamen	Nanking	Xiamen
Guangzhou → Xiamen	Guangzhou	Xiamen
Shanghai → Xiamen	Shanghai	Xiamen
Manila → Xiamen	Manila	Xiamen
Kunming → Xiamen	Kunming	Xiamen
Changsha → Xiamen	Changsha	Xiamen
Jinan → Xiamen	Jinan	Xiamen
Beijing → Xiamen	Beijing	Xiamen
Hangzhou → Xiamen	Hangzhou	Xiamen
Tianjin → Xiamen	Tianjin	Xiamen
Zhoushan → Xiamen	Zhoushan	Xiamen
Taipei → Xiamen	Taipei	Xiamen
Haikou → Xiamen	Haikou	Xiamen
Sanya → Xiamen	Sanya	Xiamen
Chengdu → Xiamen	Chengdu	Xiamen
Kuala Lumpur → Xiamen	Kuala Lumpur	Xiamen
Kaohsiung → Xiamen	Kaohsiung	Xiamen
Kota Kinabalu → Xiamen	Kota Kinabalu	Xiamen
Guiyang → Xiamen	Guiyang	Xiamen
Xi'an → Xiamen	Xi'an	Xiamen
Linyi → Xiamen	Linyi	Xiamen
Kuching → Xiamen	Kuching	Xiamen
Heihe → Xiamen	Heihe	Xiamen
Miri → Xiamen	Miri	Xiamen
Singapore → Xiamen	Singapore	Xiamen
Jakarta → Xiamen	Jakarta	Xiamen
Moscow → Xiamen	Moscow	Xiamen
Tokyo → Xiamen	Tokyo	Xiamen
Saint Petersburg → Xiamen	Saint Petersburg	Xiamen
Vladivostok → Xiamen	Vladivostok	Xiamen
Urumqi → Xiamen	Urumqi	Xiamen
Irkutsk → Xiamen	Irkutsk	Xiamen
Melbourne → Xiamen	Melbourne	Xiamen
Minsk → Xiamen	Minsk	Xiamen
Denpasar Bali → Xiamen	Denpasar Bali	Xiamen
Novosibirsk → Xiamen	Novosibirsk	Xiamen
Almaty → Xiamen	Almaty	Xiamen
Samara → Xiamen	Samara	Xiamen
Warsaw → Xiamen	Warsaw	Xiamen
Rome → Xiamen	Rome	Xiamen
Tbilisi → Xiamen	Tbilisi	Xiamen
Dhaka → Xiamen	Dhaka	Xiamen
Krasnoyarsk → Xiamen	Krasnoyarsk	Xiamen
Perm → Xiamen	Permian	Xiamen
Vancouver → Xiamen	Vancouver	Xiamen
Khabarovsk → Xiamen	Khabarovsk	Xiamen

The most curious point on the world map: a port city, an island city, a nature reserve and the most beautiful place on the entire coast of China - Xiamen. It is interesting to absolutely everyone, including both modern and colonial architecture.

For several centuries it has been one of the country's important ports, and in the 80s of the last century, Xiamen became the first economic zone. Since then, the city has been developing rapidly. And today you cannot find a better holiday in China at sea.

Location

This amazing seaside city is located in Fujian province. It is geographically divided into several parts: mainland Haicang and Jimei and island Gulangyu, connected to the mainland by a dam. It is crossed by a walking trail, a highway and a railway.

Story

The first mention of the city of Xiamen in China is found in manuscripts dating back to 1387. The city began as a sea fortress. And in the 18th century, Xiamen was already trading briskly with the cities of Southeast Asia. In 1727, the district capital of Quanzhou was moved here to control the ever-expanding companies and operations.

In 1842 (according to the Treaty of Nanking), the city was opened to trade with European powers. International companies knew it as Amoy (due to the peculiarities of the local dialect).

By the end of the 19th century, Xiamen became the main port for coolie workers emigrating from the country to America. Since the beginning of the last century, the development of the city practically stopped, until it, like the whole country, was swept by the economic revolution of the era

By the end of the 20th century, Xiamen received the status of a special economic zone and quickly became one of the leaders in the modernization and transformation of China.

Description

This city in China is one of the richest and most dynamically developing with a population of almost 4 million people. The southern coast of Xiamen Island has stunningly beautiful beaches and the main campus of the local university, while the western coast has modern port facilities.

Mostly foreigners live on Gulangyu Island. Sometimes the area is called paradise. Perhaps because mopeds, cars, rickshaws and motorcycles are prohibited here.

The Jimei area is famous for Jimei University and Turtle Park. This is a kind of memorial complex dedicated to the famous national hero Chen Jiagen. By the way, he himself is buried in the park and in a traditional turtle grave.

Accommodation

There are many extensions from hotels, for every taste and budget. This part of Xiamen's tourism infrastructure is influenced by both the cosmopolitan student community and the city's business community. That is why there are very modest hotels, hostels and luxury hotels here.

A worthy option for a holiday with children or a honeymoon would be. It is located almost in the center of an area with an active business and entertainment life. The rooms, in addition to free Internet and satellite TV, have huge panoramic windows. They offer stunning views of Yuandan Lake or the city. Both are especially interesting to observe in the evening or at night. The minibar in the apartments is absolutely free of charge. Therefore, tours to China from Moscow, especially to Xiamen, are successful in any way.

The hotel lobby has everything necessary for guests of the country: souvenir shops, a fitness center, a swimming pool, and four restaurants with interesting menus.

The food in the city's hotels is thought out perfectly. In addition to national dishes, which not everyone can eat, there is always a buffet. Although visiting here and not tasting the local fruits would be an unforgivable mistake. Later, at home, you can boast that you not only saw it in person, but also tried herring (snake fruit), pitaya, etc. Well, of course, like in any large city, in Xiamen (Fujian province) there are Italian restaurants and vegetarian cafes.

An alternative option is also possible - rent a room, apartment or house. The price range can be significant. It depends on the remoteness of beaches, attractions, entertainment centers, etc.

Sights of Xiamen

The main one, of course, is the sea. But the centuries-old history of the city offers hundreds more options for interesting places. Let's look at the most interesting places.

Tourist Mecca

One of the especially favorite places among tourists is the national treasure of China - the Nanputuo Temple of the Tang Dynasty. Followers of Buddhism and simply pilgrims most often purchase religious tours to this temple.

Its semicircular golden pavilions with green roofs, the Halls of Great Grace, the Great Hero, the Heavenly Kings and the Precious Hall amaze with their luxury. The tour of the temple begins from two ponds, on both sides of which there are temple gates.

In the main Hall of the Heavenly King, guests are greeted by Maitreya - Buddha, sitting in a cross-legged position. Behind him stands the guardian and main defender of the Buddhist teachings. Behind the doors of this Hall opens a small courtyard with the Bell Tower and the Dragon Tower. After passing through the courtyard, temple guests enter the Hall of the Heroic Treasure. This building has two floors and three Buddhas. The base of the statues is made in the form of a sacred lotus. They are embossed with biographies of Buddha and the famous Chinese traveler - monk Xuan Zang.

The Hall of Great Mercy is a recognized spiritual center. It is made in the form of an octagonal pavilion and hides a statue of Guanyin inside.

The Hall of Great Compassion introduces tourists to the figures of Badhisattvas. At the rear of the temple courtyard there is a pavilion built in 1936. It houses collections of calligraphy, Buddhist manuscripts, ivory sculptures and other Chinese art.

Tourists are also invited to visit the temple library, followed by tomb pagodas and small halls.

Amazing island

Most tourists begin their acquaintance with this city in China from Gulangyu Island. It has many beautiful associations: “Garden by the Sea”, “The Frame of Music”, etc. Gulangyu is almost completely covered with dense forests, in which there are buildings of the 18th century, built in the American or European style.

There are no fuel-powered vehicles in this amazing place. Therefore, on the island you can calmly walk the streets, looking at the houses of the colonists. Here is the best seaside holiday in China: quiet, beautiful sandy beaches with stunningly amazing rock formations. Evening time can be spent walking through unique museums, small parks, restaurants with live music and cafes with local delicacies. To restore balance and peace of mind, judging by reviews on the Internet, you won’t find a more comfortable place in all of China.

Additionally, the island has the highest per capita density of...pianos. This is not the case anywhere else in China!

Patriotic Park

From Moscow they are most often offered to Haoyueyuan Park. This place is very curious. Ideal sandy beaches with numerous summer villas are very conducive to a relaxing holiday. But guests of the country do not really understand why their vacation is “controlled” by the commander Chuzhan Chenggong in the form of a bronze bas-relief. For the Chinese, he is a national hero, the most ardent patriot: he liberated Taiwan from the Dutch. And today it is a kind of flag for the campaign to return Taiwan “home”. In the southeastern corner of the park there is another monument to the commander: standing on a pedestal, Chuzhan Chenggong resolutely looks towards Taiwan.

Museums, parks, lakes and other attractions

A visit to the Piano Museum will be quite interesting. It is located in two beautiful buildings right in the center of Shuzhuanghuayuan Garden. The museum contains more than seventy instruments from around the world. From here, moving along the main street, you can reach the former British Consulate building, built in 1870. Today it houses the Coin Museum.

Xiamen in China is famous for its unique Yuandan Lake. It is famous not only for its picturesque views in the evening (numerous sculptures are illuminated), but also for large flocks of herons.

The Lujiang Dao embankment is no less beautiful. It stretches along the western tip of Xiamen. And although it is not as long as in other large cities, it is very shady and cozy. At its intersection with the Zhongshan Lu shopping district there is a ferry pier.

Local residents prefer to spend family holidays in Bai Lu Zhou Park, and tourists prefer to spend their family holidays in Qingyuan Piano Garden. In addition to the usual shady alleys and quiet paths, the park is interesting with an art gallery and an audio-video room.

From this park you can take a cable car to Sunshine Rock. This is the highest point of Xiamen Island - 93 m above sea level. The panorama opening from this place is amazing. Already in our time, on the eastern side of the peak, the Temple of the Rock of Sunlight was erected with a statue of Guanyin standing in the open air, but it surprisingly fits into the unified ensemble and style of this part of the island city.

The Hulishan fortress, erected, according to historians, at the end of the 19th century, amazes with its foundation. It is made from a mixture of brown sugar, clay, sand, camphor, wood syrup and glutinous rice. The fortress itself is granite. It contains cannons from the Ming Dynasty.

Xiamen University is also a famous attraction. Or rather, the student town of Jimei. Every building here is built in the architectural style of Fujian Province. The most striking holiday of the town, according to tourists, is the Dragon Boat Festival.

The botanical garden in Xiamen (China) is represented by a huge number of interesting subtropical plants.