Product Code Database
Gulangyu, Gulang or Kulangsu is an island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian, southeastern China. A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, the island is one of China's most visited tourist attractions, attracting more than 10 million visitors per year.
Gulangyu covers an area of , with a population of 12,509 . Administratively, the island constitutes the Gulangyu Subdistrict, part of Xiamen's Siming District. It is reachable by ferry from downtown Xiamen.
Gulangyu Island is renowned for its , winding lanes and rich architecture. The island is on China's list of National Scenic Spots and is classified as a AAAAA by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). It ranks at the top of the list of the ten most scenic areas in the province. As a pedestrian zone where cars and bicycles are banned, the only vehicles permitted are small electric buggies and electric government service vehicles.
Soon after Xiamen became a treaty port resulting from China's loss in the First Opium War and the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, foreign residents on the island established an informal organization that became formally organized several decades later when its Land Regulations were approved by the government of China (Qing dynasty) in May 1902.William C. Johnstone, International Relations: The Status of Foreign Concessions and Settlements in the Treaty Ports of China, The American Political Science Review, No. 5, October 1937, p. 943. Eventually 13 countries, including Great Britain, France, The Netherlands and Japan Empire, were to have extraterritorial privileges there and take part in the Kulangsu Municipal Council that administered the settlement. As with the Shanghai International Settlement, the British played a predominant role in the administration and Sikh policemen from British India were charged with the policing of the Settlement under the Kulangsu Municipal Police. The consulates, churches, hospitals, schools, police stations, etc. built by those foreign communities explain the predominantly Victorian-era style architecture that can still be seen throughout Gulangyu. Japanese occupation of the island began in 1942, and lasted until the end of World War II, when it was returned to China. The Hokkien dialect is spoken on the island, as it is in Xiamen.
The Chinese name also has musical roots, as 鼓浪 Kó͘-lōng which means drum waves so-called because of the sound generated by the ocean waves hitting the . 嶼 sū means "islet".
In addition, there is a museum dedicated to Koxinga, Hái-toé Sè-kài (海底世界) Marine World, a subtropical garden containing introduced by overseas Chinese, as well as Xiamen Museum, formerly the Eight Trigrams Tower (八卦楼).
The island of Gulangyu is a pedestrian-only destination, where the only vehicles on the islands are several fire trucks and electric tourist buggies. The narrow streets on the island, together with the architecture of various styles around the world, give the island a unique appearance. The site is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration.
Buildings and sights of the former international settlements includes:
In May 2007, Xiamen Gulangyu Island was officially accredited as the National 5A Tourist Attractions by the National Tourism Administration of China.
On 8 July 2017, Gulangyu was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
|
|
