| Gulangyu Island |
 |
The roar of the waves breaks on the rocks. Impressive melodies surround
and linger on this island made famous because of its piano-laden past.
As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen's
colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for being
home to China's largest piano museum.
Covering a total area of 1.78 square kilometers, Gulangyu Island
is located off the coast of Xiamen City in Fujian Province. The
Chinese name also has musical roots, as 'gu lang'
means 'drum waves,' so-called because of
the sound generated by the ocean waves hitting the reefs. Yu means
'islet.'
Gulangyu Island is known as the piano island because people here
love the piano. As early as 1913, students in schools run by foreigners
started learning the piano. The enthusiasm for music later spread
to more ordinary people on the island. Many piano families have
since then come into being and produced accomplished musicians.
Located five minutes by boat from Xiamen, Gulangyu is really a
Shangri-la-like tourist attraction. No road vehicles are allowed
here, bicycles are the only means of transportation. In recent years,
some battery-powered sightseeing vehicles commute from the beach
to the port, as more and more people come to Gulangyu sanatorium
to recuperate.
No tourist can afford to miss one attraction located on the island
¡ª the nation's largest piano museum.
Divided into two exhibition halls, the museum guides visitors through
a vivid history of the instrument with displays and illustrations.
All different types of pianos such as miniature pianos, automatic
pianos, accordion pianos and round-shaped pianos, are on display.
It is difficult not to start playing the instrument when faced with
such an amazing variety of instruments. But be careful. It is forbidden
to touch them, as these pianos are cherished collections of overseas
Chinese, who hope to allow more people to see and be inspired by
these displays.
Riguang Rock is a scenic spot on the island where you can get a
bird's-eye view of the whole of Xiamen City. Hundreds
of flowers grow on Riguang Rock, which is a 90-meter-high peak on
Gulangyu Island. With a gentle sea breeze, it's a quite
cool place during the hot summer. On the hillside nestles Riguang
Monastery, where the early rising sunlight penetrates. Ascending
to the top of the rock, one can see the sea.
At the foot of the rock, there's the Memorial Hall
to honor national naval hero general Zheng Chenggong of the late
Ming Dynasty. In the vicinity, one can find the site where general
Zheng directed his fleet.
From the baroque building to the Gothic cathedral, from the Shanghai-style
alley to the Fujian-style courtyard, Gulangyu is filled with different
architectural styles. That's why it is often described
as a showcase island of architecture, attracting architecture students
from across the nation and the world every year to find their source
of inspiration.
For people living in the hustle and bustle of today's
metropolis, citizens on this island seem to live in a paradise with
a relaxing, healthy and placid lifestyle. Unfortunately, more and
more youngsters leave the island to work in Xiamen, but they still
prefer to return every day because of the sound of nature on the
island. |
