Xiamen
Gulang Islet
Gulang Islet, located to the southwest of Xiamen Island, and separated from Xiamen Island by the 600-meter-wide Lujiang Strait to require a 5-minute ferry, boasts a land area of 19,100 sq. m and a population of 20,000. Originally it was named Round Sandy Islet, and in the Ming Dynasty renamed Gulang Islet. It was said that a rock in the southwest of the Islet would make drum sound when dashed against by the surging waves. So it was called Gulang (Drumming Wave) Rock. And it becomes so popular that the Islet borrows this imaginative name.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the National Hero Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) stationed his troops on the Islet. The relevant relics, Shuicao Tai (military exercise platform) and Shizhai Men (camp gate), remain on the Sunlight Rock (the islet’s most attractive spot). In 1842, after the Opium War, 13 countries such as Britain, USA, France, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Holland, set up their consulates here, forming consular corps and turning it into a common foreign settlement. Then, groups of wealthy overseas Chinese arrived in succession to build houses and villas, and do business to provide telephone service and water supply. In December 1942, it was occupied by the invading Japanese. Not until the victory was achieved over the war against the Japanese invaders did Gulang Islet end its 100-odd-year history of being a colony. Following are some scenic spots on the Islet:
Sunlight Rock Scenic Zone（Sunlight Rock, Bright Moon Garden, Shuzhuang Garden）
The Sunlight Rock is the most famous scenic spot in Xiamen. There goes a saying: “A trip to Xiamen without visiting the Sunlight Rock will end up in vain.” The Sunlight Rock is located on the top of Longtou（Dragon’s Head）Mountain in the south. It is the highest point in the islet, 92.68 m above sea level.
Bright Moon Garden is a theme park to commemorate General Zheng Chenggong（Koxinga）, a national hero, covering an area of 30,000 sq. m. Built in 1985, the garden was named in memory of the hero and Taiwan that he reclaimed from the Dutch invaders. General Zheng once wrote a poem borrowing the bright moon to reveal his attachment to Taiwan. The most attractive sight in the garden is a huge granite statue of General Zheng on a big rock. The statue, measuring 13.7 m high and 18 tons in weight, is a superb piece of craftsmanship of 625 pieces of “Quanzhou white” granites in 23 layers. In the garden also stands a large bronze relief of a group of people, titled “Driving out the Invaders with Shields,” depicting the historic scene when General Zheng led his troop across the sea to drive away the Dutch and recover Taiwan. It is the largest relief about a historical figure in China today.
Shuzhuang Garden, formerly a private garden, was built in 1931, and has become a public park since 1955. The garden is elegant, yet grand in design. In recent years, it has been expanded by more than 3,000 sq. m, and many more facilities added to make it a distinctive seaside park.
The Piano Museum
Located in the Hall of Roaring Tides in Shuzhuang Garden, the Piano Museum covers an area of nearly 1,000 sq. m.It is the only museum in China displaying various kinds of antique pianos from different countries in the world. All the pianos in the museum were donated by Hu Youyi, a piano collector who is a native of Gulang Islet and now residing abroad. There are nearly 100 vintage pianos and over 60 old piano lamps in display. In the museum, you can find the precious gilded piano, the oldest sq. piano, the largest upright piano, the age-old hand-operated piano, the automatic pedal playing piano and the piano with 8 pedals, both manufactured over 100 years ago.
Zheng Chenggong（Koxinga）Memorial Hall
Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall, lying at the northern foot of the Sunlight Rock, was built on February 1, 1962 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan from the Dutch invaders by General Zheng. The memorial hall covers a total area of 13,000 sq. m with the main exhibition hall occupying 2,200 sq. m, and 500 sq. m for the other hall and the research center. The museum is the largest collection center, and a research base as well, of General Zheng’s relics and historical documents at home and abroad. The plaque on the museum is the calligraphy of Mr. Guo Moruo, a most renowned late Chinese writer.
South Putuo Temple
Lying at the foot of Wulao Peak in the south of Xiamen Island, South Putuo Temple is one of the most frequently visited holy shrines of Buddhism in Fujian, or even in China. It was constructed in the Tang Dynasty(A.D. 618-907). Within the temple, the statue of Goddess of Mercy with 1,000 hands is a superb piece of craftsmanship, and the Sutra Room houses various kinds of Buddhist relics, in particular, the treasured scripture written with blood in Wanli Reign of the Ming Dynasty(1573-1619) and the precious Goddess of Mercy statue made of white ceramics, a masterpiece of He Chaozong （a well-known ceramic sculpture artist over 400 years ago）. The affiliated South Fujian Buddhist Academy, founded by Master Huiquan in 1925, is the oldest Buddhist academy in China.
Xiamen Univesity
Xiamen University was founded in 1921 by Mr. Tan Kah Kee, a famous overseas Chinese.It is the first university founded by an overseas Chinese in China’s modern educational history, and by far the only comprehensive university located in a special economic zone, directly under the administration of the Ministry of Education. It is also one of the Chinese top universities given first priority for development by the state.
Up till now, Xiamen University has produced 150,000 undergraduates and postgraduates for the country. Over 60 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering have either studied or worked in the university. A Graduate School, 22 colleges comprising 60 departments, 9 institutes and 130 odd research institutions have been set up with more than 36,000 students in total and a faculty of over 2,300. Xiamen University has established cooperative relations with 100 odd universities in such countries and regions as the USA and the UK, and Hongkong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan. It has also signed the Cooperation Agreement of “the Global Eight Universities Federation” with the other seven universities worldwide, the Washington University in the USA included.
Hulishan Fort
The Hulishan Fort was constructed in 1891 during the Qing Dynasty, covering a total area of over 70,000 sq. m, with a 13,000-square-meter castle in it. The cannon on the fort, known as the “King of Cannons”, was purchased from the Krupp Munitions Plant of Germany. It is the oldest and largest 19th-century coastal cannon in the world kept on the original site, and has been listed in the 2000 Guinness Book of World Records. Measuring 13.13 m long and 50 tons in weight, the cannon can revolve 360o and its maximum shooting range is 16,000 m. In addition, the Rongguang（Glory） Museum in the fort also exhibits the smallest cannon in the world, which is only 11 cm long and 0.22 kg in weight with a caliber of merely 0.8 cm.
World Garden Show Park
The World Garden Show Park covers an area of 6.76 sq. km., about 3.03 sq. km. of which are land area. The Garden is made up of the main expo area, the Wetland Park, the water scene and water sports center, and the hot spring resort, distributed among its nine islands and two peninsulas. The Expo Island（the main one）, the South Fujian Culture Island（the supportive one）, and the Expo Avenue connecting these two islands constituted the main exhibition areas for the event in 2007. Combining both schools of classical and modern design, the Park boasts ten garden views and 98 expo sections, creating a picturesque landscape. It is a great expo museum of maritime gardening characterized by ecological balance, landscape, entertainment, culture and art.
Island Circle Route
The Island Circle Route currently open to traffic extends as long as 31 km. along the southern Xiamen Island. It is part of the course of the C&D Xiamen International Marathon and one of the best tourist belts in the city proper. The circle loop road links up numerous tourist attractions, such as Hulishan Fort, Shangli Reservoir, the placard of “One Country, Two Systems for the Reunification of China,” International Convention and Exhibition Center, temples, ancient trees, weird rocks, sculptures, three seaside sq.s, Coconut Village, Moon Admiring Slope, Stars Counting Garden, and Sea Charm Terrace. All these form an attractive tourist belt with rich resources, embracing the blue sky, ocean sunshine, beaches, lawns, green trees, fresh flowers and red-colored pavements. Standing on this road, you can enjoy the zigzag coastal lines, pleasant seaside views, and see in a distance the islets under the Taiwan authority like Dadan Islet, Erdan Islet, Areca Islet, and Lesser and Greater Kinmen Islands.
Jimei School Town
Jimei School Town was founded by Mr. Tan Kah Kee. Over the past dozens of years, the 10 plus colleges like Xiamen Fisheries College and Jimei Navigation Institute have trained numerous talents. Approved by the central authority, these colleges have merged together to establish Jimei University. Under the guidance of Mr. Tan, the architectural structures in the town marry the Chinese style, particularly that of the South Fujian, with the Western one. It has become an educational center with beautiful scenery.
In the town, you will also find some cultural interests such as Mr. Tan’s former residence and the Turtle Garden. The Old Residence of Mr. Tan Kah Kee is located in Houweijiao. It was constructed in 1918. The residence houses the manuscripts, clothing and daily utilities left by Mr. Tan.
The Turtle Garden was built in 1950, consisting of the corridor, Jimei Liberation Monument and the tomb of Mr. Tan. All the buildings and sculptures in the garden illustrate his idea of merging education into traveling and recreation. They touch on the old and new Chinese and foreign cultures, as well as the subjects of astronomy, geography, science, technology, education, calligraphy, painting, animals, plants, agricultural and industrial production, covering a wide range of knowledge. The name of Jimei Liberation Monument was written by Chairman Mao Zedong, and the inscription on the back of the monument was by Mr. Tan Kah Kee.
Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center （XICEC）
Located on the golden coast of southeastern Xiamen Island, XICEC is only 4.6 km. away from the Lesser Kinmen Island across the sea. With a total investment of 1.2 billion, the phase one project occupies an area of 470,000 sq. m with a floor space of 154,000 sq. m. The main building is a multi-functional intelligent structure of international architectural standards, serving the purposes of conference, exhibition, information release, hotel, catering and business. It boasts an exhibition hall good for 2,000 international standard booths, and over 20 conference rooms. The wing building is a four-star hotel with 250 guestrooms in total.
Haicang Investment Zone
Haicang, situated at the projecting part of the booming triangular city cluster of Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, is facing Xiamen Island across the sea. Thanks to its geographical location and favorable natural conditions, it became an important port in the South Fujian as early as 300 years ago. In his The International Development of China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen projected an ambitious idea to build Haicang into the Port of the East. In the early 20th century, the two international consortia, British Asia and US Mobil, used Haicang as a transit point for oil transport and a refueling base for ocean-going ships.
Riding the surging waves of development, Haicang won the approval from the State Council to become a Taiwanese investment zone in May 1989. Since then, the 100-square-kilometer Taiwan Investment Zone has become the largest of its kind in China.
The goal of the zone is to become a new port, a new industrial area and a new town of the Greater Xiamen in the 21st century. To be specific, it will be divided into four functional parts.
1. Haicang Port Area
With an area of 12.4 sq km. under planning, it encourages investments in port building, power supply and warehousing.
2. Xinyang Industrial Area
Located to the north of Mt. Caijianwei and to the south of Maluan Bay, it is the priority area for development in Haicang and in Xiamen as well. The area under planning is 29.6 sq. km., but recent efforts will be focused on developing its 12 sq. km. Priority will be given to investments in the capital-and-technology-intensive small and medium-sized industrial enterprises in the sectors of machinery, electronics, fine chemicals, plastic, and new building material, etc.
3. Industrial Area in the South
With a flat land of 17.7 sq. km. under planning, and close to the port area, Industrial Area in the South enjoys the best geographical advantages in Haicang. Investments are encouraged to focus on chemical industry, especially tech or capital-intensive middle and downstream petrochemical projects. The Haicang Hi-Tech Park is stepping up efforts to promote investments. Talks are going on with multinational companies from Europe, America, Taiwan and Southeast Asia on investing in large chemical plants.
4. Haicang New Town
With 27.6 sq. km. under planning, Haicang New Town gives priority to the development of the sectors of trade, financial services, real estate, tourism and recreation. The 700,000-square kilometers housing project has been completed, supported by adequate social services such as vocational training center, Middle Schools, Primary Schools, kindergartens, hospitals and financial and commercial entities. Other facilities like recreational center, hotel, and Northern China Tiger Park are under construction. A project to build seaside residential quarters is also underway.
Lenovo Mobile Communications
Founded in 2002, Lenovo Mobile Communications (thereinafter referred to as Lenovo Mobile) is headquartered in Xiamen, Fujian Province, with R&D centers and overseas business centers set up in Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen.
Lenovo Mobile is committed to independent research and development and innovations, aiming to provide users with trendy, high-quality and users-friendly mobile communication appliances and valued-added services that cater to the individual needs of the users, and enable them to enjoy the pleasure of mobile communication at their fingertips.
Lenovo Mobile has achieved a number of “firsts ” in developing its products, such as the first Chinese-made GSM mobile phone with independent IPR, the first 40 polyphonic phone G808, the first computer phone ET180, the first one mega pixel camera phone, the first DAB multimedia mobile phone ET980T with built-in wireless television program receiver , etc. Lenovo has also won awards from home and abroad for its excellent design. It was the first Chinese mobile phone manufacturer to win IDEA for its ET 960 model in 2005, an award for international design excellence sponsored by Business Week. Other innovative models such as i717, i720 and ET980T have also won famous awards in China by IF, CIDF and Innovation and Design Ceremony.
As one of the founder and core members of TD-SCDMA Industry Alliance, Lenovo Mobile has always been the forerunner in the research and development of TD-SCDMA terminals. It took the lead to launch a number of TD-SCDMA/GSM dual-mode mobiles with independent IPR, realizing high-end 3G functions such as video phone and high speed Internet surfing. Among these, TD800 became the first batch of 3G products obtaining network access license in China in January 2008.
In the future, Lenovo Mobile Communications will be devoted to becoming a world renowned mobile phone company with an innovative spirit, a corporate concept of cooperation and common prosperity and a pragmatic and enterprising attitude towards development.
Xiamen Yinlu Group
Xiamen Yinlu Group is located in Xiamen Yinlu Hi-Tech Park, one of the first national scientific and technological parks for town and township enterprises, covering 800,000 sq. m with a floor space of nearly 400,000 sq. m. It is one of the largest canned food and beverage manufacturers in the province and even in China, and a major growth enterprise of the province. Other titles it has earned include Top 10 Canned Food Makers in China, Enterprise of Outstanding Contribution in China’s Food Industry and National Leading Enterprise in Agricultural Industrialization. With food and beverage making as the backbone of its business, the group also engages in other fields, including fruit and vegetable preservation, import and export, packaging materials manufacturing, agricultural products deep processing research, electronics and hi-tech products making, real estate development and industrial investment, etc. It boasts advanced equipment and technology, with over 30 world-class modern assembly lines to ensure professional, intensive and large-scale production. Its annual output reaches one million tons, ranking high in the industry in China.
The Group actively implements the strategy of focusing on "Talent, Technology & Brand Building" and keeps strengthening internal management and market expansion, achieving satisfactory results. It has become Top 500 Chinese Private Enterprises in China, 500 Most Valuable Brands of China. Its products have been awarded the titles of the China Brand Products, China Reliable Food Brands and Fujian Brand Products. And Yinlu has been listed as China Top Brands, National Trademarks for Special Protection, and 10 Most-Favored Brands in China.
Xiang Lu Fibers (Xiamen) Co. Ltd.
Xiang Lu Fibers (Xiamen) Co., Ltd., located in Haicang Investment Zone in Xiamen, is the largest solely foreign invested enterprise of fiber chemical in China. Starting operation in April 1995, Xiang Lu involves a total investment of USD 315 million, and occupies an area of 600,000 sq. m. The company boasts 2,700 employees and has an annual output of 350,000 tons of polyester, with a value of about RMB 3.6 billion. It ranks high among the 500 largest foreign invested enterprises in China in this regard.
The company commits itself to the vision of becoming a “Worldwide Excellent Fiber Supplier”, and helps growth of China’s fiber industry. In view of this, it is making endeavor to improve production automation, product diversification, and management by computerization to be an industry leader in China with its first-class technology, quality and service.
Matang Village
Matang Village is located in a remote hilly area of Xinyu Town, Xiang’an District, Xiamen City, and populated by 81 households of 287 people in total. The village boasts Xiamen Yinlu Hi-tech Park, a national science and technology zone for township enterprises. There are now 8 enterprises, each with a total investment exceeding RMB 10 million, employing more than 4,000 people.
In 1980, the annual per capita income in Matang was less than 170 yuan. Over the past 20 odd years of development, the village has been turned into a modernized self-contained industrial park with sufficient facilities for an increasing population. It is a new socialist countryside that features a reasonable layout, convenient transportation, adequate facilities and a beautiful environment. In 2005, its aggregate social output topped RMB 1.6 billion with per capita output valued at RMB 6 million, and the per capita net income was more than RMB 15,000.
