Xiamen
Encyclopedia
Xiamen also known as Amoy (əˈmɔɪ), is a major city on the southeast (Taiwan Strait
) coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city
of Fujian
province with an area of 1573 square kilometres (607.3 sq mi) and population of 3.53 million. Its built up area is now bigger than the old urban island area and covers now all 6 districts of Xiamen (Huli
, Siming
, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang
and recently Xiang'an) for 3,531,147 inhabitants. It borders Quanzhou
to the north and Zhangzhou
making with this city a unique built up area of more than 5 million people. The Jinmen (Kinmen) Islands administered by the Republic of China
(Taiwan
) are less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away.
Xiamen and the surrounding southern Fujian countryside are the ancestral home to large communities of overseas Chinese
in Southeast Asia
and Taiwan
. The city was a treaty port
in the 19th century and one of the four original Special Economic Zones opened to foreign investment and trade when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s. It is endowed with educational and cultural institutions supported by the overseas Chinese diaspora. In 2006, Xiamen was ranked as China's second 'most suitable city for living'.
records, though the area was not significantly settled by Han Chinese until several centuries later. Xiamen Island itself was known as Jiahe-Yu up until Ming Dynasty
General Zhou Dexing built the "Xiamen Castle" on the island in 1387 AD to defend against Japanese pirates.
Originally, the name Xiamen was written "" , possibly referring to its position at the mouth of the Nine Dragon River. The Zhangzhou
dialect of Min Nan
reads these characters as "ε̄-mûi", the source of the name "Amoy". The dialect is still spoken in the west and southwest of the city. Later, the authorities found "下門" too unrefined and changed the name to the modern toponym "", which has the same pronunciation in Mandarin - not in Min Nan
, however - and literally means "The Gate of the Grand Mansion". The name continues to be pronounced in Min Nan
, effectively using the older name.
, the place was made Tong'an District (同安縣) in 282, a sub-entity of Jin'an Prefecture (晉安郡). During the Song Dynasty
(960-1279 AD), the city was a seaport open to foreign trade. The Chinese scientist and statesman Shen Kuo
(1031–1095) spent some of his youth there while his father was a local bureaucrat on the government staff.
In 1387, the Ming Dynasty
built a fort in Xiamen, then part of Quanzhou, to guard against pirates. After the Manchu
Qing Dynasty
overthrew the Ming in 1644, Ming loyalist Koxinga
, used Xiamen as a base to launch counterattacks against the invading Manchus from 1650 to 1660. In 1656, he named Xiamen Island, Siming (思明洲), or "Remembering the Ming
". In 1661, Koxinga drove the Dutch from Taiwan and moved his operations there. The Manchus renamed the island Xiamen. The city was renamed by the Manchus in 1680 to Xiamen Subprefecture
. The name "Siming" was changed back after the 1912 Xinhai Revolution
overthrew the Qing Dynasty and the settlement was made a county. Later it reverted to the name Xiamen City. In 1949, Xiamen became a provincially-administered city (省辖市), then was upgraded to a vice-province-class city (副省级市), or a municipality. Today, Siming is the name of main city district of downtown Xiamen.
In 1541, European traders (mainly Portugese) first visited Xiamen, which was China's main port in the nineteenth century for exporting tea
. As a result, Hokkien
(also known as the Amoy dialect) had a major influence on how Chinese terminology was translated into European languages. For example, the words "Amoy", "tea
" (茶; tê), "cumshaw" (感謝; kám-siā), and "Pekoe
" (白毫; ), kowtow
(磕頭; ), and possibly Japan
(Ji̍t-pún) and "ketchup
" (茄汁; kiô-chap) originated from the Hokkien
.
During the First Opium War
between Britain and China, the British captured the city in the Battle of Amoy
on 26 August 1841. Xiamen was one of the five Chinese treaty ports opened by the Treaty of Nanking
(1842) at the end of the war. As a result, it was an early entry point for Protestant missions in China. European settlements were concentrated on the islet of Gulangyu off the main island of Xiamen. Today, Gulangyu is known for colonial architecture and the tradition of piano-playing and organized sports.
Many natives of Xiamen and southern Fujian emigrated to Southeast Asia and Taiwan during the 19th and early 20th century, spreading Hokkien language and culture overseas. Some of the diaspora later returned to fund universities and cultural institutions in Xiamen. An estimated 220,000 Xiamen residents are returning overseas Chinese and their kin. Some 350,000 overseas Chinese trace their ancestry to Xiamen.
During World War II
, Xiamen was occupied by Japan from May 1938 to September 1945. In the Chinese Civil War
that followed, the islands of Xiamen and Gulangyu were captured by Communist forces in October 1949 but an assault on the island of Jinmen was repelled by Nationalist defenders. The battle line of the war remained in the narrow channel between Xiamen and Jinmen. In 1955 and 1958, mainland China escalated Cold War
political tensions by shelling offshore islands held by Taiwan including Jinmen in what became known as the First
and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
. The Nationalists responded by reinforcing Jinmen and shelling Xiamen. Due to political tensions, the eastern half of Xiamen Island and much of the Fujian Coast facing the offshore islands remained undeveloped in the 1960s and 1970s.
When China began to reform its economy, Xiamen was made one of the original Special Economic Zones in 1980, to attract foreign investment, particularly from overseas Chinese. The city grew and prospered from foreign investment and trade. In 2001, the governments of mainland China and Taiwan agreed to initiate the "Three Mini-Links" and restored ferry, commercial and mail links between the mainland and offshore islands. Trade and travel between Xiamen and Jinmen was restored and later expanded to include direct air travel to Taiwan. In 2010, travelers between Xiamen and Jinmen made 1.31 million trips.
In 1999, the largest corruption scandal in China's history was uncovered in Xiamen, implicating up to 200 government officials. Lai Changxing
is alleged to have run an enormous smuggling operation, which financed the city's football team, film studios, largest construction project, and a vast brothel
rented to him by the local Public Security Bureau
. According to Time
, "locals used to joke that Xiamen should change its name to Yuanhua, the name of Lai's company." They subsequently claimed that potential investors were discouraged by the taint of corruption.
Xiamen comprises Xiamen Island (longitude 118° 04'04"E, latitude 24° 26'46" N.), Gulangyu Island
, and part of the rugged mainland coastal region from the left bank of the Jiulong River
in the west to the islands of Xiang'an in the northeast. The city is centered on Xiamen Island, which is divided between Huli District and Siming District (which also encompasses Gulangyu). The city's four other districts, Haicong, Jimei, Tong'an and Xiang'an, are all located on the mainland.
The Gaoji (Gaoqi-Jimei) Causeway built in 1955–57 transformed Xiamen Island into a peninsula (半岛), and so it was termed in the heady propaganda
of the time.
Just east of Xiamen Island are the Jinmen Islands, also spelled Kinmen and known as Quemoy. At their nearest points, Greater Jinmen is about 10 km from Xiamen Island and Lesser Jinmen, also known as Lieyu, is about 6 km away. The Jinmen Islands are governed by the Republic of China
based in Taiwan
.
, Xiamen has a population of 3,531,347 inhabitants, almost double 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.
al humid subtropical climate
(Köppen
Cfa), characterised by long, hot and humid summers and short, mild and dry winters. The warmest month is July, at 27.8 °C (82 °F), and oddly, the coolest month is February, at 12.4 °C (54.3 °F). Spring, both by humidity and percentage of sunshine, is the dampest season but typhoons in late summer and early autumn can make the latter period wetter overall. Summer and autumn are marked by comparatively sunny conditions, while autumn is warm and dry. The annual rainfall is 1350 millimetres (53 in). Frost is very rare, and the last snowfall in the city was in January 1893, when snow also fell at Guangzhou
, Macau
,in the inland parts of Hong Kong
and in the hills of Taipei
.
The districts of Siming and Huli form the Special Economic Zone
.
In May 2003, Gulangyu Island
(Kó-lōng-sū) and Kaiyuan District
were merged into Siming District, Xinglin District was merged into Jimei District, and Xiang'an District was created out of a section of Tong'an District.
. The city has economic and trade relations with 162 countries and regions worldwide, and benefits from foreign investment, particularly capital from Hong Kong
, Macau
and Taiwan
.
In 2008, a total of 356 projects with foreign direct investment had been approved in the city, with a contractual foreign investment amount of US$1.896 billion and an actual foreign investment amount of US$2.042 billion. In 1992, Xiamen was ranked among the top 10 Chinese cities in relation to comprehensive strengths with its GDP increasing by an average of over 20% annually. In 2008, Xiamen's GDP amounted to 156 billion Yuan, an increase of 11.1% over the previous year; and the per-capita GDP was 62,651 yuan (US$9,017). Further economic reforms were introduced, and this brought the total volume of imports and exports in 2008 to US$45.4 billion, while that of exports totalled US$29.4 billion.
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 has excellent road, rail, air and port infrastructure. In the last few years, Xiamen has invested more than RMB30 billion in infrastructure construction.
By Chinese standards
, Xiamen has highly developed banking services. The biggest bank is the state-owned commercial bank, Sino-foreign joint venture
Xiamen International Bank
, and solely foreign-funded Xiamen City Commercial Bank.
Various foreign banks that have established representative offices in Xiamen.
There are more than 600 financial institutions in operation in Xiamen.
Xiamen Haicang Taiwanese 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 Taiwanese Investment Zone is the largest national Taiwanese investment zone authorized by the State Council in 1989. It is situated close to Xiamen Port.
Xinglin Taiwan Merchants Development Zone was approved to be established on 20 May 1989 by the State Council. The planned area is 19.36 sqkm and the current area is 12.5 sqkm. The zone is located in Jimei, Xiamen. The main industries set up in the zone are chemistry, machinery, textile and electronics. The zone is 8 km from the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and 3 km from the 319 National Highway.
Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone was approved by the State Council as one of China's national level high-tech industrial development zones in March 1999. In 2001, the zone became the first to achieve 10 billion yuan per square kilometer target output level. It is located close to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport.
In 1992, Xiamen Xiangyu Free Trade Zone is established and approved by The State Council. The overall planning area is 0.63 square kilometers. In 2008, there are 1100 enterprises in this park. Industries encouraged in the zone include Electronics Assembly & Manufacturing, Garment and Textiles Production, Trading and Distribution, Research and Development, Shipping/Warehousing/Logistics.
Four main road bridges, the Jimei, Xiamen, Xinglin and Haicang Bridges, link Xiamen Island with the mainland.
The main forms of public transportation in Xiamen are bus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
. Xiamen's Bus Rapid Transit system
features a dedicated bus-only closed road system with stations and ticketing system similar to light rail. Most of the 115 km BRT network consist 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 km/h. Five BRT routes are currently in service: 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 buses. 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.
Taxis can be easily hailed in most areas of the city. Bicycles are commonly used by residents, especially on Xiamen Island. Unlike most Chinese cities, motorcycles and mopeds are not permitted in Xiamen. . On the small island of Gulangyu
off Xiamen Island, automobiles are also banned.
, Nanjing
, Hefei
, Fuzhou
, Nanchang
and Yingtan
. The completion of the Longyan-Xiamen Railway and the Xiamen-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway by 2012 will expand train service to destinations to the west and southwest.
The Xiamen Railway Station
on the island of Xiamen is connected to the mainland by a railway bridge. The Xiamen North Railway Station
is located in Gaoqi District.
on the island of Xiamen is a main air hub in East China with flights to over 60 domestic and international destinations. Among airports in China, Gaoqi ranked among the top 15 for passenger traffic, cargo traffic and air traffic. It can handle 13 million passengers and 201,300 tons of cargo annually. The airport is the headquarter hub of Xiamen Airlines.
Xiamen has direct flights to most major cities in China including Hong Kong
and Macau
. Flights to Bangkok
, Penang
, Kuala Lumpur
, Manila
, Jakarta
, and Singapore
, connect Xiamen with large communities of southern Fujian's overseas diaspora. The city also direct flights to international commercial hubs Osaka
, Nagoya, Tokyo
, Seoul
and Amsterdam
, which commenced on March 29, 2011. Xiamen also has direct flights to Taipei
, Kaohsiung
and Taichung
on Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait. Some Taiwanese travelers will fly to nearby Jinmen and take the ferry to Xiamen.
Gaoqi Airport is located on the northern coast of Xiamen Island. A cab ride from downtown to the airport can take as little as ten minutes.
.
In 2009, the Port of Xiamen ranked among the top 20 ports in the world for container freight.
The natural coastline in the port area is 64.5 km while the water is over 12 m in depth. There are 81 berths for vessels of large, medium or small tonnage, including 16 deep-water berths, of which 6 operate containers of over 10,000 tonnes. Among other cargoes handled, Xiamen is the world's largest supply base for raw tungsten
materials. It is the world’s largest sunglasses manufacturing base, exporting 120 million pairs each year.
Xiamen is also an important base in Fujian province for making
medium-sized and large modern container vessels and yachts
Xiamen and its surrounding countryside is known for its scenery and tree-lined beaches. Gulangyu
, also known as Piano Island, is a popular weekend getaway with views of the city and features many Victorian-era style European edifices. 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 famous for its history as a frontline in the Chinese Civil War
with Taiwan
over Jinmen (also known as Jinmen or Quemoy) 50 years ago. One attraction for tourists is to view Kinmen
, a group of islands a few kilometres away and under Taiwanese control, from Xiamen island.
is Amoy, a dialect of Southern Min
(閩南), also called Hokkien. Amoy is widely used and understood across the southern region of Fujian province as well as overseas. While it is widely spoken in and around Xiamen, the Amoy dialect has no official status, and the official language of all government business is Mandarin.
Xiamen is famous for South Music, Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, puppet show, Gezi Opera and temple celebration events.
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 painted 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.
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 paraxylene factory by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Co. Ltd., which is owned by Taiwanese
businessman Chen Yu-hao.
s. There are also supermarket
s run by Metro
and Wal-Mart
and the ShoeMart Shopping Mall
which is owned and operated by Mr. Henry Sy
a businessman who hails from the Philippines
. There are also supermarkets on university campuses and they have delivery services for many goods. In the university campus, there are many bookstores. Both the supermarkets and bookstores are open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In Xiamen, there are also night markets.
These two were both founded by Tan Kah Kee
.
of the People's Liberation Army
, one of the three group armies under the Nanjing Military Region, which is responsible for the defense of the eastern China
, including any military action in the Taiwan Strait.
with: Cardiff
, Wales
, United Kingdom, since 1983 Sasebo, Nagasaki
, Japan, since 1983 Cebu
, Philippines, since 1984 Baltimore
, United States, since 1985 Wellington
, New Zealand, since 1987 Penang
, Malaysia, since 1993 Sunshine Coast
, Australia, since 1999 Kaunas
, Lithuania, since 2001 Guadalajara
, Mexico, since 2003 Zoetermeer
, Netherlands, since 2004 Kuching
, Sarawak
, Malaysia, since 2006 Surabaya
, Java
, Indonesia, since 2006 Mokpo
, South Korea, since 2007 Richmond, British Columbia
, Canada, since 2008 Marathon, Greece
, since 2009
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
) coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city
Sub-provincial city
A sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China, is like a prefecture-level city that is ruled by a province, but is administered independently in regard to economy and law....
of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province with an area of 1573 square kilometres (607.3 sq mi) and population of 3.53 million. Its built up area is now bigger than the old urban island area and covers now all 6 districts of Xiamen (Huli
Huli
The Huli are an indigenous people that live in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Latest estimates put their numbers at around 150,000, while they have been living in the area where they now reside for about 1000 years...
, Siming
Siming
Siming District is on southeastern Xiamen Island and the capital district of Xiamen Municipality, Fujian province, the People's Republic of China.-History:...
, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang
Haicang
Haicang may refer to:* Haicang District , in the municipal region of Xiamen, Fujian, China* Haicang Town , in Haicang District, Xiamen, Fujian, China...
and recently Xiang'an) for 3,531,147 inhabitants. It borders Quanzhou
Quanzhou
Quanzhou is a prefecture-level city in Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders all other prefecture-level cities in Fujian but two and faces the Taiwan Strait...
to the north and Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River , Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.Zhangzhou...
making with this city a unique built up area of more than 5 million people. The Jinmen (Kinmen) Islands administered by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) are less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away.
Xiamen and the surrounding southern Fujian countryside are the ancestral home to large communities of overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The city was a treaty port
Treaty ports
The treaty ports was the name given to the port cities in China, Japan, and Korea that were opened to foreign trade by the Unequal Treaties.-Chinese treaty ports:...
in the 19th century and one of the four original Special Economic Zones opened to foreign investment and trade when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s. It is endowed with educational and cultural institutions supported by the overseas Chinese diaspora. In 2006, Xiamen was ranked as China's second 'most suitable city for living'.
City name
The area where Xiamen now exists was known as Tong'an in some Han DynastyHan Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
records, though the area was not significantly settled by Han Chinese until several centuries later. Xiamen Island itself was known as Jiahe-Yu up until Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
General Zhou Dexing built the "Xiamen Castle" on the island in 1387 AD to defend against Japanese pirates.
Originally, the name Xiamen was written "" , possibly referring to its position at the mouth of the Nine Dragon River. The Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River , Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.Zhangzhou...
dialect of Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
reads these characters as "ε̄-mûi", the source of the name "Amoy". The dialect is still spoken in the west and southwest of the city. Later, the authorities found "下門" too unrefined and changed the name to the modern toponym "", which has the same pronunciation in Mandarin - not in Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
, however - and literally means "The Gate of the Grand Mansion". The name continues to be pronounced in Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
, effectively using the older name.
History
During the early Jin DynastyJìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, the place was made Tong'an District (同安縣) in 282, a sub-entity of Jin'an Prefecture (晉安郡). During the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960-1279 AD), the city was a seaport open to foreign trade. The Chinese scientist and statesman Shen Kuo
Shen Kuo
Shen Kuo or Shen Gua , style name Cunzhong and pseudonym Mengqi Weng , was a polymathic Chinese scientist and statesman of the Song Dynasty...
(1031–1095) spent some of his youth there while his father was a local bureaucrat on the government staff.
In 1387, the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
built a fort in Xiamen, then part of Quanzhou, to guard against pirates. After the Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
overthrew the Ming in 1644, Ming loyalist Koxinga
Koxinga
Koxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
, used Xiamen as a base to launch counterattacks against the invading Manchus from 1650 to 1660. In 1656, he named Xiamen Island, Siming (思明洲), or "Remembering the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
". In 1661, Koxinga drove the Dutch from Taiwan and moved his operations there. The Manchus renamed the island Xiamen. The city was renamed by the Manchus in 1680 to Xiamen Subprefecture
Subprefecture
Subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province.-Albania:There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is subdivided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefectures.-Brazil:...
. The name "Siming" was changed back after the 1912 Xinhai Revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
overthrew the Qing Dynasty and the settlement was made a county. Later it reverted to the name Xiamen City. In 1949, Xiamen became a provincially-administered city (省辖市), then was upgraded to a vice-province-class city (副省级市), or a municipality. Today, Siming is the name of main city district of downtown Xiamen.
In 1541, European traders (mainly Portugese) first visited Xiamen, which was China's main port in the nineteenth century for exporting tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
. As a result, Hokkien
Hokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
(also known as the Amoy dialect) had a major influence on how Chinese terminology was translated into European languages. For example, the words "Amoy", "tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
" (茶; tê), "cumshaw" (感謝; kám-siā), and "Pekoe
Orange Pekoe
Orange pekoe , also spelled "pecco" is a term used in the Western tea trade to describe a particular genre of black teas . Despite a purported Chinese origin, these grading terms are typically used for teas from Sri Lanka, India and countries other than China; they are not generally known within...
" (白毫; ), kowtow
Kowtow
Kowtow is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. An alternative Chinese term is ketou, however the meaning is somewhat altered: kòu originally meant "knock with reverence", whereas kē has the general meaning of "touch upon ".In Han...
(磕頭; ), and possibly Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(Ji̍t-pún) and "ketchup
Ketchup
Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
" (茄汁; kiô-chap) originated from the Hokkien
Hokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
.
During the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
between Britain and China, the British captured the city in the Battle of Amoy
Battle of Amoy
The Battle of Amoy was fought between British and Chinese forces in Amoy, China, on 26 August 1841, during the First Opium War. The British captured the forts in Amoy and Gulangyu Island.Description of the Battle...
on 26 August 1841. Xiamen was one of the five Chinese treaty ports opened by the Treaty of Nanking
Treaty of Nanking
The Treaty of Nanking was signed on 29 August 1842 to mark the end of the First Opium War between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China...
(1842) at the end of the war. As a result, it was an early entry point for Protestant missions in China. European settlements were concentrated on the islet of Gulangyu off the main island of Xiamen. Today, Gulangyu is known for colonial architecture and the tradition of piano-playing and organized sports.
Many natives of Xiamen and southern Fujian emigrated to Southeast Asia and Taiwan during the 19th and early 20th century, spreading Hokkien language and culture overseas. Some of the diaspora later returned to fund universities and cultural institutions in Xiamen. An estimated 220,000 Xiamen residents are returning overseas Chinese and their kin. Some 350,000 overseas Chinese trace their ancestry to Xiamen.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Xiamen was occupied by Japan from May 1938 to September 1945. In the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
that followed, the islands of Xiamen and Gulangyu were captured by Communist forces in October 1949 but an assault on the island of Jinmen was repelled by Nationalist defenders. The battle line of the war remained in the narrow channel between Xiamen and Jinmen. In 1955 and 1958, mainland China escalated Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
political tensions by shelling offshore islands held by Taiwan including Jinmen in what became known as the First
First Taiwan Strait Crisis
The First Taiwan Strait Crisis was a short armed conflict that took place between the governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China . The PRC seized the Yijiangshan Islands, forcing the ROC to abandon the Tachen Islands...
and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was a conflict that took place between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China governments in which the PRC shelled the islands of Matsu and Quemoy in the Taiwan Strait in an attempt to seize them from...
. The Nationalists responded by reinforcing Jinmen and shelling Xiamen. Due to political tensions, the eastern half of Xiamen Island and much of the Fujian Coast facing the offshore islands remained undeveloped in the 1960s and 1970s.
When China began to reform its economy, Xiamen was made one of the original Special Economic Zones in 1980, to attract foreign investment, particularly from overseas Chinese. The city grew and prospered from foreign investment and trade. In 2001, the governments of mainland China and Taiwan agreed to initiate the "Three Mini-Links" and restored ferry, commercial and mail links between the mainland and offshore islands. Trade and travel between Xiamen and Jinmen was restored and later expanded to include direct air travel to Taiwan. In 2010, travelers between Xiamen and Jinmen made 1.31 million trips.
In 1999, the largest corruption scandal in China's history was uncovered in Xiamen, implicating up to 200 government officials. Lai Changxing
Lai Changxing
Lai Changxing began as a Chinese businessman and entrepreneur from Jinjiang, Fujian, People's Republic of China. He was the founder and Chairman of the lucrative Yuanhua Group in the Special Economic Zone of Xiamen. At his height he has been credited with converting China from communism to...
is alleged to have run an enormous smuggling operation, which financed the city's football team, film studios, largest construction project, and a vast brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
rented to him by the local Public Security Bureau
Public Security Bureau
In the People's Republic of China, a public security bureau refers to the government offices while the smaller offices are called Police posts which are similar in concept to the Japanese Kōban system) present in each province and municipality that handles policing , public security, and...
. According to Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, "locals used to joke that Xiamen should change its name to Yuanhua, the name of Lai's company." They subsequently claimed that potential investors were discouraged by the taint of corruption.
Geography
Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu "Drum Wave Islet" is a car free island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province in southern China, about in area. It is home to about 20,000 people and is a very popular tourist destination....
, and part of the rugged mainland coastal region from the left bank of the Jiulong River
Jiulong River
The Jiulong River or Jiulong Jiang is the largest river in southern Fujian, and the second largest in the province. Like all Fujian rivers but one, it flows into the Taiwan Strait....
in the west to the islands of Xiang'an in the northeast. The city is centered on Xiamen Island, which is divided between Huli District and Siming District (which also encompasses Gulangyu). The city's four other districts, Haicong, Jimei, Tong'an and Xiang'an, are all located on the mainland.
The Gaoji (Gaoqi-Jimei) Causeway built in 1955–57 transformed Xiamen Island into a peninsula (半岛), and so it was termed in the heady propaganda
Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward of the People's Republic of China was an economic and social campaign of the Communist Party of China , reflected in planning decisions from 1958 to 1961, which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern...
of the time.
Just east of Xiamen Island are the Jinmen Islands, also spelled Kinmen and known as Quemoy. At their nearest points, Greater Jinmen is about 10 km from Xiamen Island and Lesser Jinmen, also known as Lieyu, is about 6 km away. The Jinmen Islands are governed by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
based in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Demographics
According to the 2010 CensusSixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
The Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, also referred to as the 2010 Chinese Census, was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China with a zero hour of November 1, 2010....
, Xiamen has a population of 3,531,347 inhabitants, almost double 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.
Climate
Xiamen has a monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
al humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa), characterised by long, hot and humid summers and short, mild and dry winters. The warmest month is July, at 27.8 °C (82 °F), and oddly, the coolest month is February, at 12.4 °C (54.3 °F). Spring, both by humidity and percentage of sunshine, is the dampest season but typhoons in late summer and early autumn can make the latter period wetter overall. Summer and autumn are marked by comparatively sunny conditions, while autumn is warm and dry. The annual rainfall is 1350 millimetres (53 in). Frost is very rare, and the last snowfall in the city was in January 1893, when snow also fell at Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
,in the inland parts of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and in the hills of Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
.
Administration
The sub-provincial city of Xiamen has direct jurisdiction over 6 districts (区 qu). The information here presented uses data from 2010 Census.  |
Subdivision | Pop. | Area | Dens. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
Simplified | Traditional | Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... |
POJ | 2010 | km² | /km² | |
| Xiamen City Proper | ||||||||
| ■ Huli District Huli District Huli District is located in the north of Xiamen island with 3 sides facing the ocean. Huli is the heart of Xiamen Special Economic Zone. It was founded as district in November 1987. Huli District administers Jiangtou, Heshan, Jingshan, Huli and Dianqian. It covers land area of 61.41km2 which is... |
湖里区 | 湖里區 | Húlǐ Qū | O-li Khu | 931,291 | 63 | 14,782 | |
| ■ Siming District | 思明区 | 思明區 | Sīmíng Qū | Su-beng Khu | 929,998 | 73 | 12,740 | |
| Xiamen Suburban and Rural | ||||||||
| ■ Haicang District Haicang District Haicang is one of the six county-level districts in the municipal region of Xiamen, FJ, and one of the four located on the mainland proper, as opposed to on Xiamen Island.-Liberation:... |
海沧区 | 海滄區 | Hǎicāng qū | Hai-chhng Khu | 288,739 | 155 | 1,863 | |
| ■ Jimei District Jimei District Jimei District is one of six districts in Xiamen Municipality, Fujian province, China. Founded in 1992, with an area of 270 km2, in 2003 it gained some territory in a reorganistaion of district governments.... |
集美区 | 集美區 | Jíměi Qū | Chip-bi Khu | 580,857 | 276 | 2,105 | |
| ■ Tong'an District Tong'an District Tong'an District is a northern mainland district of Xiamen which faces Jinmen. Tong'an is located on the southeast of Fujian province. To the north is Anxi and Nan'an, to the south is Jimei. Tong'an is also east of Lianxiang and Changqin to the West... |
同安区 | 同安區 | Tóng'ān Qū | Tang-uaN Khu | 496,129 | 658 | 754 | |
| ■ Xiang'an District Xiang'an District Xiang'an District is a district of Xiamen city on its eastern most mainland territory. It is situated in Fujian Province in the People's Republic of China.-History:Xiang'an District was created out of five towns of Tong'an District in May 2003:... |
翔安区 | 翔安區 | Xiáng'ān Qū | Siong-an Khu | 304,333 | 352 | 865 | |
The districts of Siming and Huli form the Special Economic Zone
Special Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
.
In May 2003, Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu "Drum Wave Islet" is a car free island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province in southern China, about in area. It is home to about 20,000 people and is a very popular tourist destination....
(Kó-lōng-sū) and Kaiyuan District
Kaiyuan District
Kaiyuan Subdistrict is a subdistrict of Siming District, Xiamen, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. It covers an area of and has a registered population of 63362....
were merged into Siming District, Xinglin District was merged into Jimei District, and Xiang'an District was created out of a section of Tong'an District.
Cityscape
Economy
Xiamen has a diverse and well-developed economy. Primary economic activities include fishing, shipbuilding, food processing, tanning, textiles, machine tool manufacturing, chemical industries, telecommunications and financial servicesFinancial services
Financial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
. The city has economic and trade relations with 162 countries and regions worldwide, and benefits from foreign investment, particularly capital from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
In 2008, a total of 356 projects with foreign direct investment had been approved in the city, with a contractual foreign investment amount of US$1.896 billion and an actual foreign investment amount of US$2.042 billion. In 1992, Xiamen was ranked among the top 10 Chinese cities in relation to comprehensive strengths with its GDP increasing by an average of over 20% annually. In 2008, Xiamen's GDP amounted to 156 billion Yuan, an increase of 11.1% over the previous year; and the per-capita GDP was 62,651 yuan (US$9,017). Further economic reforms were introduced, and this brought the total volume of imports and exports in 2008 to US$45.4 billion, while that of exports totalled US$29.4 billion.
Xiamen is also the host of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade
China International Fair for Investment and Trade
China International Fair for Investment and Trade held in Xiamen, Fujian, China is the exclusive investment promotion trade show in China which is aimed at attracting foreign direct investment...
held annually in early September to attract foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland.
Xiamen has excellent road, rail, air and port infrastructure. In the last few years, Xiamen has invested more than RMB30 billion in infrastructure construction.
Financial services
Financial services in the People's Republic of China
Financial services in the People's Republic of China refers to the services provided in PRC by the finance industry: banks, investment banks, insurance companies, credit card companies, consumer finance companies, government sponsored enterprises, and stock brokerages.-Securities trading:The China...
, Xiamen has highly developed banking services. The biggest bank is the state-owned commercial bank, Sino-foreign joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
Xiamen International Bank
Xiamen International Bank
Xiamen International Bank was established in August 1985 as the first joint venture bank in China with capital of RMB 1.069 billion.-Locations:...
, and solely foreign-funded Xiamen City Commercial Bank.
Various foreign banks that have established representative offices in Xiamen.
There are more than 600 financial institutions in operation in Xiamen.
Industrial Zones
Xiamen Export Processing Zone is located in the south part of Haicang Development Zone only 1.5 km from Haicang Port Area, 10 km from Gaoqi International Airport and 3 km from Haicang railway station. It has a favorable geographical location and well-developed transportation network, especially sea transportation. It has a total planned area of 2.4 square kilometers with 1.46 square kilometers for the first phase. Industries encouraged in the zone include Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals Production and Processing, Heavy Industry, Instruments & Industrial Equipment Production, Medical Equipment and Supplies, Research and Development, Shipping/Warehousing/Logistics, Telecommunications Equipment, Trading and Distribution.Xiamen Haicang Taiwanese 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 Taiwanese Investment Zone is the largest national Taiwanese investment zone authorized by the State Council in 1989. It is situated close to Xiamen Port.
Xinglin Taiwan Merchants Development Zone was approved to be established on 20 May 1989 by the State Council. The planned area is 19.36 sqkm and the current area is 12.5 sqkm. The zone is located in Jimei, Xiamen. The main industries set up in the zone are chemistry, machinery, textile and electronics. The zone is 8 km from the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and 3 km from the 319 National Highway.
Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone was approved by the State Council as one of China's national level high-tech industrial development zones in March 1999. In 2001, the zone became the first to achieve 10 billion yuan per square kilometer target output level. It is located close to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport.
In 1992, Xiamen Xiangyu Free Trade Zone is established and approved by The State Council. The overall planning area is 0.63 square kilometers. In 2008, there are 1100 enterprises in this park. Industries encouraged in the zone include Electronics Assembly & Manufacturing, Garment and Textiles Production, Trading and Distribution, Research and Development, Shipping/Warehousing/Logistics.
Local Transportation
The main forms of public transportation in Xiamen are bus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
. Xiamen's Bus Rapid Transit system
Xiamen BRT
Xiamen's Bus Rapid Transit was formally put into operation on August 31, 2008 in the Chinese city of Xiamen and is considered China's first elevated BRT network....
features a dedicated bus-only closed road system with stations and ticketing system similar to light rail. Most of the 115 km BRT network consist 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 km/h. Five BRT routes are currently in service: 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 buses. 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
Stored-value card
A stored-value card refers to monetary value on a card not in an externally recorded account and differs from prepaid cards where money is on deposit with the issuer similar to a debit card...
is used.
Taxis can be easily hailed in most areas of the city. Bicycles are commonly used by residents, especially on Xiamen Island. Unlike most Chinese cities, motorcycles and mopeds are not permitted in Xiamen. . On the small island of Gulangyu
Gulangyu
Gulangyu may refer to:* Gulangyu Island, former Foreign Concession in Xiamen harbour* Gulangyu Subdistrict, formerly district, in Xiamen Municipality, China...
off Xiamen Island, automobiles are also banned.
Road
The Fuzhou-Xiamen and Zhangzhou-Xiamen Express Highways link Xiamen with the highway network of Fujian province and neighboring provinces Guangdong, Jiangxi and Zhejiang. There are also container freight services available between Xiamen and Shenzhen and Hong Kong.Railways
Xiamen is served by the Yingtan-Xiamen Railway and the Fuzhou-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, which are connected to China's national railway network. Direct passenger trains are available from Xiamen to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, Nanchang
Nanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...
and Yingtan
Yingtan
Yingtan is a prefecture-level city in the east part of China's Jiangxi province. It borders Fujian province to the east. Its location next to Fujian and its proximity to Zhejiang, have made it a strategically important city for centuries...
. The completion of the Longyan-Xiamen Railway and the Xiamen-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway by 2012 will expand train service to destinations to the west and southwest.
The Xiamen Railway Station
Xiamen Railway Station
Xiamen Railway Station is a railway station located in Xiamen, Fujian, China, on the Yingxia Railway & Fuxia Railway which operated by Nanchang Railway Bureau, Ministry of Railways of the PRC.-External links:*...
on the island of Xiamen is connected to the mainland by a railway bridge. The Xiamen North Railway Station
Xiamen North Railway Station
Xiamen North Railway Station is a railway station located in Xiamen, Fujian, China, on the Fuxia Railway which operated by Nanchang Railway Bureau, Ministry of Railways of the PRC.-History:...
is located in Gaoqi District.
Air
The Xiamen Gaoqi International AirportXiamen Gaoqi International Airport
-Cargo airlines:-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China*China's busiest airports by passenger traffic-External links:*...
on the island of Xiamen is a main air hub in East China with flights to over 60 domestic and international destinations. Among airports in China, Gaoqi ranked among the top 15 for passenger traffic, cargo traffic and air traffic. It can handle 13 million passengers and 201,300 tons of cargo annually. The airport is the headquarter hub of Xiamen Airlines.
Xiamen has direct flights to most major cities in China including Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. Flights to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, connect Xiamen with large communities of southern Fujian's overseas diaspora. The city also direct flights to international commercial hubs Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Nagoya, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, which commenced on March 29, 2011. Xiamen also has direct flights to Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
and Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
on Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait. Some Taiwanese travelers will fly to nearby Jinmen and take the ferry to Xiamen.
Gaoqi Airport is located on the northern coast of Xiamen Island. A cab ride from downtown to the airport can take as little as ten minutes.
Passenger Ferry
Xiamen has passenger ferry service to cities along the coast of China as well as the neighboring island of Jinmen (Kinmen) to the east, which is administered by the Republic of China on Taiwan. From the main International Ferry Terminal, also called the Dongdu Terminal, on the southwest side of Xiamen Island, ferries to Jinmen take 90 minutes. From the Wutong Ferry Terminal on the northeast side of the Xiamen Island, ferries to Jinmen take 60 minutes. Both terminals offer numerous ferries per day. The Heping Wharf Ferry Terminal on the southwest side of Xiamen Island offers short boat rides to the island of GulangyuGulangyu
Gulangyu may refer to:* Gulangyu Island, former Foreign Concession in Xiamen harbour* Gulangyu Subdistrict, formerly district, in Xiamen Municipality, China...
.
Xiamen Port
The Port of Xiamen is a large deepwater port situated on the northern part of Xiamen Island. It has an excellent natural harbour and well connected to the mainland by road and rail. The Port of Xiamen has since the early 1980s been one of the busiest in China.In 2009, the Port of Xiamen ranked among the top 20 ports in the world for container freight.
The natural coastline in the port area is 64.5 km while the water is over 12 m in depth. There are 81 berths for vessels of large, medium or small tonnage, including 16 deep-water berths, of which 6 operate containers of over 10,000 tonnes. Among other cargoes handled, Xiamen is the world's largest supply base for raw tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
materials. It is the world’s largest sunglasses manufacturing base, exporting 120 million pairs each year.
Xiamen is also an important base in Fujian province for making
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
medium-sized and large modern container vessels and yachts
Tourism
Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu "Drum Wave Islet" is a car free island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province in southern China, about in area. It is home to about 20,000 people and is a very popular tourist destination....
, also known as Piano Island, is a popular weekend getaway with views of the city and features many Victorian-era style European edifices. 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 famous for its history as a frontline in the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
with Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
over Jinmen (also known as Jinmen or Quemoy) 50 years ago. One attraction for tourists is to view Kinmen
Kinmen
Kinmen , also known as Quemoy , is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China : Greater Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, and some islets. Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian Province, ROC. The county is claimed by the People's Republic of China as part of its...
, a group of islands a few kilometres away and under Taiwanese control, from Xiamen island.
Culture
The local vernacularVernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
is Amoy, a dialect of Southern Min
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
(閩南), also called Hokkien. Amoy is widely used and understood across the southern region of Fujian province as well as overseas. While it is widely spoken in and around Xiamen, the Amoy dialect has no official status, and the official language of all government business is Mandarin.
Xiamen is famous for South Music, Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, puppet show, Gezi Opera and temple celebration events.
Music
Gulangyu in Xiamen is an island of 1.78 square kilometers. Once you enter the island's residential area, you will begin to hear the soft echo of music. Gulangyu is also called "Piano Island" by locals, piano music drifts from the villas and lingers throughout the island's narrow streets, many a famous Chinese musician hails from Xiamen. Every May there's an international music festival, and piano competitions and music festivals are also frequently held. On Huangyan Lu, on the way to Sunlight Rock, there's a concert hall where classical concerts are regularly held on weekends.Art
Xiamen has strong industry advantage in hand painted 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.
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 paraxylene factory by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Co. Ltd., which is owned by Taiwanese
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
businessman Chen Yu-hao.
Shopping
Xiamen has a wide variety of department storeDepartment store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s. There are also supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s run by Metro
Metro Cash and Carry
-Romania:METRO Cash and Carry was one of the first international food and non-food retail chains to enter the Romanian market, opening its first store in 1996 in Bucharest, near Henri Coandă International Airport....
and Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
and the ShoeMart Shopping Mall
SM City Xiamen
SM City Xiamen is a shopping centre in Xiamen city, Fujian province, China. It is owned by SM Prime Holdings, the largest retail and mall operator in the Philippines. It is the first SM Supermall on mainland China, which opened on December 13, 2001....
which is owned and operated by Mr. Henry Sy
Henry Sy
Henry Sy is a Chinese Filipino businessman and the founder of SM Group and chairman of SM Prime Holdings, the largest retailer and shopping mall operator in the Philippines. He earned his Associate of Arts degree in Commercial Studies at Far Eastern University in 1950...
a businessman who hails from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. There are also supermarkets on university campuses and they have delivery services for many goods. In the university campus, there are many bookstores. Both the supermarkets and bookstores are open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In Xiamen, there are also night markets.
Zhongshan Lu
This is the main commercial street in Xiamen. It includes shophouses with the latest fashion, shoes and wide variety of products. A large section of the street (between the ferry landing and Siming Street) has recently been fully pedestrianized. Between Zhongshan Lu and Shengping Lu, across Shuixian Lu, is the recently famous old street Zhenbang Lu 镇邦路, where this year's hottest Chinese movie Crazy Racer 疯狂的赛车 was filmed. Check out Wave Arthouse 味创意空间 and Atu on 24 Zhenbang Lu, the latest hotbed for creative industries in an old house.Xiahe Lu
This is a newly established busy commercial precinct in Xiamen. Shopping centres located here include Railway Station World Trading Mall, Chengda Mall, Holiday World for Women and Children, Eupa and 3C.Bailuzhou Shopping and Recreational Centre
This is situated in the upper Hubin Zhonglu and has a large assortment of shops and restaurants.Colleges and universities
National
- Xiamen UniversityXiamen UniversityXiamen University , colloquially known as Xia Da , located in Xiamen, Fujian province, is the first university in China founded by overseas Chinese. Before 1949, it was originally known as the University of Amoy. The school motto is "Pursue Excellence, Strive for Perfection "...
(厦门大学)(founded 1921) - Jimei UniversityJimei UniversityJimei University is a public university located in Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China.-History:Founded in 1918, Jimei University was the result of combining five institutes and colleges in the Jimei Schools Village...
(集美大学)
These two were both founded by Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee was a prominent businessman, community leader, and philanthropist in colonial Singapore, and a Communist leader in the People's Republic of China.- Early years :...
.
- Huaqiao UniversityHuaqiao UniversityHuaqiao University is a national university located in Xiamen and Quanzhou, Fujian province, China.Huaqiao University was founded in 1960, with support from the late Chinese premier and historical figure Zhou Enlai, for students of overseas Chinese backgrounds to pursue tertiary education in...
(华侨大学)
Public
- Xiamen University of TechnologyXiamen University of TechnologyXiamen University of Technology is a provincial public university located in Xiamen, Fujian province, China. -History:The university was established in 1981 under the name Lujiang Industrial University...
(厦门理工学院) - Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College (厦门大学嘉庚学院)
- Jimei University Chengyi College (集美大学诚毅学院)
- Xiamen Institue of Technology of Huaqiao University (华侨大学厦门工学院)
Private
- Xiamen Oceanography Vocational College (厦门海洋职业技术学院)
- Xiamen Nanyang College (厦门南洋学院)
- Xiamen Performing Arts College (厦门演艺职业学院)
- Xiamen Software College (厦门软件学院)
Military
Xiamen is headquarters of the 31st Group Army31st Army (People's Republic of China)
The 31st Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Nanjing Military Region...
of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
, one of the three group armies under the Nanjing Military Region, which is responsible for the defense of the eastern China
East China
East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include...
, including any military action in the Taiwan Strait.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Xiamen is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, United Kingdom, since 1983 Sasebo, Nagasaki
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
, Japan, since 1983 Cebu
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
, Philippines, since 1984 Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, United States, since 1985 Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand, since 1987 Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Malaysia, since 1993 Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast
There are several places around the globe that use the name Sunshine Coast. They are collections of coastal towns and/or cities that have banded together, usually for tourist promotional reasons...
, Australia, since 1999 Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania, since 2001 Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, Mexico, since 2003 Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
, Netherlands, since 2004 Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, Malaysia, since 2006 Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Indonesia, since 2006 Mokpo
Mokpo
Mokpo is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula. Mokpo has frequent train service to Seoul and is the terminus for a number of ferry routes serving islands in the adjacent Yellow Sea...
, South Korea, since 2007 Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
, Canada, since 2008 Marathon, Greece
Marathon, Greece
Marathon is a town in Greece, the site of the battle of Marathon in 490 BC, in which the heavily outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persians. The tumulus or burial mound for the 192 Athenian dead that was erected near the battlefield remains a feature of the coastal plain...
, since 2009
Notable inhabitants
- Han Kuo-HuangHan Kuo-Huang- Early life and education :Han was born in Xiamen, China and grew up in Taiwan. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Taiwan. In 1960 he assisted Elizabeth Hovhaness, the wife of the American composer Alan Hovhaness, in obtaining recordings of Chinese and Taiwainese music during her trip to...
, ethnomusicologist - KoxingaKoxingaKoxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
, a MingMing DynastyThe Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
loyalist - Lai ChangxingLai ChangxingLai Changxing began as a Chinese businessman and entrepreneur from Jinjiang, Fujian, People's Republic of China. He was the founder and Chairman of the lucrative Yuanhua Group in the Special Economic Zone of Xiamen. At his height he has been credited with converting China from communism to...
, businessman - Raymond LamRaymond LamRaymond Lam Fung is a Hong Kong actor and singer contracted to the television station TVB and EEG's Music Plus label. He has been famous with his "choking" look.-Early years:Raymond Lam was born into a wealthy family...
, TVB actor and singer
