Xiamen is a beautiful tourist city. Thanks to its picturesque scenery and abundant foods, it is home to a large number of egrets, hence the name ‘Egret Island'. Located in the southeastern coastal area of China, Xiamen is linked with Zhangzhou, presenting the landscape of the Golden Triangle in South Fujian, and faces Jinmen across the sea. The city has a sub-tropical maritime climate, and it is like spring all the year around. With various kinds of beautiful flowers, a great number of egrets flying leisurely and carefree, Xiamen id an ideal holiday resort, a paradise for tourists.
The city's clean, tidy and sanitary environment, civilized and polite citizens and a natural and beautiful environment have formed the harmonious, quiet and peaceful features and atmosphere.
In Xiamen, time seems go slowly. The calm pedestrians on the street, the people drinking Gongfu Tea in leisure, and the locals who speak slow South Fujian dialects create a leisure and comfortable atmosphere. With smooth traffic, people need not to be hurry to go on a trip to other places. In Xiamen , tourists will slow down their steps without knowing while enjoying the city's special taste.
Basis Information
Chinese name: 厦门
Location: South of China
Dialing code: 0592
Zip code: 361000
Official Language: Chinese
Currency: RMB
Main attractions in Xiamen: Gulangyu Island, South Putuo Temple, Hulishan Fort, etc.
Administration Distribution
Since 2003, Xiamen Island is composed of Siming, Huli, Jimei, Haicang, Tong’an and Xiang’an Districts. The main attractions are mainly located in Xiamen Island and Gulangyu Island, that is, in Siming District and Huli District.
Xiamen comprises Xiamen Island (longitude 118° 04'04"E, latitude 24° 26'46" N.), Gulangyu Island, and larger region on the mainland stretching from the left bank of the Jiulong River in the west to the islands of Xiang'an in the north east. This region accounts for four of the municipality's six district governments; Huli District and Siming District (except Gulangyu) are on Xiamen Island. The Gaoji (Gaoqi-Jimei) Causeway built in 1955—57 transformed Xiamen Island into a peninsula and so it was termed in the heady propaganda of the time.
Just east of Xiamen Island are the islands of Quemoy (Kinmen, or Jinmen) and Little Quemoy (Xiao Jinmen), which are governed by the Republic of China, based in Taiwan.
History
During the early Jin Dynasty, the place was made Tong'an County in 282, which belonged to Jingan prefecture and was merged into Nanan County later on. In 909 Wang Shengzhi became the king of Min and Fuzhou was the capital. In 949, Southern Tang (937-975) upgraded Quanzhou into Qingyuanjun which was changed into Pinghaijun in 963. During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), the city was a seaport open to foreign trade.
In Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this place was under the control of Quanzhou Government. 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 the mid-17th century, Xiamen and Gulangyu Island became a stronghold of Zheng Chenggong, known in the West as Koxinga, a Ming loyalist who held out against the Manchu invaders until being driven to Taiwan.
After the Opium Wars, Xiamen became one of the first treaty ports to be opened to foreign trade and settlement following the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. Gulangyu Island was transformed into an international settlement, where many Victorian and Neoclassical style buildings still survive.
Xiamen was founded in 1394 at the beginning of the Ming dynasty as a center of defense against coastal pirates. Its prosperity was due to its deepwater sheltered harbor, that supplanted nearby Quanzhou, the port that had been the center of the maritime trade with the Indies.
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, then was upgraded to a vice-province-class city, or a municipality. Today, Siming is the name of main city district of downtown Xiamen.
Climate
Xiamen has a monsoonal humid subtropical climate, characterized by long, hot and humid summers and short, mild and dry winters. It is liable to typhoons in late summer and early autumn. The warmest month is July, at 28.5 °C (83.3 °F), and oddly, the coolest month is February, at 13.2 °C (55.8 °F). The annual precipitation is 1,350 mm (53.1 in), with substantial rainfall beginning in late February. It is liable to typhoons in late summer and early autumn.
• Best Time to Visit
March, April, May, October, and November are the best time to visit. July and August is the typhoon season in Xiamen, if you are planning to visit to Xiamen during the time period, you must pay more attention to weather. Because of the influence of typhoon, flight might be cancelled, some attractions may be closed. So a trip to Xiamen should avoid the typhoon season.
• Dressing Tips
♦ January is the coldest month, with temperature between 9-11℃. Cottons or down jackets are needed. July is the hottest month. A shirt of sport pants would be enough. Spring and autumn is cool and comfortable. But need to prepare a thin coat.
Tourism
Xiamen has pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, unique Fujian and Taiwan customs, delicious seafood, all kinds of exotic architecture, which attracts many foreigners, especially oversea Chinese to visit the city. it has become one of the livable city in China.
• Best Places to Visit
♦ Gulangyu Island – selected as the top of the five most beautiful city districts by "China National Geographic Magazine"; known as the "Sea Garden". And there are a lot of many intact retains buildings with Chinese and foreign architectural styles. Residents on the island like music, and piano can be commonly found here, known as “Island of Piano”. The main tourist attractions on the island includes: Sunshine Rock, Shuzhuang Garden, Piano Museum, Bright Moon Park, etc.
♦ South Putuo Temple - originally built in the Tang Dynasty, is one of the Buddhist Holy Land in south of Fujian. Tianwang Hall, the Great Buddha’s Hall, the Great Mercy Temple are majestic and beautiful.
♦ Huandao Ring Road - The main track of Xiamen International Marathon, known as the world's most beautiful marathon track. The greening along the road is beautiful
♦Hulishan Fortress – built in Qing Dynasty. It is near to Xiamen University. The semi-bunker and semi-wall fort shows the European style, as well as the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Shopping
Zhongshan Road (YatSen Road) is the most famous commercial street in Xiamen. You can find anything you need in Xiamen in this street. Longtou Road on Gulangyu Island, Robinson Plaza, SM Shopping Mall - or known as SM Lifestyle Center, two large shopping malls that are part of the Filipino SM chain (whose founder happens to have been born in Xiamen). Located at the intersection of Xiānyuè Lu and Jiāhé Lu, Shi Mao Mall are great places to shop as well.
You may visit
Xiamen Shopping to find more.
Transportation
As one of main cities and a hot tourist destination in Fujian province, Xiamen enjoys convenient transportation.
Air
There is only one airport in Xiamen. By air is the most convenient and comfortable way to reach Xiamen. The airport connects most of main cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Xian, Chongqing, etc. It also owns some international air routes, but mostly connects cities in South-east countries.
Add: Dailiao Rd., Huli District, Xiamen
Tel: 0592-5706017, 0592-6028940, 0592-6020033
Website: www.xiac.com.cn/
Rail
There are three main passenger train stations in Xiamen: Xiamen Railway Station, Gaoqi Railway Station, Xiamen North Railway Station. Although there are high-speed trains traveling between Xiamen and other cities, such as Shanghai, Fujian, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, etc., but it is still travel by air instead of taking the train, as train travel is a little long.
Xiamen Railway Station
It is located in southwest of the city, near to the downtown. Almost al the trains which pass Xiamen will pass through this station.
Add: Crossing of Xiahe Rd. and Hudong Rd.
Tel: 0592-5111798
Xiamen North Railway Station
It is located outside Xiamen Island, a little far away from Xiamen downtown. It is mainly responsible for the high-speed train from other cities inside Fujian province, such as Fuzhou, and high-speed trains from other cities outside Fujian Province, such as Shanghai, Hanghzou, Nanjing, etc.
Add: Houxi Town, Jimei District, Xiamen
Tel: 0592-2038888
How to get: take bus to taxi to get off at Xiamen North Railway Station
Xiamen Gaoqi Railway Station
It is located in the north of Xiamen island, it is main responsible for freight transport and limited passenger transfer. If you travel to or from Xuzhou, Jingdezhen, Zhengzhou, etc., you can arrive or depart from this station.
Add: Gaoqi Town, Xiamen
How to get: take bus or taxi to get off at Gaoqi Railway Station
Bus
There are three main passenger bus stations in Xiamen: Jimei Long-distance Bus Station, Hubin Bus Station and Songbai Bus Station. If you are traveling to Xiamen from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong, taking the bus would be a good choice as well.
Jimei Long-distance Bus Station
It is located outside Xiamen Island, a little far from Xiamen downtown. It is responsible for arrival and departure of long-distance buses of many big cities from all over the country. It is mainly responsible for the buses to & from Guangdong.
Add: 159 Yinjiang Road, Jimei District, Xiamen
Tel: 0592-6068319
Hubin Bus Station
It is located in Xiamen Island, near to Xiamen Railway Station.
Add: 59 Hubin South Rd., Siming District, Xiamen
Tel: 0592-2215533
Songbai Bus Station
It is located in Xiamen Island near to Gaoqi Railway Station. It is mainly responsible for the train inside Fuzhou.
Tel: 0592-5089328
How to get: take bus or taxi.
Ship
There are actually two different ferry terminals in Xiamen. One is called Dongdu (东渡/厦门国际邮轮中心) on the west side of the island near the Marco Polo and Pan Pacific Hotels. The other is called Wutong (五通客运码头) on the east side of the island near the Xiang'an Tunnel. Currently, only the Wutong terminal has boats to/from Kinmen.
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