Chinese Island Culture and Gardens

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Overview

One of many stairs with a street name Photo - Xiamen, China

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It was well worth getting up early during low tide to do some walking. The lighthouse and other formations were now accessible and provided an opportunity to take pictures of the mountains and statues. Locals had come out for low tide even earlier than us, collecting the day’s catch of clams and shells for the markets and souvenir shops. Old crab nets were also visible.The panoramic views from Sunlight Rock enabled you see rooftop architecture and mini gardens as well as the skyline of both Xiamen and Jimei Islands. I also found it to be a good way to figure out where the buildings of interest were so that we could meander in the general direction and find them. The evening offered illumin...Read More

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Xiamen Gulangyu International Youth Hostel

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Hotel | "Gulangyu Int’l Youth Hostel"

Banyan Tree Seeking the Sea Photo - Xiamen Gulangyu International Youth Hostel, Xiamen, China

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The proximity to the ferry dock is a big plus for the Youth Hostel. The hotels more readily found on websites, and in turn, more expensive are located on the other side of the island. Considering the winding streets, several streets with the same name, and the lack of vehicles to carry you and your luggage, I was glad to be staying where we were. The most expensive places on the island have there own ferry dock, but I doubt they run as frequently as every 15 minutes, like the public ferry. Although the name may imply dorm accommodations, we had a double room, without bathroom. Showers were available on both floors with the lower bathrooms having squat toilets, and the upper having wester...Read More

The proximity to the ferry dock is a big plus for the Youth Hostel. The hotels more readily found on websites, and in turn, more expensive are located on the other side of the island. Considering the winding streets, several streets with the same name, and the lack of vehicles to carry you and your luggage, I was glad to be staying where we were. The most expensive places on the island have there own ferry dock, but I doubt they run as frequently as every 15 minutes, like the public ferry.

Although the name may imply dorm accommodations, we had a double room, without bathroom. Showers were available on both floors with the lower bathrooms having squat toilets, and the upper having western. Since most people seemed to take showers in the morning, you could run the risk of a tepid shower at that time. The stalls were individual, but as a whole, the bathrooms were coed. Towels are not provided and the hostel only sells the washcloth size.

Rooms are very basic with sheets and comforters on the bed, one overhead light and one table and pair of chairs. You keep the key to two locking cupboards available. There is no heater, so it can get a little cold in the winter months.

Washing machines were available for 5 yuan per load and they provided the detergent. As is quite common in China, there are no dryers. Everyone just hangs their laundry on the line alongside the hostel’s drying linen.

An extensive kitchen, with all kinds of cooking and eating utensils, is in another building. Many pots were large enough to cook for an army. There is also a refrigerator and some free condiments and rice. Some people chose to barbecue outside on the picnic tables. For meals, you will find vegetable markets and some convenience stores. There are no grocery stores, and aside from the vendors, only a few restaurants located in the finer hotels.

A lounge complete with large screen TV, lots and lots of travel magazines, and books was where the travelers congregated in the evening to exchange information and plan the next day’s activities. Three computers are available for a very reasonable 5 yuan per hour.

Super budget accommodations are offered in tents by the picnic tables. All necessary gear was provided.

The hostel sells a map. Be aware that north is not at the top of the map. Three streets can have the identical name. Alleys and stairs also had names.

Arriving at the ferry dock, turn left. The first street you see look to the right and you will see the hostel sign. Asking people where it is will get you nowhere. I was standing at that intersection when a vendor tried to sell me another hotel. When I asked where my hotel was, for which I had the address, he shrugged. A passerby pointed up the street where I saw the sign for the hotel.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 21, 2006

Xiamen Gulangyu International Youth Hostel
No.18 Luqiao Road
Gulangyu Island, Xiamen, China 361000

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Haoyue (Bright Moon) Park

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Attraction

Beyond the statue towards Xiamen Photo - Haoyue (Bright Moon) Park, Xiamen, China

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Bright Moon Park, also known as Haoyue Park, includes not only the famous statue, but also areas of the beach that are not accessible without paying the entry fee of 15Y. It is open from 8am to 6pm, and takes about 2 hours to cover.In honor of Zheng Chenggong, a granite stone sculpture of him stands looking over the sea. Constructed in 1985, it weighs 1400 tons, and stands nearly 53 feet high. It was designed to withstand a scale 12 typhoon and earthquakes registering 8 on the Richter scale. It is the largest stone sculpture of a historical figure in China. Standing on the platform, you can see the zigzag walk to the Emperor’s Palace and the small lighthouse just beyond it. Zheng ...Read More

Bright Moon Park, also known as Haoyue Park, includes not only the famous statue, but also areas of the beach that are not accessible without paying the entry fee of 15Y. It is open from 8am to 6pm, and takes about 2 hours to cover.

In honor of Zheng Chenggong, a granite stone sculpture of him stands looking over the sea. Constructed in 1985, it weighs 1400 tons, and stands nearly 53 feet high. It was designed to withstand a scale 12 typhoon and earthquakes registering 8 on the Richter scale. It is the largest stone sculpture of a historical figure in China. Standing on the platform, you can see the zigzag walk to the Emperor’s Palace and the small lighthouse just beyond it.

Zheng Chenggong had the cooking pots dismantled and thrown into the sea as a sign of his unwavering stand against the enemy as well as thwart off any kind of retreat. Although he never declared himself emperor, the site where he gathered his troops was dedicated to him and named Emperor’s Palace. The palace is not a palace at all. Instead, it is merely more of a gazebo overlooking the beach.

The Ming Empire fell in 1644, but the southeast coastal areas vowed to fight. Prince Tan did not have a son, so Zheng Chenggong served him. He was given the name Koxinga, which loosely translated means "lord of the royal surname.” After the rape and murder of his mother and Price Tan, Koxinga wanted revenge. He made Xiamen and Jinmen his bases and waged war. The general led some 25,000 troops from Xiamen to seize Taiwan from the Dutch in 1661. Less than a year later, the Dutch surrendered and a signed a treaty.

A bronze statue of Chenggong, and a few of his men on horses with drawn swords, appear to be coming right out of a wall directly at you. It is a very impressive, with careful attention to details. A short distance away is the Southern Stele Corridor, with 14 stone tables holding inscriptions honoring him. Just beyond this is a large grass area for relaxing and enjoying the views of the beach and skyline of Xiamen. There are many small gardens with plenty of potted flowering plants. A few food vendors and souvenir shops provide drinks and trinkets. Plenty of shady areas as well as sunny areas are available to meet the needs of the day’s climate. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 21, 2006

Haoyue (Bright Moon) Park
Tianwei Road
Xiamen, China 361001
+86 (0)592 205 4022

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Sunlight Rock

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Attraction

Sunlight Peak at Dusk Photo - Sunlight Rock, Xiamen, China

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Sunlight Park is a large park encompassing two areas connected by a cable car. The hours are 8:30am-5pm, and it is located on Tianwei Road. The 60Y entrance fee includes the cable car ride once in each direction. You are permitted to exit the park once and enter it at the other side if you don’t care for heights. At the top is the imposing granite Sunlight Peak rising up to 304 feet in height, with a diameter of 132 feet. The shape is said to resemble the sun, and at sunrise, Sunlight Temple and the rock radiate. Narrow stairways wind around and between huge boulders before ending at the summit. The last set of stairs, before reaching the small platform, has guards acting as traffic offic...Read More

Sunlight Park is a large park encompassing two areas connected by a cable car. The hours are 8:30am-5pm, and it is located on Tianwei Road. The 60Y entrance fee includes the cable car ride once in each direction. You are permitted to exit the park once and enter it at the other side if you don’t care for heights.

At the top is the imposing granite Sunlight Peak rising up to 304 feet in height, with a diameter of 132 feet. The shape is said to resemble the sun, and at sunrise, Sunlight Temple and the rock radiate. Narrow stairways wind around and between huge boulders before ending at the summit. The last set of stairs, before reaching the small platform, has guards acting as traffic officers to direct the flow of the people. The top affords panoramic views of Xiamen and nearby Jimei Island. At dusk, the Xiamen skyline is lit-up, and colored floodlights begin illuminating the peak of Gulangyu.

At the base of the park is a memorial hall built in honor of Zheng Chenggong and his defeat of the Dutch occupation. Along the path are also his training grounds and many inscriptions left by poets. Unfortunately, there are no English translations.

The park at the other end of the cable car has an outstanding bird aviary. There were many peacocks, but I found myself practically chasing after the all-white peacock and the mixed one. I wanted good photographs of such unusual and beautiful birds. A pagoda near a pond offered an opportunity to watch a comical pelican startling people as he swooped down for landings. Graceful egrets and herons seemed to pose for photographers, while cranes and storks gobbled up fish from the pond. Beautifully colored wood ducks floated by as onlookers stood at the ready with their cameras.

The aviary, situated on the side of the mountain with uneven terrain, flowing streams, and benches make you forget you are in a park. There are some birds in cages at the entrance, which consists mostly of parrots, macaws, and cockatoos that could possible be harmful to visitors.

Qinyuan Gardens has large stones with Chinese characters, and several squares in which you can enjoy the various trees and views. There are also bronze statues of soldiers and horses interspersed along the path. The gardens have many plum trees, which are quite beautiful when in bloom. These are known as the “flowers of the city.”

Other points of interest are minor compared to the rock itself. These include Ri Guang Yan Temple with incense burning in a pot at the entrance. The park also encompasses a nice beach that is popular with the locals for playing in the sand and splashing in the water. There also many steles (inscriptions) carved in the boulders. Exploration of the park can easily take all day.

Except the peak itself, much of this park is accessible to the disabled. The cable cars are not required between the two sections of the park. You are permitted to exit/entry one additional time. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 21, 2006

Sunlight Rock
Tianwei Road
Xiamen, China 361001
+86 (0)592 205 4022

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Shuzhuang Garden

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Attraction

Pond at the base of Maze Photo - Shuzhuang Garden, Xiamen, China

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Shuzhuang Garden, originally a Taiwan businessman’s private villa, became a garden park open to the public in 1955. The park is divided into the Garden hiding the Sea and the Garden of Making-Up Hills. Feng Shu principals are used to incorporate man-made structures to work with nature, and maintain a correct balance of yin and yang energy. It was designed with three specific gardening requirements. Hence, man-made items add to what nature has already created in lieu of creating something completely out of place for its surroundings.1.The art of hiding is accomplished by the fact that the ocean is hidden from view until you are nearly at the edge.2.The art of combining movements is the posi...Read More

Shuzhuang Garden, originally a Taiwan businessman’s private villa, became a garden park open to the public in 1955. The park is divided into the Garden hiding the Sea and the Garden of Making-Up Hills. Feng Shu principals are used to incorporate man-made structures to work with nature, and maintain a correct balance of yin and yang energy. It was designed with three specific gardening requirements. Hence, man-made items add to what nature has already created in lieu of creating something completely out of place for its surroundings.

1.The art of hiding is accomplished by the fact that the ocean is hidden from view until you are nearly at the edge.
2.The art of combining movements is the positioning of the maze artwork into a slope containing rocks.
3.The art of borrowing from one’s surroundings uses the natural slope toward the sea to build bridges.

The rock maze built on the slope of the hill is wonderful. Narrow cement paths wind around walls made of rock and mortar, with some going through tunnels. It took a few minutes to realize that hidden within the walls were the heads of the 12 animals from Chinese astrology. Discovering that, I had to make sure I found and photographed all of them. At the bottom of the slope are two exits, or entries depending on your direction. Here, there was a narrow zigzag walkway crossing a pond with koi fish. This was great place to take a picture of the complete maze.

A zigzag bridge parallel to the shoreline, and nearly hugging the nearby boulders, seems to be very popular with the group tours as well as the individual travelers. This location offers views of the beach, with activities from sea doo and speedboat tours, to playing in the sand. Another direction looks up to the looming Sunlight Peak and another pond at the base of the maze. The beach in this area is not accessible without park entry.

Gulangyu has the most pianos per-capita in the world, averaging one in every five homes. Within the park is the Hall of Roaring Tides, where the Gulangyu Piano Museum is located. It houses over 40 antique pianos from around the world, and is the largest museum of its kind in Asia.

The gardens are used to breed subtropical plants as well provide a beautiful setting. There are more than 1000 types of plants cultivated here, and three nurseries for various purposes. One is for new types, one for experimental ideas, and a greenhouse for the flowers that beautify the expansive grounds.

The park, located on Tianwei Road, is open from 7am to 8pm, costs 30Y, and requires 2 to 3 hours.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 22, 2006

Shuzhuang Garden
Tian Wei Road
Xiamen, China 361001
+86 (0)592 227 4888

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Wanshi (Ten Thousand Stone) Botanical Garden

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Attraction | "Xiamen Botanical Gardens"

Zigzag walkway to Bamboo Garden Photo - Wanshi (Ten Thousand Stone) Botanical Garden, Xiamen, China

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Xiamen Botanical Gardens, also known as Wanshi and 10,000 Stones Garden, covers some 227 hectares. The gardens contain more than 4000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, spread among more than 20 nurseries. A map provided at the entrance indicates the main roads and paths within the park. Some of the popular sightseeing areas include: Conifer Forest, Epiphytes forest, Bamboo forest, Tropical forest, Stone forest, Cactus Garden, Herb Garden, Rose Garden, and an Orchid Garden.I was amazed to walk into a forest so dense in palms and ferns, cross a bridge, and suddenly be surrounded by evergreens. The forests are so thick you don’t realize what is next to it until you are in the middle of ...Read More

Xiamen Botanical Gardens, also known as Wanshi and 10,000 Stones Garden, covers some 227 hectares. The gardens contain more than 4000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, spread among more than 20 nurseries. A map provided at the entrance indicates the main roads and paths within the park. Some of the popular sightseeing areas include: Conifer Forest, Epiphytes forest, Bamboo forest, Tropical forest, Stone forest, Cactus Garden, Herb Garden, Rose Garden, and an Orchid Garden.

I was amazed to walk into a forest so dense in palms and ferns, cross a bridge, and suddenly be surrounded by evergreens. The forests are so thick you don’t realize what is next to it until you are in the middle of the next one. A large reservoir, bordered by the bamboo forest, contains a zigzag walkway and an arched bridge that lead to an island of huge rocks in the middle of the lake.

The epiphyte forest had a variety of bromeliads growing between the Y of tree branches, and in knotholes and orchids growing in the deep crevices of the bark. The stone forest contains the much-photographed Taiping Laughing Stone. A long, thin stone fell onto a large boulder, making it look as though it is laughing. Many of the large boulders have Chinese inscriptions on them.

One of the best things about this park is that there will also be something in bloom, whether it is the orchids, the roses, or the cactus. The temperate climate of this areas means that more likely than not, there will blooms in several areas.

A main road leads up a mountain to Heaven Border Temple. Here, the monks once would strike the bell every morning, 108 times. Unfortunately, I could not find out the significance of 108 strikes. Continuing beyond this temple are several scenic spots until you reach Camel Peak Summit. Here you can enjoy views of nearby mountains, a cable car, and the Xiamen skyline. Take the path along the fence on the return and you will be rewarded with more views, and some humorous ‘foot steps’ as indicated by my photograph.

There are several nice tea gardens to stop at, as well as a food court where you sit outside under one of the umbrellas, or along the stream. A nearby playground keeps the children amused if you wish to linger after dining. The park is open from 6am to 6:30pm, and has an entrance fee of 40Y. A full parking lot, and several tour buses, are an indication of the popularity of the park. Fortunately, the size keeps you from feeling crowded.

A good asphalt road for cars, as well as pedestrian use, makes this park accessible for handicapped persons. Pathways from the main road are even cement walkways that pass by forests and temples. Only the temples on the top of the hill via steeps steps would be inaccessible. Outdoor restaurants make dining easy as well. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 22, 2006

Wanshi (Ten Thousand Stone) Botanical Garden
Huyuan Road
Xiamen, China 361003
+86 (0)592 205 4022

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