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Explore the region
About Xiamen
South Putuo’s halls stand below Wulao Peaks, while the neighbouring campus combines Minnan architectural traditions with later institutional buildings. Across the water, Gulangyu preserves the villas and churches of a former international settlement. Keep the island ferry day separate from the mainland temple-and-campus outing, so there is time to appreciate each setting rather than rush between transport points.
Xiamen developed from Tong'an County (同安县), established in 282 during the Western Jin dynasty, whose jurisdiction covered today's Xiamen and Kinmen. By the mid-ninth century the island was renamed Jiahe Yu (嘉禾屿) for its abundant rice harvests. In 1387, during the Ming dynasty, Zhou Dexing (周德兴) built a defense garrison on the island against Japanese pirates; the walled town was completed in 1394. Because the town lay downstream of Haimen Islet on the Jiulong River, it was named 'Xiamen', meaning 'Gate of the Mansion'. After the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing, Xiamen became one of China's first five treaty ports.
Xiamen, nicknamed Egret Island (鹭岛), borders Quanzhou and Zhangzhou and faces Kinmen County across the strait. The city is a bay-shaped urban area formed from Xiamen Island, Gulangyu (鼓浪屿) and other islands together with the coastal districts of Haicang, Jimei, Tong'an and Xiang'an. It has been recognized by the State Council as a modern marine city and an internationally integrated transport hub city.
Xiamen is known as a hometown of overseas Chinese and functions as a major transport hub, with a large container port and an international airport handling substantial passenger traffic. Its listed sights include Gulangyu (鼓浪屿), inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2017, Wanshi Mountain (万石山), the Jimei School Village (集美学村), Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) and Xiamen University.
What to look for
- South Putuo Temple beneath Wulao Peaks and the neighbouring university architecture.
- Gulangyu’s former-settlement churches, villas and musical heritage.
Background & history
Xiamen, historically romanized as Amoy, is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang, and Xiang'an. The urbanized area of the city has spread from its original island to include most parts of all six of its districts, as well as 4 Zhangzhou districts (Xiangcheng, Longwen, Longhai and Changtai), which form a built-up area of 7,284,148 inhabitants. This area also connects with Quanzhou in the north, making up a metropolis of nearly ten million people. The Kinmen Islands (Quemoy) administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan) lie less than 6 kilometers (4 mi) away separated by Xiamen Bay. As part of the Opening Up Policy under Deng Xiaoping, Xiamen became one of China's original four special economic zones opened to foreign investment and trade in the early 1980s. Xiamen Island possesses a major international seaport. The Port of Xiamen is a well-developed first-class trunk line port in the Asia-Pacific region.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: Xiamen · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.
Location & getting there
Getting to Xiamen
For a southern-island visit, choose onward transport to Siming South Road and the South Putuo area. From Gaoqi Airport, confirm the T3 or T4 arrival terminal before arranging the city transfer; Gulangyu requires a separate ferry booking and departure terminal.
Combine your visit
A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.
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South Putuo Temple南普陀寺
Begin with the temple’s sequence of Buddhist halls.
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Xiamen University Siming campus厦门大学
Continue with the adjacent architecture if a visitor reservation is confirmed.
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Gulangyu on a separate ferry outing鼓浪屿
Compare the former international settlement with the main island.
This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.
Find Xiamen overview
厦门 · 厦门市
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Xiamen Botanical Garden 厦门园林植物园
3 km awayXiamen Botanical Garden uses a rocky hillside setting for a series of specialised plant collections. Rainforest World contrasts dense tropical planting with the open shapes of the succulent collection, while the palm area…
View guide →South Putuo Temple 南普陀寺
4 km awaySouth Putuo’s halls rise towards the wooded Wulao Peaks beside Xiamen University. The temple’s dedication to Guanyin is expressed most clearly in the Great Compassion Hall, while the Heavenly Kings Hall introduces the sequence…
View guide →Gulangyu Island 鼓浪屿
4 km awayGulangyu’s steep lanes pass former consulates, churches and villas built during its international-settlement period. The variety is especially clear around the Catholic church, Union Church and Eight Diagrams Mansion, now…
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
- Xiamen ↗
- xiamenairport.com.cn ↗
- www.xmferry.com ↗
- Chinese Wikipedia: 厦门市 (revision 94238528, 2026-09-08) ↗
- English Wikipedia: Xiamen (revision 1373073623, 2026-09-03) ↗
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “Xiamen” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1373073623.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "厦门市", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 94238528.
Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Xiamen", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1373073623.