Islet values its heritage
Picturesque locale reduces crowds to draw discerning visitors, writes David Powell
Nestled off the island of Xiamen is the two-square-kilometre Gulangyu islet, a lovely spot equally noted for what it has and for what it lacks. Buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century abound, as do beaches, museums and shops. Notably absent are cars, bicycles and the neon-heavy signs that are so common on the mainland.
A former concession town during the pre-second-world-war era, and the home of an abundance of piano- and trade-loving Westerners, the islet was known through the turn of the 20th century as a haven for well-to-do Xiamen residents.
"I've been here 25 years, and when I first arrived, there were just two places to buy dried goods," says Huang Biying, owner of the popular Jianfa Dry Goods Store on Longtao Road. "It wasn't about tourism back then," she adds. "It was quiet and clean, but there was little business back in the day."
That has changed, and sites such as Sunlight Rock, which towers above the isle, Gulangyu's Piano Museum and Shuzhuang Garden - a beachside park containing a zigzagging bridge over water - are must-see spots that draw crowds.
While Gulangyu was long known to locals as Xiamen's crown jewel for architectural and natural splendour, its reputation skyrocketed in the middle of the past decade.
"It must have been about seven or eight years ago that Gulangyu became more famous and the changes have been great; there's more energy and people, the place is more famous," says a local landlord surnamed Wang, who rents out more than a dozen apartments on the islet.
To some degree, the islet was a victim of its success, with tourist shops and touts at one time threatening to overwhelm the local scene. In an effort to preserve Gulangyu's character and to advance the mainland's bid to gain Unesco World Heritage Site status for the islet, tourism has been reduced by moving its access to Xiamen's Dongdu Ferry Terminal.
"Tourists are still coming, even if ferry access has changed," says Chen Bin, owner of the premium Juicy Cafe on 30 Guxing Road. "Business is different because local residents from Xiamen are not coming as often as before. Lower-end tourists who are put off by the higher ferry rates of 35 yuan may choose to stay in Xiamen."
As important as tourists are today, the fate of local residents will determine the long-term viability of Gulangyu, says another apartment owner, surnamed Li. "If there's a genuine local community, people will want to come. The islet needs to maintain a suitable hospital and good schools." Preserving the islet's present may be its best hope of saving its past and its future.