Kang Youwei Island in Stockholm, Sweden

According to historical records, after the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Kang Youwei fled to Sweden in 1904 and bought a small island near the capital, Stockholm. He built a Chinese garden on the island and named it Beihai Caotang. Three years later, in 1907, Kang Youwei left Beihai Caotang and never returned to the island. There are different interpretations of Kang Youwei's purchase of the island, and in the past, it had a certain mysterious aura due to its remoteness. A hundred years later, I have always wanted to find out the current state of the island. After communicating with scholars who have studied this for many years in Stockholm, it is confirmed that the current Restaurangholmen restaurant island is the small island that Kang Youwei bought back then, which was later referred to as Kang Youwei Island by the Chinese. In August 2004, I visited the island twice for on-site inspections and finally got to see its true appearance. The island is about a half-hour drive southeast of Stockholm Central Station, connected to a lake island by two wooden bridges that can accommodate small cars, forming a passage about a hundred meters long that connects to the affluent residential area of Saltsjobaden on the opposite shore. In the middle of the passage, there is a sculpture of a Swedish pop singer's head on a pillar over half a person's height. Upon entering the island, it is visually estimated to be about 300 meters long and 130 meters wide at its widest point, with an irregular long block shape that rises at the top. Over time, the historical evidence of Kang Youwei and Beihai Caotang has long been difficult to find. There is a walking path around the island, with a viewing platform by the water for enjoying the sea view. The rocks by the sea are quite spectacular, suitable for sitting or standing. Among the giant rocks and pine forests, at the top of the small island about 20 meters high, there are four three-story red-walled green-roofed row villas arranged in a concave shape. On one side of the island, there is a beach swimming area, a yacht marina, and a café. On-site information shows that the swimming area and its facilities have a history of over a hundred years. Walking around the island, the Baltic Sea glistens in the sunlight, with rows of white yacht masts standing tall. The blue sea, colorful wooden houses, ancient pine forests, flowers, tourists, and white sails form a rich, three-dimensional, and vivid scene with the forest-covered outer island skyline, making the scenery so enchanting that one does not want to leave. Kang Youwei once said, 'The beauty of the world's landscapes, Sweden is the first; the beauty of Sweden's landscapes, Saltsjobaden is the first, and I have obtained it. If it were not for the worry of China's demise and the danger of the yellow race, I would be content here and have no other desires. I could grow old here.' Kang Youwei also wrote, 'Sweden has hundreds of thousands of islands, countless pavilions under the moonlight... Outside the island, there is a lake, outside the lake, there is an island, in the mountains, there is a market, in the market, there are mountains... I want to move my residence here.' Now, being here in person, I understand why Kang Youwei was so fond of this place back then. Time flies! Today, walking on the rocks and paths where Kang Youwei once wandered, I can't help but feel that the world is like smoke. The sky is vast, and the water is boundless, just like the summer clouds in front of me, ever-changing! A person in the universe is so short-lived and insignificant... Transportation: Stockholm Central Station—T-central—Slusen—Soltsjobaden