Xiamen Kulangsu 1-Day Tour [Includes Boat Ticket + Guide Commentary]

▲ Visit the Most Beautiful Corner and Explore Core World Heritage Sites on Foot

▲ Kulangsu was originally named "Yuanshazhou" and also known as "Yuanzhouzi." During the Southern Song Dynasty, it was called "Wulongyu," and in the Ming Dynasty, it was renamed "Kulangsu." The name derives from a reef on the southwest side of the island. When the tide rises, the waves striking the reef sound like drumbeats, earning it the name "Gulangshi" (Drum Wave Rock), from which Kulangsu got its current name.

▲ Kulangsu emerged as early as the Neolithic Age over 3,000 years ago. By the Song Dynasty, people began settling on the island, and the population gradually flourished over time. [18] During the Ming Dynasty, Kulangsu was further developed. In 1573, the island's earliest stone inscription "Gulang Dongtian" appeared on Sunlight Rock. In 1586, the Lotus Nunnery was established on Sunlight Rock. In 1650, Zheng Chenggong set up camp and trained his naval forces at Sunlight Rock, leaving behind historical sites such as the "Camp Gate," "Naval Training Platform," and "Fujing Spring."

▲ In August 1841, the British naval fleet captured Kulangsu and established artillery positions on the hilltop to control Xiamen. In August 1842, the Qing government signed the unequal Treaty of Nanjing with Britain, designating Xiamen as one of the five treaty ports. Subsequently, Britain, the United States, and Spain successively established consulates on Kulangsu.

▲ After the Opium War, Xiamen was designated as one of the five treaty ports, and countries such as Britain, the United States, Germany, France, and Japan successively established consulates on the island. In 1844, the U.S. government dispatched Columbus to Xiamen, where he set up a "Communication and Postal Office" near the Tianwei Ball Field on Kulangsu, also acting as a consul. In 1865, the office was upgraded to a consulate and later relocated to Sanhe Road (now No. 26 Sanming Road) for operations.

▲ In 1902, after the "Xiamen Kulangsu Public Land Regulations" and the "Revised Public Land Regulations" came into effect, the Kulangsu Municipal Council led by Britain and the Mixed Court were established on the island to handle local administrative and judicial affairs. From then on, Kulangsu had effectively become an international settlement. During the occupation of Xiamen, following the Pearl Harbor incident, the island was taken over by Japan.

▲ In December 1941, with the outbreak of the Pacific War, Japan occupied Kulangsu exclusively. On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered unconditionally, and Kulangsu was returned to the people of Xiamen. [20] By the end of 1945, during the Kuomintang rule, a district was established on Kulangsu. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has continued to be called Kulangsu District.

▲ On April 26, 2003, the former Kulangsu District, Kaiyuan District, and Siming District were merged to form the new Siming District. At the same time, after the abolition of Xiamen's Kulangsu District as an administrative division, the Kulangsu Subdistrict Office was established within its former administrative area.

▲ On July 13, 2006, the historic buildings on Kulangsu will be transformed into bars, cafes, bookstores, and more. The relevant authorities will offer some of the historic buildings with clarified property rights for investment opportunities.

▲ On November 29, 2014, Xiamen implemented the "Island-wide Museum" initiative for Kulangsu, integrating key historical buildings and various consulates into a public, wall-free eco-museum system. That same year, Kulangsu completed restoration plans for 13 national key cultural heritage sites, including the former U.S. Consulate, the former HSBC Bank Mansion, the Catholic Church, Anxian Building, and the former Xiamen Customs Commissioner's Residence.