Journey to Gulangyu Island

one

It is said that before the Song Dynasty, Gulangyu Island was still an uninhabited small island. Suddenly one day, a fisherman inadvertently landed on this desolate island. He was surprised to find that this place that had been forgotten by the world was actually full of green trees and red flowers, seabirds flying, and a clear river trickling. As a result, fishermen became the first residents of the island.

Then, not only more fishermen and soldiers came to the island, but also the houses and piers they built. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, someone wrote the four characters "Gulangdongtian" on the huge rock that was later called "Sunlight Rock". From then on, the remote seaside island got the name "Gulangyu".

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong came with hatred. At this time, the Ming Dynasty had already fallen into the hands of the Manchus. He led his troops to the north several times to no avail, so he had to station troops here to wait for the opportunity to restore the country. The old and young people from the Ming Dynasty who came with him, as well as the sad and sorrowful literati and poets, have stayed on this small island since then.

Although the Opium War was a pain for the Chinese nation, it opened the door of the country that had been dusty for thousands of years and opened a glimmer of hope for the feudal dynasty to integrate into the modern world civilization. In 1843, the British Empire established its first "consular office" on Gulangyu Island, and then 13 of the most developed countries in the world at the time also established consulates here. For a time, the small Gulangyu Island was filled with deafening sounds of tamping, numerous bungalows, and a completely new atmosphere.

Due to the special status of the public concession and the large amount of land sold by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on the island, a group of wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen who made a fortune in Nanyang came here to carry out construction projects, including reclamation, road construction, dock building, and luxury villas. Banks, shops, barber shops, and photo studios opened one after another, and world-class urban facilities such as electric lights, telephones, and running water came into being. A large number of Western missionaries arrived one after another, and churches, bookstores, hospitals, and schools were built.

"Jia Ke's wind and rafters are vying against the shore, and the fishermen's lights are far away." That was the most prosperous and beautiful moment of Gulangyu Island. In the last century, before the stormy revolution, the wealthy people on the island were frightened by the rumors from the mainland and left in panic. The red-haired and blue-eyed foreigners, envoys and diplomats from various countries also disappeared overnight, so ever since , Gulangyu has slowly become synonymous with loneliness and nostalgia.

In recent years, under the slogan "development is the last word", Gulangyu Island has turned stone into gold and become a good place to make money. Visiting here not only requires buying tickets, but also the tickets are expensive. The facilities in the empty bungalows are readily available to people, and the land under the buildings is a gift from God. How come people have to pay such a high price to walk around on their own land?

two

It's funny when I think about it. When I first heard the name Gulangyu, I thought it was a small emerald island with no people around, gulls flying in the air, and wind and waves rolling in the sky. However, the moment I landed on the island, the images that had been lingering in my mind were suddenly overturned by the various houses and buildings in front of me.

In the summer of 2011, I was on a business trip to Xiamen, and Ms. Zhang Qian, the secretary to the chairman of a certain company, accompanied me on Gulangyu Island for half a day. This outstanding girl is originally from Wuhan. When Xiamen became a special economic zone, many forward-thinking people in her family came here and easily made their first pot of gold. Seduced by this, when Zhang Qian filled out her application for the college entrance examination before graduating from high school, she ranked the prestigious Xiamen University as her first choice.

After four years of college life, she fell deeply in love with this land. After graduation, she found a job in a local joint venture company and was looking for a local boyfriend. With such an experienced girl as my guide, my first trip to Gulangyu Island was filled with joy and gain.

Accompanied by Zhang Qian, we took a ferry from Xiamen Pier, crossed the Lujiang River, and arrived at Gulangyu Island in an instant. Looking around, on the island, in addition to the unique buildings and terraces, there are grand and exquisite Western villas. The street is narrow, with various shops crowded on both sides. The shouts of sales are deafening, and the tourist groups are shouting in front of each other. The "Piano Island" that is supposed to be peaceful and elegant is no different from a noisy market.

three

Zhang Qian and I quickly reached a consensus to avoid the noisy crowds and slowly savor every exquisite "dish" in this "smorgasbord of architecture museums of all nations". There is no doubt that every building in Gulangyu Island is a witness of the times and preserves traces of history that will never disappear. Walking slowly along a small street without any motorized traffic is like strolling in front of the showcases displaying architectural masterpieces.

The prestigious Shuzhuang Garden was originally the private residence of Lin Erjia, a wealthy Taiwanese gentry. The owner of the garden named the garden after his character "Uncle Zang", which is a homophonic sound. Shuzhuang Garden is designed into two parts: Zanghai Garden and Bushan Garden, which connect the mountains and hide the sea, making it full of interest. The finishing touch is the Zanghai Garden. At the end of the winding path, on the stepping bridge, the waves are right under your feet. Looking up into the distance, you can see the sea intertwining with the blue sky, poetry and gulls flying together. Shuzhuang Garden was dedicated to the country by relatives of the Lin family in 1956 and became a seaside park with a unique style.

Gulangyu Island was once known as the "Piano Kingdom". There are less than 20,000 residents on the island, but there are more than 300 pianos. The world-famous "Piano Museum" is located in Lin Erjia's villa. It is said that a long time ago, when people entered Gulangyu Island, it was like walking into a huge concert hall, and the sounds of various tunes were endless. However, when I came to Gulangyu Island, I did not capture such a feeling. In addition to the silent buildings, there was the noise of the crowd, and there were colorful products.

This is a geomantic treasure land that produces musical geniuses. From Gulangyu Island came China's first female music conductor Zhou Su'an and the famous pianist Yin Chengzong. Yin Chengzong was born in Gulangyu Island. He was admitted to the High School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music at the age of 12. In 1959, he participated in the "Seventh World Youth Festival Piano Competition in Vienna" and won first place.

In 1966, Yin Chengzong quickly became popular for his arrangement and performance of "The Story of the Red Lantern" with piano accompaniment and the piano concerto "Yellow River". He became an example of "combination of literature and art with workers, peasants and soldiers" and "literature and art serving workers, peasants and soldiers". Yin Chengzong, who was in the limelight, even moved the piano to Beijing's Tiananmen Square to perform. In an era when rocket cadres were rising rapidly, he soon became deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Orchestra and a member of the Standing Committee of the Fourth National People's Congress.

Gulangyu Island is also the hometown of Lin Qiaozhi, the main pioneer of obstetrics and gynecology in China. As a doctor, I lingered for a long time in front of the small trigram-shaped building where Mr. Lin was born. There are countless doctors in the world. How many of them can reach the realm of Mr. Lin? ? Dr. Lin Qiaozhi has been practicing medicine for more than sixty years. With her superb skills and the excellent humanistic environment of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, she has become a master figure in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, creating the style and backbone of contemporary doctors.

I have heard such a story. In 1949, on the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, she received an invitation to attend the founding ceremony. But the time of the ceremony conflicted with the time of her medical visit. Between the dilemma, she chose the latter. This alone makes it impossible for us to compare with them. Today, the statue of Dr. Lin is erected in Yuyuan on Gulangyu Island. Facing this respectable old man, I not only feel admiration from the bottom of my heart, but also shame and shame.

The most distinctive feature of the Haitian building is the middle building that combines Chinese and Western styles. The reason why Zhang Qian wanted to bring me here was because it was a rare occasion when a folk orchestra was performing a Gaojia opera. Gaojia Opera originated in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. The opera form is a mixture of various styles and has distinctive local characteristics. The southern tune played was very fresh and unique, and the lyrics were basically incomprehensible. For me, the feeling of watching Gaojia opera here is the same as when foreigners first came to China to watch ancient costume Peking opera.

Huifeng Mansion, this British-style building built on the top of a cliff, seems to be held up high by a whole piece of broken rock. I think back then, the owner of the building only had to open the curtains to have a panoramic view of the sea, mountains, and the lights of fishermen. Nowadays, it has fallen into disrepair, and only memories of its past glory remain.

Fan Po House, a combination of delicate rococo art elements and traditional Chinese craftsmanship, is soft and gorgeous. There is a servant building behind the villa building, and a specially built stage in front of the building. It was a filial gift from the Filipino industrialist Xu Jingquan to his mother. Xu's mother, who was accustomed to life in southern Fujian, lived alone here for a long time. The neighbors called this rich old lady Fan Po, and this building was called Fan Po House.

Huang Family Garden was once known as the "No. 1 Villa in China". It is the residence of Huang Yi, the richest man in the Republic of China, the "Indonesian Sugar King". It is said that this man had 20 children. Such a huge and luxurious residence was carefully crafted to accommodate such a large family when he returned from Indonesia in 1919 to settle down. In the 1950s, the Huang Family Garden was taken over by the government and became a high-end hotel hosting dignitaries from various countries.

It is said that Lin Yutang's former residence is the oldest villa on Gulangyu Island, with a history of more than 150 years. This was once the residence of the Liao family, the richest man in Gulangyu Island. It was called the former residence of Lin Yutang because Lin Yutang married the second daughter of the Liao family, Liao Cuifeng, and held their wedding here and lived there for a while. This house has long been deserted, with only weeds and vines still lingering on to relive its past glory.

At that time, Lin Yutang was admitted to Shanghai St. John's University from Gulangyu Island, and then went to Harvard University to obtain a master's degree in literature. He then went to the University of Leipzig in Germany to specialize in linguistics. After receiving a doctorate, he returned to China and became a professor at Peking University. Later, he lived in the United States and promoted many Chinese classical literary works overseas. The famous "Small Clouds of Beijing" was written by him. From 1940 to 1950, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature twice. I wonder if Mr. Lin ever returned to his old residence. If so, how did he feel when he stood in front of his old residence?

The most glorious days of Gulangyu Island were not the bustling today, but the period between the mid-19th century and the mid-20th century. Driven by wisdom and money, broad-minded and open-minded, all the coincidences were condensed into such a gorgeous moment, and together they created a legend that is difficult to replicate in the history of architecture in the world.

When Zhang Qian and I arrived at Sunlight Rock, the setting sun had painted the ocean in the distance a light yellow color. At this time, despite all my wanderings, I had to rush to Xiamen Airport. I had to take the last flight of the day back to Beijing, so my date with Sunlight Rock had to be left to the near future.

Gulangyu Island gradually faded away as I looked back, and the stream of thinking was still flowing slowly on the mottled land. Back then, those lovely and respectable Chinese businessmen made their fortune abroad, but they took their money back home to build their lifelong dreams.

From the late 1940s to the early 1950s, they left behind these dreams and sustenance and left. Who did those gorgeous buildings belong to? In the 1960s, in the face of the overwhelming movement to "destroy the four olds" and "eradicate the concept of private ownership," what kind of disaster did those remnants of the old era suffer? I casually opened the book "The Lost Gulangyu Island" and couldn't find any answers in it. Ah, lost Gulangyu Island, I am lost in the dust of my heart just like you.

Four

On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2012, my wife and daughter and I visited Gulangyu Island again after visiting Wuyi Mountain and Yongding Tulou with a group. The tour guide Liu Qiuli just took us to see a few old houses, and then left us in a leisure area lined with shops to move around freely. So, I took my wife and daughter to pick up the old road and went straight to Sunlight Rock.

Next to the Sunlight Rock, the statue of Zheng Chenggong stands majestically. A generation of heroes stand on horseback and draw swords, shocking the sea and the sky. Bypass the statue and follow the crowd into the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall, which is surrounded by mountains and sea. Seeing things and thinking about people, I recall the time when the general led his army to the Northern Expedition and returned without hope. Although he regained Taiwan from the Dutch, he died young and the island fell again. From then on, the mountains and rivers were in tears for hundreds of years.

Before Zheng Chenggong regained Taiwan, he practiced navy at Sunlight Rock. Climbing up the steps, you will see a stone gate halfway up the mountain, which is the ruins of Longtou Mountain Village. Continuing to climb and cross the natural stone cave, there is a 100-meter high platform on the rock, surrounded by iron bars, which is the legendary Sunlight Rock.

Standing on the Tianfeng Terrace of Sunlight Rock, you can look around and have a panoramic view of Xiamen University, Canghai Bridge, the mouth of Jiulong River, Zhangzhou Port, Haicang Investment Zone, Huli Jimei Dongdu Port, Dadan Island and Erdan Island. Like the cloudy mountains in the mist, Taiwan's Kinmen Island is faintly visible.

My eyes have been fixed on the sea area in front of Kinmen Island for a long time, which will be the destination of our next trip.