From world heritage to global stage: Gulangyu's cultural odyssey

A young accordion player performs on Gulangyu Island. [Photo/Fujian Daily]

The 11th Gulangyu Poetry Festival, featuring the theme "Our Island, Our Poetry", was recently held in Xiamen. Poets from Russia, Spain, Colombia, and other countries came to seek inspiration among the island's historical international architecture, composing 35 cross-cultural poems.

Since its UNESCO inscription eight years ago, Gulangyu Island has been transforming into an international artistic hub, expanding its global connections, and revitalizing its cultural heritage, bringing Chinese culture to the world stage.

Annual events like the Gulangyu Music Season, Gulangyu Piano Art Week, and Gulangyu New Year's Concert have grown into world-renowned international music celebrations. Since 2024 alone, 358 guests from 28 countries have visited the island, with 94 cultural events solidifying Gulangyu's reputation as an international "Island of Music".

Gulangyu's curated "Artist-in-Residence Program" has achieved remarkable success, evolving into a prestigious platform for renowned domestic and international artists to create and exchange ideas. To date, the program has brought in seven world-class artists who regularly host concerts, masterclasses, and other cultural activities on the island.           

In May, Gulangyu Island signed cooperation agreements with partner institutions in Germany and Uzbekistan, marking a new phase of in-depth international engagement for its World Heritage preservation and music culture exchange efforts.     

Gulangyu's UNESCO World Heritage status has enabled meaningful partnerships with peer heritage sites in countries such as France, Italy, and Hungary. 

Gulangyu's daily foreign visitor numbers have surged 44.8 percent under China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, cementing its status as a must-visit culturally-rich island.