As Gulangyu Island, also known as the "garden upon the sea", vies to join the ranks of World Culture Heritage Sites, the popular tourist destination in Xiamen, Fujian province is once again in the limelight.

The island that showcases distinct and valuable elements of culture will contend for the one Chinese slot in 2016.

The islet that spans 1.88 square kilometers and boasts a 1,000-year history is not only a retro, photogenic scenic spot that appealed to 35 million tourists in 2012.

Its most acclaimed feature lies in its mixture of international influences with traditional Chinese culture, ever since it became a popular trading port in the 1840s.

Gulangyu became an official international settlement in the early 1900s. Western architecture and arts slowly gained ground there, developing into the fusion that is typical of southern Fujian.

The island was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 but largely escaped other conflicts during the first half of the 20th century.

One of the best-preserved former international settlements in the country, the island with more than 2,000 intact historical buildings and a traffic and municipal system still working after more than a century has gained a long-standing title as a "museum of architecture".

Several well-crafted gardens add appeal to the small island, with the oldest dating back a century.

Gulangyu is home to some 20,000 residents. The local community has made the island famous for another part of its culture - its music.

The island has a disproportionate number of families with musical ties. Many accomplished artists including China's first Doctor of Music Chen Zuohuang and musician and educator Zhou Shu'an hail from Gulangyu. The high number of pianos on the island have also earned it a reputation as an island of pianos and music.

A piano museum and an organ museum on the island regularly host important music festivals and contests.

The island shows how cultures communicate and influence each other, according to local government officials. It is a case in point for globalization's early results, they said.

Gulangyu Island has already gone through several assessments on UNESCO World Culture Heritage Site requirements since entering the race in 2008.

Since then, it has launched a series of campaigns on environmental preservation, port expansion for its three ferry terminals and the demolition of illegal buildings, as well as replacing decrepit signboards.

The island is only a short ferry ride away from urban Xiamen, the province's dynamic economic and culture hub. One can also see Taiwan from Gulangyu on a clear day.

sunye@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 10/29/2014 page9)