Xiamen History & Culture

In ancient times, Xiamen Island was a habitat for egrets, hence its nickname, "Egret Island." During the Western Jin Dynasty, Tong'an County was established, and in 1394, during the 27th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, Xiamen City was built. Xiamen City was established in 1935, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone in 1980, and in 1988, it became a separately planned municipality. In 1994, it was elevated to sub-provincial status. Xiamen, designated a Chinese Special Economic Zone by the State Council, is a major central city on China's southeast coast, a modern maritime city, an international integrated transportation hub, a gateway to the southeast coast's opening up, a regional hub for scientific and technological innovation, an international coastal tourism destination, and a key platform for cross-strait integration, development, exchange, and cooperation. Xiamen has developed a modern industrial system dominated by electronics and machinery, with biopharmaceuticals, new materials, and new energy as key emerging industries. Xiamen is a national-level Southern Fujian Cultural Ecological Protection Area, and within the city are historical sites such as the Hulishan Fort, the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall, and Nanputuo Temple.