Xiamen

Xiamen is a major sub-provincial city located in southeastern Fujian, China.

It sits along the coast of the Taiwan Strait. The city is organized into six distinct districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang, and Xiang'an. While the urban core began on Xiamen Island, it has expanded significantly. The built-up area now includes much of the mainland and parts of neighboring Zhangzhou. This expansion has created a massive metropolitan area. This region connects with Quanzhou to the north, housing nearly ten million people.

The geography of the region is defined by its relationship with the sea. Xiamen Island is the fourth largest island in Fujian province. In 1955, the completion of a seawall turned the island into a peninsula.

The city also includes Gulangyu Island. The waters around the city include the Xiamen Port and the Jiulong River estuary. The Kinmen Islands, administered by the Republic of China, lie just across Xiamen Bay. The local climate is a monsoonal humid subtropical type. This means summers are long, hot, and humid. July is the warmest month, while January is the coolest. The city receives about 1,893 hours of sunshine every year.

Economically, Xiamen is classified as a Large-Port Metropolis. The Port of Xiamen is a vital first-class trunk line port in the Asia-Pacific region. It is currently the 7th-largest container port in China. Globally, it ranks 14th in size. It is also the 4th port in China capable of handling 6th-generation large container ships. On August 31, 2010, the Xiamen Port incorporated the neighboring Zhangzhou port. This merger created the largest port in the southeast of China.

The city also benefits from being a hub for scientific research. The Nature Index ranks Xiamen among the top 40 cities in the world for science. This success is supported by several major institutions. These include Xiamen University, which is a member of the prestigious Double First Class Universities.

The history of the area is deeply tied to its changing names. In antiquity, the area was known as Tong'an County. It first appeared in Han dynasty records. During the Song dynasty, Xiamen Island was called Jiahe Islet. The modern name, Xiamen, comes from a defense castle. Zhou Dexing built this castle in 1387 during the Ming dynasty. Later, the general Zheng Chenggong used the island as a military base. He renamed it Siming to mean "Remembering the Ming."

The name Siming was later restored after the Xinhai Revolution in 1912. The specific characters for Xiamen were restored again in 1933.

During the 19th century, Xiamen became a central player in global trade. The Treaty of Nanjing made it one of the first five ports opened to British trade. This ended the previous restrictions that limited Western trade to Guangzhou. Xiamen became a massive center for the tea trade. Hundreds of thousands of tons of tea were shipped to Europe and the Americas every year. The city also exported porcelain and paper. In return, it imported goods like sugar, rice, cotton, and opium.

At that time, the city was known for its wealthy and industrious merchants. However, it was also described as a very dirty city. The streets were often narrow and crooked due to local feng shui beliefs.

Migration has played a massive role in Xiamen's global influence. Since the 12th century, Xiamen has been a primary origin for migrants. Many people moved to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This diaspora spread the Hokkien language and culture across Southeast Asia. Today, about 350,000 overseas Chinese trace their ancestry back to Xiamen. Many of these individuals have supported the city's cultural institutions. Around 220,000 residents are returning overseas Chinese or their kin. This connection helps maintain a strong link between Xiamen and the global community.

Modern Xiamen is a center of both industry and education. The city's population was 5,163,970 in 2020. By late 2024, the population was estimated at 5.35 million. The urbanized area is much larger, including millions more in the surrounding districts. The city has also embraced modern economic policies. Under Deng Xiaoping's Opening Up Policy, Xiamen became one of China's first special economic zones. This allowed for increased foreign investment and trade. Today, the city continues to grow as a major maritime and scientific hub.