Xiamen-厦门厦门HistoryXiamen city,a sub-provincial city of Fujian province,is one of the fivecities with independent planning.Xiamen city is alsoone of the first national implementation oftheopeningzones,andaccesstoprovincial-leveleconomic management authoritywithlocal legislative powers.Xiamen city is located in the southeast of Fujian province，bordered by Zhangzhou on the west and Quanzhou on the east,and facing Kinmen Island across the sea.LocationXiamen Brief Introduction Xiamen,the second largest city in Fujian province next to the capital Fuzhou,covers a total area of 1,516 square meters.It is one of the five earliest special economic zones,which are a banner of the national reform and opening-up effort（是全国改革开放的一面旗帜）.Tourist attractionsGulangyu(鼓浪屿）鼓浪屿）Nan Pu Tuo Temple（南普陀寺）（南普陀寺）Xiamen Botanical Gardens(厦门植厦门植物园）物园）Gulangyu IslandGulangyu Island Gulangyu,separated from Xiamen by the 500-metre-wide Egret River,with an area of 1.77 square kilometres,enjoys a lauditory title Garden on the Sea.The original name of the islet was Yuan Zhou Zi.In the Ming Dynasty it was renamed Gulang,meaning drum waves,because the holes in the southwestern reefs hit by the waves make sounds like the drum beating.Gulangyu-鼓浪屿鼓浪屿Gulangyu is a tiny island covering 1.8 sq km and is located just 500 meters(1,640ft)across the water from the southwest of Xiamen.It only takes 10 minutes by boat to reach Gulangyu.The island became a foreign enclave following the Treaty of Nanking in 1842.Gulangyu-鼓浪屿鼓浪屿Gulangyu-鼓浪屿鼓浪屿The attractive 19th The attractive 19th century buildings have century buildings have been well preserved been well preserved and the island and the island overflows with trees,overflows with trees,shrubs and flowers.shrubs and flowers.There are no motor There are no motor vehicles on vehicles on GulangyuGulangyu and it is known in and it is known in China as the Garden China as the Garden on the Sea.on the Sea.Gulangyu-鼓浪屿鼓浪屿Gulangyu is also called the Island of Music as local residents have a great love of music.On an island with a population of 20,000 it is said that 500 households own pianos.Gulangyu-鼓浪屿鼓浪屿Nan Pu Tuo Temple-南普陀寺 The temple was built during the Tang Dynasty(618-907).And rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911).Nan Pu Tuo Temple is located in the south of Xiamen at the foot of Five Old Mens Peak.It is one of the sacred places of Buddhism in Southern Fujian.Inside the temple there are the Heaven Kings Hall,the Daxiong Hall,the Great Compassion Hall and the Scripture Library,all of which are built in an exquisite and grand style.Nan Pu Tuo Temple-南普陀寺南普陀寺Zhoushan Putuo Temple Zhoushan Putuo Temple is located in the mouth of the Qiantang River,southeast of Zhoushan Islands.It is also one of the four famous Buddhist in China.Namo Amitabha-南无阿弥陀佛南无阿弥陀佛“南无”-Respectful religions service and Convert to.(恭敬礼拜，皈依之意）“阿弥陀佛”-The name of the paradise instructors,it also means Sakyamuni(释迦牟尼）“阿”-“无”,everything.“弥陀”-“量”“佛-“觉”,to know and feel.“无量觉”-Everything there is to know and feel.Nan Pu Tuo Temple-南普陀寺南普陀寺 Nan Putuo Temple has an important position in Chinese Buddhist history.It is the base of spreading Buddhism.Since the twenties century,Nan Putuo Temple became the center of Buddhist exchanges at home and abroad.Nan Pu Tuo Temple-南普陀寺南普陀寺In each corner of the temples,there stands a beautiful and majestic beast.These signs have a close relation with its culture.They are stand for Prosperity,Wealth and Noble.Nan Pu Tuo Temple-南普陀寺南普陀寺 The lions and elephants in front of the temples also have their meanings.They are on behalf of Dignity,Power and Noble.Xiamen Botanical Gardens-厦门植物园厦门植物园 Xiamen Botanical Garden,known as the Wanshi Botanical Garden,is a carefully designed botanical garden around Modanyan Reservoir(水库）on the northern slope of Shi Mountain in southeast urban area of Xiamen.Xiamen Botanical GardenXiamen Botanical Garden is situated in downtown Xiamen,to the southeast of Zhongshan Park.It was set up in 1960 and its architectural layout was designed according to the Chinese ancient garden-style residence.With an area of about 26 sq km,the garden houses about 1.8 million trees.Xiamen Botanical Gardensinside gardencactus garden（仙人掌）Pine&China Fir Gardenwanshi lakePine&China Fir GardenIn Pine&China Fir Garden,there are varieties of trees.The most eye-catching ones are the metasequoia（水杉）and gingko trees（银杏树）,which are considered to be living fossils（化石）.And there is a pond where grows the Victoria amazonica（亚马逊玉莲）,a giant water lily（百合花）,whose massive leaves look like giant pans.It is amazing that the leaves can bear the weight of a child.In Orchid Garden（兰花园）,you can appreciate varieties of Chinese wild orchid.Some of them are scarce and precious.Victoria amazonica They have very large leaves that float on the waters surface,the most well known and largest species,Victoria amazonica,has a leaf that is up to 3m in diameter on a stalk 7m in length,it can support up to 40kg if they are well distributed on its surface.Xiamen Botanical Garden Besides,Xiamens Botanical Garden also boasts beautiful decorative buildings,such as traditional-style pavilions（凉亭）,and modern amusement facilities.Therefore it is a good place for you to visit with your friends.In the garden,you can acquire the knowledge of plants and meanwhile entertain yourself.Food Xiamen cuisine are the core of seafood treasures:the crab(蟹）,shrimp（虾）,fish,shellfish（贝类）.Characteristics SnacksXiamen style jelly sea worm 土笋冻 。