Gulang Yu the Piano Islet, Xiamen

The small island located in the southwest of Xiamen City, covering only 1.8 square kilometers. It takes only 5 minutes by steamboat from Xiamen to the island. The name Gulang means “drum waves” because the wave hit the southwestern reef like drum beat and Yu means the small islet.
No need to talk about pollution on this Islet because the only transportation on the islet is only your leg, you can only walk and may ride the bicycle around the islet. There’re no any vehicles on the islet; only two cars on the islet which are one fire car and one ambulance.

Why we call Piano Islet?

The largest Piano Museum of China is situated on this islet that’s why we call Piano Islet and it already became the symbol of this islet and also the most fascinating attraction of Gulang Yu, Xiamen. There are about 620 pianos with populations 17,800 on the islet.

Inside the museum there are a lot of different types of pianos such as automatic pianos, miniature pianos, accordion pianos and round-shaped pianos; all are on display but it is forbidden to touch them so please be careful as these pianos are cherished collections of overseas Chinese, who hope to allow more people to see and be inspired by these displays.

There’re also the large numbers of music schools and musicians within this islet, many famous Chinese pianists, such as Yin Chengzong and Xu Feiping, are natives of Gulangyu.

When you are walking along the islet you may frequently hear the sound of beautiful piano melodies which will make you touch relax and peace with the beautiful scenic spot around the islet.