Special Stamps: Gulangyu

In May 2003, the State Postal Bureau issued a set of three special stamps picturing Gulangyu, a scenic island southwest of Xiamen City, Fujian Province.

This oval islet, just 1.8 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, has an undulating coastline and terrain. Buildings on Gulangyu are in diverse architectural styles. There is the Bagua (eight trigrams) Tower, also dubbed "miniature white house," and a stately Catholic church. Continental style red-tiled sloping roofs are a common sight, as are villas that combine Chinese and Western architectural features.

The first stamp of the set celebrates Riguang (sunlight) Rock, also known as Longtou (dragon head) Hill, the highest peak on the island. The hill faces Hutou (tiger head) Hill across the sea in Xiamen, and is the emblem of both Gulangyu and the city of Xiamen.

The second stamp pictures Shuzhuang Garden. Originally owned by a patriotic businessman, the garden is a tribute to the Yihong Courtyard as described in the Chinese classic, A Dream of Red Mansions. Its Canghai (hiding sea) and Bushan (complementary mountain) gardens were created with the intention of incorporating a part of the ocean into the garden, and compensating for flaws in the natural landscape by building a mountain.

The third stamp is dedicated to the Bagua (eight trigrams) Tower on the northern slope of Bijia (brush rest) Hill at the center of the island. The tower combines Western and ancient Chinese architectural features, and now serves as the Xiamen Museum.