The islet of Gulangyu looks like a gem on the clear blue water off the  coast of Xiamen, Fujian province. Zhang Xiangyang / China Photo Press

Southern Putuo Temple attracts a constant flow of pilgrims all year round.  Zhang Xiangyang / China Photo Press

Sunlight Rock's sculptures offer a vivid depiction of leisure in an ancient fortress. Raymond Zhou / China Daily

Colonial-era structures can be found at every turn in Xiamen.  Raymond Zhou / China Daily

Squeaky clean Xiamen, on China's southeastern coast, is like an innocent maiden transformed into an urbane sophisticate once dressed up. Raymond Zhou reports

Along China's coast is a string of cities that shine like pearls in the spotlight. They have a colorful past and a dynamic present. They combine industrial might with urban sophistication. They are often the best places to live - or work. Xiamen, in East China's Fujian province, is one of them.

When people talk about Xiamen, most are referring to the 128-sq-km island. But beyond the downtown island is an area 10 times larger, linked by four bridges and a tunnel. Most tourists do not venture beyond the island not because there are no attractions - there are plenty - but because there's so much to see and experience in the old districts.

My first impression of the city is, it's very new and very clean - as if winds from the sea have scrubbed dust off the buildings. On closer inspection, you'll notice the old architectural styles in the retail streets where a covered walkway protects shoppers from the rain, like in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. There are also colonial-era structures in a rich variety of styles.

The city is perfect for walking. Although you can feel the boom of commerce, you can easily get away by taking a detour to one of numerous parks.

 

Bailuzhou Park is equivalent to New York's Central Park. It sits close to the shopping streets and, up north, the government buildings. The lake with an islet in the middle is an oasis of serenity in a desert of concrete and steel. The giant banyan trees, ubiquitous in the province, provide shelter from the sun. There is also a stone sculpture of a maiden washing her hair.

I figure Xiamen subconsciously sees itself as a young woman by the seaside, irresistibly innocent, yet cosmopolitan after she is dressed up.

It's a breeze to get around the island with the opening of several tunnels in recent years. You can drive from one side to a seafood restaurant on the other side of town in 20 minutes. Speaking of seafood, this is the local specialty and there are many culinary selections. My favorite is the oyster omelet.

Xiamen is like an urban romance. The aroma of love seeps from the red roof of an old house, the aerial roots of a banyan tree, the ethereal notes of a distant piano and the waves lapping the sands on the beach. It is a city with which you can't help falling in love.