Xiamen and Kinmen face each other across the sea, with their closest point barely more than two kilometers apart, as if one could reach out and touch the other. Both belong to the Minnan cultural sphere, sharing the same language, customs, ancestral temples, and religious traditions. Their culinary habits also carry a familiar flavor. One could say that Xiamen and Kinmen are brother islands with the same roots, yet shaped by time and circumstance into distinct characters. As the title suggests, Xiamen is as passionate and vibrant as summer, while Kinmen is as calm and enduring as autumn.
Xiamen: A City Like Summer
Xiamen burns with the energy of summer. As a key port city on China’s southeast coast, it has long been an important hub of the Maritime Silk Road and today thrives as a modern coastal metropolis. Life here is fast-paced and full of vitality—bustling during the day and lively deep into the night.
Economic Vitality: Though located in Fujian, Xiamen boasts an openness far beyond that of many cities. In 2023, its GDP reached 800 billion yuan, ranking among the top in Fujian for consecutive years. Its total imports and exports exceeded 900 billion yuan, underscoring the city’s strong outward-facing economy.
Tourism Popularity: Xiamen is also one of China’s most renowned tourist destinations. In 2023, the city welcomed more than 90 million visitors, generating over 120 billion yuan in tourism revenue. Gulangyu Island, the “Garden on the Sea,” attracts countless tourists with its romantic charm, while Zengcuoan Village and Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street transform into sleepless hubs at night, filled with the vibrant buzz of street vendors and visitors—like a summer festival come alive.
Youth and Culture: Home to Xiamen University, Huaqiao University, and other major institutions, the city radiates youthful energy. Art exhibitions, music festivals, marathons, and other cultural events are held frequently, making Xiamen’s cultural pulse as bright and exuberant as the summer sun.
The spirit of Xiamen is like the midsummer sea breeze—salty, warm, and passionately sweeping over you, leaving one both exhilarated and enchanted.
Kinmen: An Island Like Autumn
If Xiamen is the heat of midsummer, then Kinmen is the stillness of autumn. Though small in size, Kinmen carries profound historical memory and unique cultural landscapes. Unlike Xiamen’s bustling streets, here lies a quietude shaped by the passage of time.
Historical Depth: Once a critical military frontline, Kinmen is dotted with bunkers, trenches, and monuments. The island preserves over a hundred traditional Minnan village clusters, with red-brick houses and swallowtail rooftops reflecting the same cultural roots as Xiamen, yet bearing more weathered marks of history. Compared to Xiamen’s modern skyline, Kinmen’s architecture feels like a living museum.
A Slower Pace of Life: With a permanent population of only 140,000, Kinmen’s scale is far smaller than Xiamen’s. Its streets are quiet, traffic is sparse, and fishing villages along the coast remain serene and unpretentious. Life here unfolds slowly—farmers tending fields at dawn, fishing boats returning at dusk, and peaceful nights settling in without haste.
Tourism Character: In 2024, Kinmen received around 2 million visitors, a modest figure compared with Xiamen’s tens of millions. Travelers come here not for glitter and excitement, but to slow down and absorb history and nature—whether at the solemn Juguang Tower, the azure shores of Houhu Seaside Park, or through the lingering taste of Kinmen sorghum liquor. Everything feels as gentle and refined as an autumn breeze.
The essence of Kinmen is like autumn leaves—quiet, unhurried, yet leaving a lasting impression long after one has departed.
