Xunpu Village, located along the eastern coast of Quanzhou in Fujian Province, has long been shaped by the sea. Its name is commonly understood as a combination of “xún” (蟳, a type of crab) and “pǔ” (埔, sandbank or tidal flat), reflecting the area’s early ecology—mudflats rich in crabs and sustained by tidal flows. The name itself is a direct linguistic record of a maritime environment and a fishing-based way of life.

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.

The golden rice fields spread under the sunlight, like the earth’s gentlest smile. A soft breeze stirs the waves of grain, whispering the secrets of harvest. The small pavilions and…