Kulangsu, the Island of Music, inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site (音乐之岛−−鼓浪屿,世界文化遗址)

Kulangsu, the Island of Music, inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site (音乐之岛−−鼓浪屿,世界文化遗址)

At the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Poland on July 8 2017, Kulangsu, a historic international community, was officially listed as a World Heritage Site, casting a global spotlight on this tiny island in the East.

Let the world architecture speak for itself, and let the notes of music dance. These are not just ideals; they are episodes of history, and more significantly, they are realities.

Kulangsu, a tiny island of merely 1.88 square kilometers, is a stunning gem on China’s southeast coast. The island is the draw card and cultural icon of Xiamen. This exotic island, off the coast of Xiamen with Kinmen looming in the distance, has exercised a unique hold on the imagination of the outside world, earning a string of nicknames that include “The Garden on the Sea”, “The World Expo of Architecture”, “The Island of Music”, and “The Capital of Music”. Yet, once you descend on the island, you will find that no words can fully capture the unique charm of this magical island.

Over the past century, this tiny island has produced numerous world-renowned figures – Lin Yutang, Lu Zhuangzhang, Ma Yuehan, Lin Qiaozhi, Zhou Shu’an, Li Jialu, Yin Chengzong, Xu Feiping, Hu Youyi, Shu Ting… Generation after generation of musicians, educators, writers, doctors and collectors from Kulangsu have left a mark on the world.

What is the most brilliant part of Kulangsu’s culture? It’s music.

Strolling around the island, you will be mesmerized by the mellifluous music of the piano, violin and guitar and singing of the Trinity Church choir wafting through the air. International musical events, such as the Kulangsu Piano Festival and the Kulangsu Four-Season Music Week, combined with “family concerts”, “courtyard concerts” and “music salons”, make the state-of-the-art Kulangsu Concert Hall the hub of China’s musical art and the mecca of Xiamen’s culture and art.

To celebrate the listing of Kulangsu as a World Heritage Site and to showcase the island’s rich cultural heritage, we are hosting the Kulangsu Music Festival 2017 for the enjoyment of the public. The festival will bring together a large number of celebrated musicians and is set to be a musical extravaganza for the public. Visitors will enjoy a wide array of performances by world-renowned artists, as well as academic lectures, master classes and many other musical events. Tapping into the profound heritage and prestigious reputation of Kulangsu as the “Island of Music”, the music festival is bound to become the iconic event in the musical scene on the island.

The public nature, universality and consciousness of Kulangsu’s musical culture have been recognized by experts around the world as well as local residents. Today on Kulangsu, the musical culture and the stunning natural beauty form an integrated whole, turning the island into a popular tourist destination and a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city. The musical culture on the island will continue to prosper and flourish.

2017年7月8日,在波兰举行的第41届世界遗产大会上,“鼓浪屿-历史国际社区“正式列入世界文化遗产,鼓浪屿这个东方小岛再次令世人瞩目。

让万国建筑说话、让音乐符号游走,这不是神话,这是一段历史,更是今天的事实。

鼓浪屿,一座面积仅1.88平方公里的小岛,中国东南沿海上的一颗明珠,厦门的城市名片、文化符号。它孤悬于海,背依厦门、遥望金门。长期以来,人们曾用尽溢美之词来抒发对鼓浪屿的热爱与畅想:“海上花园”、“万国别墅”、“钢琴之岛”、“音乐之乡”……然而,只有亲临这座如诗如幻、柔婉芳馨的小岛,您才会发现无论如何描绘,也不足以敞露鼓浪屿深藏的全部内涵。

近百年来,这座弹丸小岛诞生了众多各个领域蜚声中外的大家:林语堂、卢戆章、马约翰、林巧稚、周淑安、李嘉禄、殷承宗、许斐平、胡友义、舒婷……;一代又一代的音乐家、教育家、文学家、医学家、收藏家从鼓浪屿走向世界。

鼓浪屿文化中最绚丽的风景线是什么?首先是音乐!

今天,您信步于鼓浪屿街区,悦耳的钢琴声、悠扬的提琴声、欢快的吉它声或三一堂唱诗班美妙的合唱声会不时地随风走来;鼓浪屿钢琴节、鼓浪屿四季音乐周等世界高水平的音乐会与“家庭音乐会”、“庭院音乐会”、“音乐文化沙龙”等交相奏响,让音响效果在国内首屈一指的鼓浪屿音乐厅成为了音乐艺术的殿堂、厦门文化艺术的标杆和圣地!

为庆祝鼓浪屿成功列入世界文化遗产,同时也为了更好地丰富和整合鼓浪屿的音乐文化资源,我们决定举办2017鼓浪屿音乐节。2017鼓浪屿音乐节秉持公益与民享的理念。2017鼓浪屿音乐节是名家荟萃的殿堂,也是全民公益的大舞台。大众不仅有机会欣赏世界顶级音乐家的演出,还可参与学术讲座、大师班等各项音乐文化活动。2017鼓浪屿音乐节将充分挖掘“音乐之岛”的潜在价值,将名岛、名曲、名家、名琴组合交融,使之成为鼓浪屿音乐艺术的又一盛典。

今天的鼓浪屿,音乐文化的公益性、普世性、自觉性得到了国内外专家及市民的首肯。今天的鼓浪屿,音乐文化与旅游经济得到了有机结合,同时也培育了旅游经济市场和鼓浪屿人健康祥和的人格心态。今天的鼓浪屿,音乐文化更加欣欣向荣,蓬勃发展。