Gulangyu Island, formerly known as "Yuan Sha Zhou", is an island with jagged reefs, winding shorelines, mountains, peaks and rocks, with architecture as the exterior feature and music as the soul.
鼓浪屿，原名“圆沙洲”。鼓浪屿岛上海礁嶙峋，岸线迤逦，山峦叠翠，峰岩跌宕，鼓浪屿以建筑为表，音乐为魂。
The architecture of Gulangyu Island has undergone a long historical evolution. Before the Opium War, Gulangyu Island was a sparsely populated deserted island for a long time. It was not until the Song and Yuan dynasties that the name "Yuanshazhou" came into being, and the name "Gulangyu" was used in the Ming dynasty. The island was mostly a semi-fishing and semi-agricultural economy, thus the initial houses being very simple at that time. During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and until the Opium War, the architecture of Gulangyu Island began to change, with the emergence of Western architecture. After Xiamen became a commercial port, Gulangyu was reckoned as the preferred location for foreign colonialists because of its excellent geographic, climatic and scenic conditions, which made it a suitable place to live. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, some of the large buildings were taken over. After renovating and decorating, some of the public places have been transformed. For example, the Lin Heshou's "Bagua Building" was transformed into the Gulangyu Organ Museum.
鼓浪屿的建筑经历了长期的历史沿革。鸦片战争以前，鼓浪屿曾长期是一座人烟稀少的荒岛。直至宋元时期，才有“圆沙洲”的名称，明时始用“鼓浪屿”名称。岛上多为半渔半农经济，最初的房屋也多是十分简陋的民房。明末清初直至鸦片战争，鼓浪屿的建筑开始发生变化，西方建筑涌现。在厦门成为通商口岸之后，鼓浪屿因为有优越的地理、气候和风景条件，适宜居住，成了外国殖民主义者择地发展的首选地点。解放后，部分大型建筑被接管，经过改造、装修，部分公共性场所已焕然一新。例如，原来林鹤寿的“八卦楼”改为鼓浪屿风琴博物馆。
Gulangyu Island enjoys the reputation of being the "Island of Music" and the "Cradle and Nursery of Musicians". Many famous musicians are from Gulangyu Island, and modern Western music has been spread and developed here.
鼓浪屿享有“音乐之岛”、“音乐家的摇篮和苗圃”等美誉。从鼓浪屿走出去了许多知名的音乐家，近现代西洋音乐在这里传播和发展。
In the mid-19th century, Western music was introduced to Gulangyu Island along with Christianity. According to the U.S. archives, the "Chinese Monthly Concert" was held at the chapel in Xiamen on the first Monday of every month since January 5, 1846, and the addition of a pipe organ to the chapel in 1878 is the earliest record of the appearance of Western instruments on the Gulangyu Island. At that time, it seemed that Western music could only be heard in the chapel.
19世纪中叶，西方音乐随着基督教传入鼓浪屿。据美国所藏档案，自1846年1月5日起，每个月的第一个星期一，在厦门的礼拜堂都会举办“中国每月音乐会”。1878年礼拜堂添置了管风琴，这是西洋乐器在鼓浪屿出现的最早记录。当时西洋音乐在鼓浪屿似乎只有在礼拜堂才听得见。
In 1913, the first piano appeared in Gulangyu. Later, through the spread of church music, it spread to schools, society and families. In the 1980s and 1990s, Gulangyu Island had the highest density of pianos in China and was known as the "Island of Pianos".
1913年，鼓浪屿出现了第一架钢琴。后经教堂音乐的传播，普及到学校、社会、家庭。上世纪八九十年代，鼓浪屿拥有钢琴的密度居全国之首，获得“钢琴之岛”之美誉。
In 2000, the Gulangyu Piano Museum was completed. It is the only piano museum in China. The museum contains nearly 100 ancient pianos and piano candlesticks, which are precious in the world and clearly show the history of piano development. The most special of them are well in excess of 70 old European and American pianos, which are centrally displayed in the museum.、
2000年，鼓浪屿钢琴博物馆落成。那是中国唯一的一座钢琴博物馆。馆内收藏有近百架世界珍贵的古钢琴与钢琴烛台，清晰地展示钢琴的发展史。其中最特别的是70多架古老的欧洲与美洲钢琴，它们被集中陈列在馆中。
Gulangyu Island is rich in musical talents. The island has cultivated world renowned piano and violin players, conductors and music educators, such as Zhou Shu’an, the first female vocal conductor in China, Lin Junqing, former director of the Shanghai Vocal Institute, Yin Chengzong, Xu Fei Ping, Xu Fei Xing, Xu Xingai and Zhuo Yilong, piano players, Chen Zuohuang, conductor, Xu Feini, violinist and so forth.
鼓浪屿音乐人才辈出。这座岛屿孕育出举世闻名的钢琴、提琴演奏家、指挥家和音乐教育家，如：有“中国第一个声乐女指挥”称号的周淑安；前上海声乐研究所所长林俊卿；钢琴演奏家殷承宗、许斐平、许斐星、许兴艾、卓一龙；指挥家陈佐湟；小提琴演琴家许斐尼等等
In 2002, Gulangyu was named the "Island of Music" by the Chinese Musicians Association. Facing the sea, singing and playing the piano， you may appreciate the artistic style of the it.
2002年鼓浪屿被中国音乐家协会命名为“音乐之岛”。面朝大海，唱歌弹琴，你便能欣赏这座小岛的艺术气息。
From a distance, the Gulangyu Island under the mist seems to travel back to its original appearance, quiet and gentle. There is no hustle and bustle, calm and quiet.
远观鼓浪屿，薄雾下的鼓浪屿仿佛穿越时空，回到了最初的模样，沉静温柔。没有喧嚣，从容静好。
Date: July 23, 2022
