Culture and competition

Gulangyu Island, just off the coast of Xiamen in Fujian province, and nine other Chinese cultural relic sites are competing to be China's candidate for the World Heritage Site list in 2016.

Just a short ferry ride from downtown Xiamen, Gulangyu is home to 14,000 people and about 1,000 historic buildings.

Known for its sandy beaches, winding lanes, and diverse architecture, the island started the application process in 2008. In 2012, Gulangyu was listed in the Preparatory Directory for World Cultural Heritage Sites in China. According to the rules laid down by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, which state that any site wishing to apply for World Heritage Site status must first be listed in the directory.