Live Your Best Lives
Shuzhuang Garden is located in the southern part of Gulangyu Island, facing the sea and backed by Sunlight Rock. It was originally the private villa of local celebrity Lin Erjia. The owner named the garden after the homonym of his courtesy name "Shu Zang". It has the beauty of Baishuiyang waterscape, the reefs of the volcanic island, and the alpine meadows of Tu'erling.
Shuzhuang Garden is a place of magnificent scenery. It embodies the three most artistic characteristics of garden art: "hiding, borrowing, and combining movement and stillness". Hiding means hiding the sea, and only after entering the Moon Cave Gate can one see the vast blue sea. The Forty-Four Bridges cleverly lead the sea water into the garden, turning it into the sea, the inner pool, and the outer pool. This is the effort the garden owner has put into hiding.
Borrowing means borrowing scenery, sound, meaning and shadow, turning other things into one's own, taking the external scene into the internal scene, borrowing Sunlight Rock as the upward view, Nan Taiwu as the distant view, borrowing the sea as the foundation, and borrowing the pavilion as the near view, forming a beautiful and three-dimensional painting.
Suitable for all seasons
Piano Museum
The exhibition displays 30 world-famous antique pianos collected by Mr. Hu Youyi, a collector from Gulangyu Island who lives in Australia. Among them are a "Steinway" made in the United States in the first half of the 19th century, an Austrian "Bosendorfer", a royal piano used exclusively by the German royal family, a rare gold-plated piano, the world's earliest square piano, the largest upright piano, the oldest hand-cranked piano, a pedal-operated automatic piano, and an eight-pedal four-set string piano. These pianos showcase the world's piano-making technology and development level over the past 100 years, which is unique in China.
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
30 yuan/person
Winter 5:30-20:30
Summer 5:30-21:00
Shuzhuang Garden was established in 1913 by philanthropist and scholar Lin Erjia. It combines classical Chinese garden design with seaside scenery, reflecting the cultural and artistic heritage of Gulangyu Island and Xiamen.
Located on Gulangyu Island, Xiamen, Fujian Province. Visitors can reach the island by ferry from Xiamen’s downtown ferry terminals. Once on the island, walking is the main way to explore, as motor vehicles are restricted.
Advance booking is optional but recommended during peak tourist seasons or holidays, ideally 1–2 weeks ahead.
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to explore the entire garden, including the museum and scenic viewpoints.
Guided tours are available in Mandarin and sometimes English; audio guides are occasionally offered for self-paced exploration.
Start from the main entrance, follow the garden paths through the ponds and pavilions, visit Lin Yutang’s museum, then head towards the seaside viewpoints before exiting.
Night visits are generally not available; no regular light shows are offered. Special cultural events may occasionally take place during holidays.
It can be crowded during weekends and holidays. Weekdays and early mornings are the least crowded times to visit.
Most paths are walkable, but some steps and slopes may be challenging for the elderly or disabled. Children can explore easily with supervision.
Cash is accepted, and most entrances and shops also support mobile payments and credit cards.
Vegetarian options are generally available; vegan and halal options are limited, so prior inquiry at restaurants is recommended.
