Editing Xiamen (section)

==Culture==
Xiamen is known for its music, puppet shows, Gezai Opera, and temple celebration events.

=== Folk customs ===
==== Gongfu tea ====
Xiamen is one of the origins of [[Gongfu tea ceremony|gongfu (kung fu) tea ceremony]] with a profound tea culture. The essence of Xiamen tea culture is tea ceremony, which involves five elements: tea leaves, water, tea set, fire and environment. Xiamen people mostly drink [[Oolong]] tea and especially love Anxi [[Tieguanyin]], which is known as the highest grade of tea.

Xiamen people usually start their day by making a cup of kungfu tea.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

==== Jianggu ====
Jianggu ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=讲古场}}) is a kind of storytelling in Minnan (southern Fujian province) dialect and can be seen in Minnan, Taiwan and Chinese inhabited areas in Southeast Asia.

The performer usually tells stories with vivid and funny slang, proverbs or doggerel, using a dramatic tone, strong facial expressions and body language to attract the audience. It is a popular traditional Chinese folk entertainment performance.

==== Mid-Autumn mooncake gambling ====
{{Main|Bo Bing (game)}}
Mid-Autumn mooncake gambling ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=中秋博饼}}), betting on moon cakes, is a folk game played around the Mid-Autumn Festival. It originated in Xiamen and then traveled to the neighboring Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Kinmen (Quemoy).

It is a game played with six dice. Just throw the dice into a bowl and the different pips you get stand for different ranks of awards you will win.{{tone inline|date=September 2019}}

The gambling game has six ranks of awards, which were given the names of winners in ancient imperial examinations: ''zhuangyuan'', ''bangyan'', ''tanhua'', ''jinshi'', ''juren'' and ''xiucai''.These are also known as "One Show," "Two Lifts," and "Three Reds."

==== Sending off the Wang Boat ====
The celebration called "''Song Wang Chuan''" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=送王船}}) is a very important and longstanding traditional festival held in coastal villages in Fujian province, Taiwan and oversea Minnan communities to avert calamities and pray for divine blessings.

Also known as "''Shao Wang Chuan''" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=烧王船}}) or "''Ji Wang Chuan''" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=祭王船}}), this festival originated from a religious tradition that ancient voyagers released little boats or decorated ships to send off calamities or plague while invoking for the blessings of various [[Wang Ye worship|Wang Ye]] like Zheng Chenggong, an admiral of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and the Taoist ritual "Hai Jiao". During the celebration, the local community would also incorporate a variety of folk performances into the traditional religious festival.

The custom was spread to Taiwan and oversea Minnan communities through boats traveling there, migration and religious exchange activities. It demonstrates the Minnan (southern Fujian) people's respect for the ocean, life, peace and justice, as well as their sympathy for vulnerable groups.

===Cuisine===
{{Main|Fujian cuisine}}
[[File:Sa-te-mī in Tongzhou (20160908152534).jpg|thumb|Shacha noodles]]
As with much of southern China, the staple foods of Xiamen have long been rice, [[Chinese fishing industry|seafood]], pork, [[sweet potato]]es, various [[Chinese pickles|pickled vegetables]], and [[bok choy]].<ref name=nom>{{harvp|Pitcher|1893|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=K8QIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA38 38]}}.</ref> Its traditional dishes form a branch of southern [[Fujianese cuisine]], with [[Taiwanese cuisine|Taiwanese]] influence. It is particularly well known within China for its [[xiaochi|street food]] and snacks. A local specialty is worm jelly {{nowrap|(<small>[[traditional characters|t]]</small> {{lang|zh|土笋凍}},}} {{nowrap|<small>[[simplified characters|s]]</small> {{lang|zh|土笋冻}},}} ''tǔsǔndòng''), a [[aspic|gelatin]] made from [[Sipunculus nudus|a kind of marine peanut worm]].

*Satay noodles ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=沙茶面}}) are a street food using the spicy flavor of [[satay]], and are sold inexpensively.
*Oyster omelets ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=海蛎煎}}): Local residents are known to accompany this dish with porridge. Blend fresh oysters, sweet potato, starch and egg, then add a tablespoon of soy sauce and fry them in a pan with shallow oil until the oysters turn crispy.
*Misua paste ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=面线糊}}): The main ingredients used for making misua paste are misua, coagulated pig blood, onion oil and seafood. All of the required ingredients are boiled together into a misua paste, which includes a tender glutinous misua noodle and a smooth taste.
*Steamed taro buns ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=芋包}}): For the older generations in Xiamen, steamed Taro Buns are an essential part of Spring Festival, similar to turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Local residents usually eat it with sweet chili sauce or barbeque sauce.
*Tong'an wrapped pork ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=同安封肉}}): This dish is a local cuisine with typical Xiamen flavor, involving braised pork and condiments such as black mushroom, lotus seeds, shrimps, dried oyster.
*Ginger duck ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=姜母鸭}}): Local ducks and aged gingers are the main ingredients. Instead of being cooked over fire, the spiced duck can also be braised in sand, which is good for maintaining temperature.

===Music===
Musicians who hail from Xiamen and [[Gulangyu]] Island include [[Ivy Ling Po|Huang Yujun]], [[Yin Chengzong]], [[Yang Jing (violinist)|Jing Yang]], and Xu Feiping. It has a major symphony orchestra, the [[Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra]]. Every May there's an international music festival, and piano competitions and music festivals are also frequently held. On [[Gulangyu]], on Huangyan Road on the way to Sunlight Rock is the Gulangyu Concert Hall, where classical concerts are regularly held on weekends. And Xiamen has a strong music atmosphere, especially Gulangyu Island (such as Gulangyu Piano Museum, Organ Museum, etc.). Almost every family in Xiamen has a piano or electronic keyboard, although they may not know music or use it. There are many piano competitions in Xiamen. Every summer, many domestic and foreign contestants often come to Xiamen to participate in the competition. ('''Xiamen International Piano Competition''':<ref>{{cite web | url=https://zhuanti.ccom.edu.cn/xipc/ | title=厦门国际钢琴比赛专题网站 }}</ref> an international piano competition co-organized by the Central Conservatory of Music and the Xiamen Municipal People's Government. The competition inherits the tradition of the world-renowned China International Piano Competition and aims to discover and cultivate outstanding talents in the field of piano, promote international music exchanges, and enhance Xiamen's cultural influence.)

=== Opera ===
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2024}}

==== Nanyin ====
[[Nanguan music|Nanyin]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=南音}}), dubbed "a living fossil of music", is one of the four oldest forms of Chinese music preserved in its original state. Also called ''nanqu'', ''xianguan'', ''nanguan'' or ''nanyue'', it developed from the imperial music of the Tang (618–907) and the Five Dynasties Period (906–960) and continues among people in Fujian's Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Southeast Asian regions.

Nanyin Opera consists of three parts: ''zhitao'', ''dapu'' and ''sanqu''. It can be performed in two forms: ''tanchang'' (singing while playing a musical instrument) and ''qingchang'' (singing without playing a musical instrument).

It also preserves the ancient tradition of lineups for performances in the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

Various folk music instruments are used in nanyin, including ''[[pipa]]'', ''dongxiao'', ''erxian'', ''sanxian'', ''pin''(''qudi''), ''nan'ai'', ''paiban'', ''xiangzhan'', ''sibao'', ''goujiao'', ''muyu'' and ''shuangling''.

==== Gaojia Opera ====
Gaojia Opera ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=高甲戏}}; or Gejia Opera, Daban) is a traditional folk art in Minnan in southern Fujian province. It is also popular in Taiwan and the Chinese expatriate communities living in Southeast Asia.

It grew out of ''Songjiang zhen'', a folk cultural performance that emerged in the late Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and early Qing dynasty (1644–1911), developed into Hexing drama, an art form that combined literature and martial arts in the middle Qing dynasty, then absorbed the elements of various opera styles and turned in to Gaojia Opera in late Qing dynasty.

It can be classified into three categories: court drama (''daqi'' drama), shengdan opera (also xiufang opera) and choudan (comic role) opera, according to the repertoire.

Its ''qupai'' (the names of the tunes) belongs to ''nanyin'', an ancient music style from East China's Fujian province. Performers sing in their native voice with a strong and high vocal tone. The role of the puppet clown, which is rare in other operas, requires good dancing skills and is very funny and interesting.

==== Gezai opera ====
[[Taiwanese opera|Gezai Opera]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=歌仔戏}}) is the only traditional Chinese opera that became established in Minnan, in southern Fujian province, and arose from Taiwan.

It is based on Minnan ''gezai'' (ballads) and absorbs elements from Liyuan Opera, Beiguan Opera, Gaojia Opera, Peking Opera and Minju Opera.

The art form emerged in Taiwan at the beginning of last century, then spread to Minnan and then to Southeast Asia through Chinese people and foreign citizens of Chinese origin.

Gezai Opera uses a free metrical pattern, various tunes but few lyrics. There are more than 100 traditional tunes. ''Zasui'' tunes and seven-character tunes are the two main arias in Gezai Opera.

Performers in all roles sing in their real voices. Among them, ''kudan'' (woman's role) is the most distinctive style of singing. Shao Jianghai and other folk artists in Minnan created the ''zasui'' tune and promoted this traditional art.

==== Dazuigu ====
Dazuigu ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=答嘴鼓}}) is a folk comic talk and singing art popular performed in the Minnan dialect in southern Fujian province, similar to cross-talk in North China. It adopts strictly rhyming dialogue with strong linguistic rhythms, and is popular in Minnan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

With the help of the Minnan dialect's unique rhyme structure, the art boasts a unique rhythmic style. It uses vivid and humorous slang and proverbs in the dialect, focuses on storyline and characters, and is full of jokes.

==== Chest-clapping dance ====
The chest-clapping dance ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=拍胸舞}}) is a traditional folk dance in South Fujian which has been handed down since the [[Song dynasty]]. Shirtless and barefoot men squat and successively beat their chests, flanks, legs and palms with hands, shaking their heads happily. The rhythm and range of steps vary with the change of dancing environment and emotion. With a strong emotion, they will stamp feet repeatedly, clap chest, rib, and the whole body very red with hands; while in a comfortable mood, they will lift chests, turn over palms and twist waists as well as hips, soft and happy, which creates a kind of lively and humorous atmosphere.

The dance emphasizes the rhythm of clapping the body. On the one hand, it reflects the characteristics of the dance itself. On the other hand, it is used to coordinate group movements and create a dancing atmosphere, well preserving the rugged and simple dance style of ancient local residents.

In 2006, the chest-clapping dance was included in the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List under the approval of the State Council.

===Art===
[[File:Wushipu.jpg|thumb|Wushipu Oil Painting Village, Xiamen]]
Xiamen Wushipu oil painting village has been named as "the second of the world oil painting industry base" and the second batch of national cultural (art) industry base" by the China artist association and the culture property department of Culture Ministry. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

Xiamen has strong industry advantage in hand-done oil painting, which has two main manufacturing bases here, Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village and Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village. 80% market shares in European and American market is taken up by products exported from Xiamen. As the main manufacturing base of hand painted oil painting in China, Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village has more than 5,000 artists. It has the ability to produce all kinds of oil paintings with different specifications and styles. With the support of Xiamen Municipal Government, it has formed a powerful industrial chain, provided related accessories such as frames, brushes and paint colors and formed stable target customers composed by hotels, villas, high-class departments, galleries and so on. As another mail manufacturing base of oil painting, Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village has more than 3,000 painters. The scale of Xiamen Haicang Oil Painting Village has developed rapidly in recent years, which is from originally 28 enterprises to more than 250 enterprises at the moment. The combination of manufacturing, sales and distribution makes it become industrial base of commercial oil painting.{{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}

==== Lacquer thread sculpture ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2024}}
Lacquer thread sculpture ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=漆线雕}}) is a traditional artware in East China which uses well-tempered lacquer threads to build decorative patterns.

The main material of lacquer thread sculpture is the mixture of lacquer, the special brick powder and boiled tung oil. After beating the mixture and twisting it into a string, the craftsmen coil, entangle, pile, carve and engrave on the sculpture which is then coated with primer.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

The technique's development depended on flourishing folk religions and the Buddhist sculpture tradition. As a legacy of the color sculpture of the Tang dynasty (618–907), it was inspired by the thread sculpture technology of the Song and Yuan dynasties (960–1368), especially the process of leaching powder and clay thread sculpture.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

The lacquer thread sculpture technique was formed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (1368–1911). It has four major steps: sculpture, foundation coating, lacquer thread decoration and gilding the surface. It focuses on the aesthetic characteristics of the lacquer thread itself, and demonstrates the evolution of the use of line in Chinese arts and crafts.

==== Bead embroidery ====
The bead embroidery ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=珠绣}}) in Xiamen has small pearls, glass beads and jewels embroidered on the cloth, creating the shining glory, colorful decorations, clear layout and a strong sense of art with stereoscopic impression.

The craftsmanship has a history of nearly 100 years. In the 1970s and 1980s, the art reached its peak in popularity and many kinds of bead embroidery products were exported to over 50 countries and regions in Asia, Europe and America. In 2007, the art was included in the Fujian Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

=== Religion ===

==== Nanputuo Temple ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2024}}
[[File:Nanputuo Temple, Xiamen, China.JPG|thumb|Nanputuo Temple]]
[[File:Buddhism library.jpg|thumb|Buddhist library, [[Nanputuo Temple]]]]
Like most of the temples in PRC, [[South Putuo Temple|Nanputuo Temple]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=南普陀寺}}) has endured its share of violence and destruction during the disastrous [[cultural revolution]]. The temple's original construction was built more than a millennium ago, then it was destroyed and later rebuilt during the [[Tang dynasty]], the temple was rebuilt and expanded by general [[Shi Lang]] during early [[Qing dynasty]]. The temple was named after the Buddhist sacred site [[Mount Putuo]] of Zhejiang Province, which is considered the abode of [[Guanyin Bodhisattva]]. The first elected abbot of the temple, Master Hui Quan set up [[:zh:闽南佛学院|Minnan Buddhist College]] in 1925. During cultural revolution, the temple was severely damaged and converted into a factory. After the cultural revolution, the status of the temple was finally reinstated and renovated in the 1980s.

The temple consists of four separate halls of worship, monks quarters and some of the finest maintained grounds and landscapes you're likely to find in any Chinese temple.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} Stone carvings, lotus filled ponds and secluded caves are scattered around the grounds. If you're after a bit of good luck, try tossing a coin on the rock behind the main temple, which is said to bring good luck your way. Behind the smoky courtyards, libraries, monk's digs, temples and statues of laughing Buddha Milefo is Wulao Feng, "the peak of five old men," which overlooks the South China Sea, offering a scenic view of Xiamen University campus and the sprawling urban metropolis of Xiamen.

Take a bus or cab to the temple which sits very close to Xiamen University on Siming Nanlu. The temple and the university gates are within 100 meters of each other.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

==== Brahma Temple ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2024}}
Brahma Temple ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=梵天寺}}) is located at the southern foot of Dalun Mountain ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=大轮山}}), which was established in the first year of Kaihuang of the [[Sui dynasty]] (581). Its primitive name is Xingjiao Temple, which is one of the earliest Buddhist temples in Fujian Province. Both of Miaoshi Temple in Xiamen Island and Sunlight Rock Temple in Gulangyu Island are the branch temples.

Even though Brahma Temple has experienced many vicissitudes of life, it cultivated many eminent monks, attracted refined scholars, gathered unceasing burning incense and enjoyed a widespread reputation. The distinguished Master [[Hong Yi]], Master [[Hong Choon]] and the Master [[Yin Shun]] who is the charismatic figure of Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan has once stayed in the temple. There is a Brahman pagoda of the Song dynasty in the temple, which has been included in the first group of cultural relics in Fujian province.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

==== Belief in Life Protection Emperor ====
Life Protection Emperor ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=保生大帝信仰文化}}), commonly referred to as "[[Baosheng Dadi]]" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=保生大帝}}) or "Dadaogong" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=大道公}}), "Wuzhenren" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=吴真人}}) or "Huajiaogong" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s=花桥公}}), is the Medicinal Deity popularly worshiped by people across Southern Fujian and the Chaozhou-Jieyang-Shantou region (Teochew speaking region in Guangdong province). There are temples dedicated to the deity across the Southern China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Among them, the Qingjiao Tzu Chi Temple and Baijiao Tzu Chi Temple are recognized as the ancestral temples of Life Protection Emperor.

Wu Tao or Wu Ben<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Folk memory of Baosheng Dadi|last = Li|first = C|date = 2011|journal = Zhonghua Yi Shi Za Zhi |pmid=22169495|volume=41| issue=4 |pages=249–51}}</ref> ({{lang|zh|吳本}}) was born in the village of Bailiao near Xiamen in Fujian Province, during the [[Song dynasty]] in the year 979.<ref>{{Cite book|title = The Encyclopedia of Taoism|last = Pregadio|first = Fabrizio|publisher = Routledge|year = 2013|isbn = 9781135796341|pages = 218}}</ref> He was a skilled doctor and Taoist practitioner who was credited with performing medical miracles, including applying eye drops to a dragon's eye and removing a foreign object from a tiger's throat.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.baoan.org.tw/english/biographies_01.html|title = Baosheng Emperor|access-date = 2014-06-17|website = Dalongdong Baoan Temple|archive-date = 2014-03-07|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140307044603/http://www.baoan.org.tw/ENGLISH/biographies_01.html|url-status = dead}}</ref> After his death in 1036, he began to be worshiped as a [[Shen (Chinese religion)|deity]]. His deified status was officially recognized by the [[Hongxi Emperor]] of the Ming dynasty who conferred on him the title of “Imperial Inspector at Heavenly Gate, Miracle Doctor of Compassion Relief, [[Xian (Taoism)|Great Taoist Immortal]], and the Long-lived, Unbounded, Life Protection Emperor“.

==== Belief in Lord Chi ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2024}}
Lord Chi ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=池王信仰文化}}), or Chi Ran, is an imperial official of [[Nanjing]] origin. He is very upright in disciplining himself and fulfilling his official responsibilities. It is said that in the era of [[Emperor Wanli]] of the Ming dynasty, Chi was appointed by the imperial court to be magistrate of Zhangzhou, Fujian province. He met two envoys when he passed Small Yingling Mountain, which is in present Xiang'an district. After having a good conversation with them, he knew that they were under the celestial imperial order from the [[Jade Emperor]] (the Supreme Lord of Heaven) and were instructed to spread plague among the population in Zhangzhou. Chi tried to get the poison from them and swallowed the poison immediately to prevent the plague. When he arrived at Maxiang, he was badly poisoned and his face turned black, then he died under a big banyan tree. Jade Emperor was touched by Chi's bravery and selfless sacrifice, and his love for the people as his children, so Chi was deified and titled "the Celestial Imperial Inspector representing the Heaven" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=代天巡狩}}), and was promoted as [[Wang Ye worship|Wang Ye or Sacred Duke]].

After [[Koxinga]] took over Taiwan, the belief in Lord Chi has been transmitted to Taiwan and Southeast Asia. It has a history of over 300 years and Lord Chi has become one of the divinities (Wang Ye) worshipped in Taiwan.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

==== Belief in Fude Zhengshen ====
Belief in [[Fude Zhengshen]] ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=福德正神信仰文化}}) is the belief in the God of Earth. In [[Chinese folk religion]], the Earth Deity is also regarded as God of Wealth and Prosperity, because people believe that "land can bestowed wealth" ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=有土斯有財}}).

Every year, the second day of the second month and the fifteenth day of eighth month on the [[Chinese calendar|Chinese lunar calendar]] are regarded the birthday of the Earth Deity. Every 16th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar is the sacrifice day of the "year-end dinner". Folk activities include the ceremony to light the first incense to invite the ruler of heaven, holding the sacrifice ceremony, sending stoves, and offering incenses to Buddha. Among these activities, meeting the deities, dancing performances, and opera performed to show gratitude for gods are all cultural events.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

===Media===
Xiamen is served by [[Xiamen Media Group]], which broadcasts news and entertainment such as movies and television series by AM/FM radio, close circuit television, and satellite television. Media in Xiamen were temporarily blocked by the Government in June 2007 when about 10,000 people participated in protests against the building of a [[P-Xylene|paraxylene]] factory by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Co. Ltd., which is owned by Taiwanese businessman Chen Yu-hao.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/27/AR2007062702962.html|title=Text Messages Giving Voice to Chinese|first=Edward|last=Cody|date=28 June 2007|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=29 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701000245/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/27/AR2007062702962.html|archive-date=1 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The incident, however, was solved smoothly later that year.