Gulangyu, Gulang or Kulangsu is a pedestrian-only island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian Province in southeastern China.

A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, the island is about 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) in area, and is reached by an 8-minute ferry ride from downtown Xiamen.

Soon after Xiamen became a treaty port resulting from China's loss in the First Opium War and the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, foreign residents on the island established an informal organization that became formally organized several decades later when its Land Regulations were approved by the government of China (Qing dynasty) in May 1902.

[4] Eventually 13 countries, including Great Britain, France, The Netherlands and Japan, were to have extraterritorial privileges there and take part in the Kulangsu Municipal Council that administered the settlement.

Japanese occupation of the island began in 1942, and lasted until the end of World War II, when it was returned to China.

[7] Buildings and sights of the former international settlements includes: Gulangyu is unique in China as a "traffic-free island".

Freight is pulled on wheeled wooden carts up the often steep lanes by strong teams of men.

Historically, Shu'an Zhou, Junji Lin, and Zuohuang Chen are other well-known classical musicians from the island.

The 580-seat Gulangyu Concert Hall is one of Fujian Province's most notable acoustic classical music venues.

[16] In 2005, Gulangyu Island was named the most beautiful district of China by Chinese National Geography magazine.