Xiamen, also known as Siming and Amoy, may justly be called one of the poster children of the Century of Humiliation. In the 1800s, Xiamen was defined by a well-built fort and a strong wall, and attracted trade from across the East. The Opium Wars made Xiamen's merchants rich; Xiamen became a centre of the tea trade. That wealth kept flowing until Indian plantations displaced Chinese ones in the global economy.

Yet at the same time that tea went out and assorted foreigners went in—Gulangyu Island is known for its colonial architecture—Xiamen was considered decrepit, the dirtiest city in China. Today, things have not truly improved. Though Japan and other East Asian nations in its sphere use it as a locale for trade, the city remains depopulated, the streets remain filthy, and the people continue to lack opportunity. It will take concerted effort to lift Xiamen from its slough of despond.