Golden Melon Building (Huang Cimin’s Villa)

Golden Melon Building (Huang Cimin’s Villa)

The Golden Melon Building (Huang Cimin’s Villa) is a cultural heritage site protected by Fujian Province.

The Golden Melon Building is a distinctive architectural gem on Gulangyu Island, earning its name from the two golden melons atop its roof. Designed in the Byzantine style, the building features bold colors and an unusual shape, making it a truly eye-catching piece of architecture even among the many structures on the island—well worth a visit. Under sunlight, the two golden melons on the roof glow with a clear yellow luster, exuding a classic charm that is highly striking. The gatehouse adopts a traditional Chinese hip-and-gable roof with double eaves and upturned corners, while beams, columns, and lintels are adorned with various reliefs. Although it is a private residence, you can still appreciate its beauty quite well from outside the wall.

Huang Cimin’s Villa is a building topped with two golden melons, located at No. 99 Quanzhou Road. Constructed in 1922, it earned the name Golden Melon Building due to these two “golden melons” on its roof. Its owner, Huang Cimin, went to the Philippines in his youth to engage in business, where he became wealthy. In 1922, he returned to Gulangyu and purchased this newly built villa for 40,000 silver dollars, relocating his entire family from Shimei in Longhai. It is said that the descendants of Huang Cimin now span more than 20 countries and regions, thriving across the globe—an embodiment of prosperity, much like the “endless vines of melons,” symbolizing the very meaning behind this Golden Melon Building.

Address: No. 99 Quanzhou Road, Siming District, Xiamen City

Type: Historic Building

Recommended Visiting Time: About 0.5 hour

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

No admission fee required. Exterior viewing is free.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Fujian Province