On May 8, a new cultural landmark full of sound and color made its debut on Gulangyu Island. Gulangyu·China Film Music Exhibition Hall, the first of its kind dedicated to film music in China, officially opened to the public.
A Viewable, Listenable, Experiential Venue Housing Treasures of a Century of Chinese Film Music
Unlike traditional quiet museums, the exhibition hall showcases more than 100 classic film music works, unfolding a century-long panorama of Chinese film music development. Ranging from nostalgic old films, revolutionary classics, and Hong Kong and Taiwan masterpieces to international blockbusters, these timeless film songs carry the memories and sentiments of generations.
The hall consists of 16 exhibition halls with themed spaces including The First Melodies, From Silent to Sound, Symphony of National Styles, Melodies Going Global, Legends on Stage, and Masters of a Century. Across two floors, over 100 classic film clips are available on demand. Putting on headphones, visitors are instantly immersed in the melodies of classic films, as if traveling back to the era of black-and-white and color cinema.
Jointly built by the Gulangyu Administrative Committee and the China Film Archive (China Film Art Research Center), the hall draws on audio-visual materials from the national-level film master library and collections of the China Film Archive. It brings the classic melodies of Chinese cinema to Gulangyu, the "Island of Music," creating a distinctive venue that is viewable, listenable, and experiential.
The exhibition boasts a wealth of rare treasures. The 1935 inaugural issue of Art Sound: Film and Music is China’s earliest film music journal. The promotional special issue of Sing-Song Girl Red Peony documents the landmark moment in 1931 when China’s first sound film "spoke." The 1934 film Song of the Fishermen, China’s first internationally acclaimed movie, features a rare internal test pressing vinyl record from the archive, witnessing the dedication to excellence in Chinese film music.
The hall excels in interactive experiences. It features record-shaped disc interactive jukeboxes and vintage button-based song selection, allowing visitors to handpick their favorite tunes. Retro-style audio receivers let visitors revisit touching melodies at the lift of a receiver. There is also an AI-generated song experience—integrating classic film clips, visitors can create personalized audio-visual works in less than 10 seconds. From an immersive walk through the time corridor, hands-on song selection via interactive installations, to AI-powered creative creation, every visitor becomes a participant in the century-old story of Chinese film music.
One Song, One Era: A Century of Echoes in Chinese Film Music
The halls tell a stirring chapter of history. March of the Volunteers, the theme song of the 1935 film Children of Troubled Times, evolved from a film interlude to a national battle cry, and eventually became the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China. China is the only country in the world to officially adopt a film theme song as its national anthem.
Another deeply moving story is closely tied to Xiamen. During the Kinmen Artillery Battle, the deeds of the "Heroic Little Eighth Route Army" in Heshan District, Xiamen, were adapted into a film. Its theme song We Are the Successors of Communism quickly spread nationwide and was later designated as the team song of the Young Pioneers of China.
Chinese film music has also shone brightly on the global stage. Red Sorghum won the Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival. A Love Before Time, the theme song of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, was performed by singer Coco Lee at the 73rd Academy Awards, marking a milestone in the internationalization of Chinese-language film music.
From the national cry of March of the Volunteers to the oriental elegance of A Love Before Time, Chinese film music has completed a magnificent transformation from "being seen" to "being heard by the world."
A City and a Century of Cinema: Xiamen from Screen Debut to Golden Rooster Host
Xiamen’s connection with cinema is nearly as old as Chinese film history itself. In 1905, when Chinese cinema was born, projectors were brought to Gulangyu to screen "motion pictures." In 1928, The Heavenly River was filmed on location in Xiamen—the first time Xiamen appeared on the silver screen. The opening scene of Spring and Autumn in a Small Town features a distant view of Gulangyu.
With its openness encapsulated in the line "Xiamen embraces guests from all over the world and waves of the vast ocean," the city has become a year-round "natural film studio." Today, an increasing number of films choose Xiamen as a shooting location, including Love After Love, Crazy Racer, The Dead End, and Hello Mr. Billionaire. Xiamen’s local film and television creation strength continues to rise, with self-produced high-quality works such as Bagua Building and Blades of the Guardians emerging successively.
Its unique natural and cultural environment not only attracts numerous production crews but also makes Xiamen an important window for cross-strait cultural exchange.
The "Voice of Taiwan" exhibition hall is a vivid microcosm. Taiwanese film music has evolved from the rise of Hokkien-language film songs in the 1950s–1960s to the integration of rock and electronic elements in the 1980s, presenting a diverse landscape. It highlights The Dream Lovers and its theme song Olive Tree, through which many people first "heard" the charm of Taiwanese literature and art. Today, Olive Tree stands as a sonic bridge, connecting people across the strait through shared melodies and emotions.
Xiamen’s role in cinema continues to evolve from a "natural film studio" to a bridgehead for cultural exchange. In 2019, the China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival settled in Xiamen, and the momentum and brand effect of the Golden Rooster platform have continued to grow. The Golden Rooster·Gulangyu Forum, held annually since 2022, has become an important platform for planning the future of Chinese cinema. The second floor of the exhibition hall features a dedicated "Golden Rooster Melodies" section, documenting the bond between this national-level event and Xiamen.
From the first film screening on Gulangyu a century ago, the first on-location shot in Xiamen for The Heavenly River in 1928, to the annual ringing of the Golden Rooster Awards today—Xiamen has upgraded from a mere filming location to a major home base of China’s film industry.
New Life for a Historic Building: A Model for Revitalizing Cultural Relics, Playing the Future Melody of the Music Island
The opening of Gulangyu·China Film Music Exhibition Hall carries special significance: it preserves both film music heritage and historic architecture. Housed in the Former United States Consulate, a Major Cultural Relic Protection Unit and a component of Gulangyu’s World Cultural Heritage, the building opens to the public for the first time after renovation and revitalization.
Over the past century, the building has served multiple functions. Today, it stands as an innovative carrier for the inheritance and development of Chinese film music in the new era, setting a classic example of revitalizing cultural relic buildings to empower modern public cultural services. A special section explains the cultural relic’s value, allowing visitors to appreciate film music while understanding the national cultural relic protection principle: "Protection First, Strengthen Management, Explore Value, Effective Utilization, and Bring Cultural Relics to Life."
Chinese film music has gone through a century of development—from early adoption of Western elements to the formation of distinctive local styles, and now deep integration into daily life. This exhibition hall is a concentrated showcase of its century-long evolution and artistic achievements.
In the future, Gulangyu·China Film Music Exhibition Hall will collaborate with the island’s Organ Museum, Piano Museum, and Pipe Organ Art Center to jointly build Gulangyu’s highly recognizable and influential cultural brand as the "Island of Music."
The partnership between the China Film Archive and the Gulangyu Administrative Committee is a major achievement in deeply exploring and revitalizing archival collections. It is also a valuable practice that integrates film, music, Xiamen, and cultural relic elements to empower cultural inheritance and development.