Xiamen University Jiannan Auditorium and campus (厦门大学建南大会堂)

Xiamen University's early campus lies on Siming South Road in Siming District, Xiamen, Fujian province, China, between Nanputuo Temple and the sea. The university was founded in 1921 by Tan Kah Kee, the Singapore-based businessman, who funded the project from his own resources and became its first head. The original group of buildings, including the Qunxian halls and the Jiannan Auditorium, was built in the years that followed. The structures are in what is often called the Jiageng style, named for Tan: they combine Western-style walls and arches with Minnan roofs of upturned ridges and glazed tiles, a pairing that reflects both overseas influence and local identity. Jiannan Auditorium, the large hall used for assemblies and performances, is one of the best known. The campus runs along the coast and includes lakes, gardens and a beach, and it is regularly described as one of the most scenic in China. The old buildings have been restored several times, while newer teaching blocks have been built nearby. Visitors must reserve a visit in advance, normally through the university's official reservation system, and bring a passport. Hours are set by the university and vary by season and by whether students are in term. Entry is free, and the walking route typically covers the early halls, the main lake and the campus shoreline. The campus is a short walk from Nanputuo Temple and the Overseas Chinese Museum, and the three can be combined in a single half-day. Some interiors are closed to visitors, so the buildings are seen mainly from outside. Elsewhere on campus, the Furong lake, the Lu Xun memorial and the shoreline known for its beach offer an easy extension of the walk, and the university's museum of anthropology and its marine collections are sometimes open to visitors who have booked, though opening times for those collections change often and are posted at the entrances.