Enchanting Xiamen: Explore the hipster culture boom in Shapowei

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‍To some people, hipsters are a bit like Marmite, a British spread people either love or hate. However, even the most disdainful of haters have to admit – hipsters sure know the coolest hangouts.

Enter Shapowei: nestled in the heart of the old city of Xiamen near the university. The area was originally a small fishing village enclosing a harbor and sheltered dock. During the 1950s, successful private shipyards turned Shapowei into one of Xiamen’s busiest harbors, which was used by some 20,000 people and 4,000 fishing boats at its height.

However, with living conditions becoming too cramped, Shapowei eventually closed its docks in 2004, and the place was all but forgotten.

Creatives to the rescue

Street art is found among the area’s many back alleys. /CGTN Photo

Today, Shapowei is a poster child for urban revival: indie cafes, boutique eateries and vintage shops now vie for space under the shelter of weathered qilou arcades.

On its streets, newlyweds pose for wedding photo shoots, their smart tuxes and bridal dresses in stark contrast to Shapowei’s narrow alleys and multi-colored, crumbling facades. There’s even an Art Zone, replete with graffitied skateboard ramps, a barbershop (for when your undercut needs a trim) and a seriously cool craft beer brewery.

Made in Xiamen

Xiamen’s first micro-brewery /CGTN Photo‍

Housed in a converted ice factory, Fat Fat Beer Horse is the brainchild of two Germans who decided they could make better beer than what was on offer in Xiamen.

It took co-owner David Krings a year to learn the art of making craft beer, and today the brews range from ales and IPAs to wheat beers and stouts, many of which are infused with local ingredients such as yangmei (bayberry) and Chinese tea.

If you get the chance to go, be sure to try their 7 Horses IPA, a fruity, leafy concoction with an aroma of pine brewed using seven different hops.

A stark contrast of old and new. /CGTN Photo‍

If boozing while it’s still light outside feels shameful to you, there are plenty of other relaxing options to choose from. Head upstairs to Shapowei Art Zone’s terrace for a cup of java and a great view of the old harbor, banked by a hodgepodge of old residential buildings-cum-boutique cafes and eateries.

With the sleek sails of Xiamen’s Twin Towers rising high in the background, the view afforded here allows you to see how Xiamen has evolved over the centuries – a layer cake of the city’s history to go along with your pour-over, single-origin coffee.

To find out more about Xiamen's unique districts and the lives of its international residents who hail from the BRICS countries, be sure to tune in for our "Enchanting Xiamen" series. Its broadcast times on CGTN are as follows:

Episode 1, "Old Gems": September 3 at 7:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. (BJT)

Episode 2, "New Jewels": September 4 at 1:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. (BJT)

Episode 3, "Home Away from Home": September 5 at 1:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. (BJT)

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