The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.113)

Sending Love across Waters Gulang Island is located off the coast of Fujian Province in southeastern China. The island occupies an area of 1.91 km 2 and was officially inducted as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2017. Over 1,000 mansions are scattered across the island, each featuring a distinctive design that combines Eastern and Western architectural styles. The island is populated by more than 4,000 senior citizens over the age of 60, of whom 300 live alone. The majority of youths have left the island for the nearby city of Xiamen due to various factors, contributing to the ageing population. Transportation options on the island are limited to garbage trucks, ambulances, police vehicles and electric buggy carts for ferrying tourists; the islanders largely move around on foot.At the invitation of the Longtou Residents’Association, Tzu Chi volunteers make regular trips to the island to administer care to seniors with restricted mobility; free haircuts are among the services provided. Volunteer Zhang Ling Ling holds up a mirror for a delighted Grandpa Zhao to view his new hairdo. The volunteers travelled to the island even in rainy weather, to the surprise of Grandpa Zhao, who has difficulty walking. [Photograph by Pan Jian Jia]