Taiwan Today

Outlying Penghu County is a veritable treasure trove of natural beauty and cultural attractions.

Around 50 kilometers off the west coast of Taiwan proper in Penghu, a heritage renaissance led by residents in tandem with central and local government is underway. Retired high school teacher Lin Wen-zhen (林文鎮), born and bred in the archipelago of 90 islets, is a passionate member of the movement dedicated to conserving the county’s many distinctive tangible and intangible cultural assets.

One project the 72-year-old Lin is particularly proud of during his 20 years on the front line of cultural preservation efforts involves rebuilding Penghu’s iconic stone fish weirs and promoting related construction techniques. “These structures carry profound cultural implications and illustrate the close relationship between residents of yesteryear and Mother Nature,” he said.

“They also tell us we should adapt to rather than change the environment and demonstrate the need to re-examine traditional practices to solve food supply issues of today.”

Preserving Tradition

Spread over 127 square kilometers in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, Penghu—also known as the Pescadores, or fishermen, in Portuguese—is renowned for its waters teeming with all manner of marine life. Once sparsely populated by itinerant fishermen and an eclectic assortment of adventurers and vagabonds, the islands saw the rise of more permanent communities in the early 17th century following large-scale migration from present-day mainland China.

Given the difficulty in growing crops on the windswept islands, the new arrivals turned to the sea for sustenance. They set about building the ingenious weirs in the shallows from Penghu’s abundance of basalt and coral. At high tide, fish would swim into the pondlike structures only to be trapped as the tide raced out. Nearly 600 of the weirs remain today, with the oldest believed to date back more than 300 years.

Measures to safeguard the structures have been implemented at central and local government level for a number of years. In 2009, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) identified Twin Hearts Stone Weir on Qimei Island and Jibei Stone Weir Group on Jibei Island as potential Taiwan additions to the UNESCO World Heritage List. And two years before, Penghu County Government designated them cultural landscapes in a bid to preserve local fishery culture and history.

As well as the weirs, Penghu boasts an array of well-preserved historic sites including 49 buildings and 19 monuments. The Wangan Hua-Zhai Old-Style Historical Houses and eight other sites are designated by the MOC as an important traditional settlement and national monuments, respectively. The county is also home to two of Taiwan’s 22 nature reserves, all of which were founded in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve was established in 1992 in the north of the archipelago and Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve Nanhai was set up in 2008 in the south.

Tseng Hui-shiang (曾慧香), director of the county government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, said Penghu is endowed with a rich heritage worthy of preservation for future generations. “We’re committed to protecting and promoting distinctive properties through renovation projects, training courses and various activities.”

Cultural Assets

According to Tseng, the county’s cultural landscape is made up of historic buildings, military facilities, museums, stone fishing weirs and temples, as well as folk ballads, religious festivals and traditional crafts used in temple decorations. Recently, significant structures like Duxingshi Village, Jinguitou Fortress, Tianhou Temple and Wangan Hua-Zhai Old-Style Historical Houses have been refurbished and opened to the public.

The bureau also places a premium on promoting Penghu’s battlefield culture by rehabilitating military installations and dependents’ villages. It has successfully negotiated with the Ministry of National Defense to release numerous facilities and make them available to visitors.

One example is historic Jinguitou Fortress in Magong City. Constructed in 1887 during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the structure was classified in 2001 as a national monument and started welcoming its first post-restoration sightseers in April. Another is Duxingshi Village, which comprises a cluster of dormitories built for military officers during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). It was the first of its kind garrisoned in Taiwan proper or the outlying islands as of Retrocession Day Oct. 25, 1945—the official date Taiwan was returned to the government by Japan—and was partially opened to the public following renovations in August 2015.

Passion Projects

Pierre Yang (楊仁江), an architect and associate professor with the Graduate Institute of Architecture and Cultural Heritage at Taipei National University of the Arts, has participated in about 50 restoration projects of historic sites across Taiwan proper and the outlying islands. His latest is the two-year project involving Jinguitou Fortress Cultural Park.

“Penghu is a bonanza of heritage properties rich in architectural, cultural and historical significance,” he said. “Some of the old military facilities remain intact to this day, testament to the county’s former status as a key link in the nation’s strategic defenses.”

According to Yang, there is a real sense of achievement in repurposing old structures on the road to wrack and ruin. “Most architects want to start from scratch, but I prefer breathing new life into historic structures and giving back to society in the process,” he said.

This approach is also present in the bureau’s strategy for promoting the county’s maritime resources and traditions, Tseng said. “Penghu’s relationship with the sea has indelibly shaped its history, making protection of cultural resources and the marine environment a core concern in charting the right course for the sustainable development of the local tourism industry.”

Some of the most popular activities for visitors to Penghu, Tseng said, include classes in traditional and modern fishing techniques, tours of cultural establishments like Magong’s Penghu Ocean Resource and Penghu Living museums and trips to the pristine beaches and waters of the various islets.

The ocean resource museum’s collection consists of artworks, images, model boats, replicas of sea creatures and vintage fishing equipment, while the living museum features exhibits like archival documents, artifacts, historical photos and interactive displays. “They all help visitors better understand local culture, ecology and history, as well as the importance of marine conservation in a manner that is educational and enjoyable at the same time,” she added.

International Perspective

Another tourism-related area of interest for the county government is expanding Penghu’s role in the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, a grouping of 40 bays from 25 countries and territories committed to “saving the natural heritage of the bay, preserving its identity, respecting the way of life and the traditions of those that inhabit the area whilst ensuring economic development compatible with these commitments.”

Since joining the UNESCO-endorsed organization in 2012, Penghu has regularly been represented at club meetings on the latest trends in heritage conservation and marine management. In addition, the county will host the club’s annual meeting in October 2018—a valuable opportunity to enhance the archipelago’s international profile and tourism credentials.

In training the spotlight on Penghu’s natural attractions, the local government hopes to attract more visitors from home and abroad and give lifelong residents such as Chen Ying-jun (陳英俊) the opportunity to contribute to cultivating the county’s appeal as a slow-travel destination.

Much like Lin, the 63-year-old architecture historian, author and building materials merchant has spent 20 years conserving Penghu’s cultural assets. “Old homes and commercial premises are the best witnesses to the events, past lives and stories of a community,” he said. “Penghu’s remarkable attractions speak volumes about the rich culture and history of the county. This is why in the name of art and education, every effort must be made to preserve what we have and support responsible urban revitalization.”

According to Chen, the county’s ammunition depots, fortresses, lighthouses and underground tunnels built during Qing, Japanese and Republic of China (Taiwan) rule have pronounced historic value. Two of his favorites are the ammunition depots with copper-lined walls constructed 82 years ago in Xiyu Township, with both under renovation and likely accessible by tourists next year.

Penghu’s wealth of temples is another source of fascination and pride for Chen. “They are an integral part of the daily lives of locals, especially with fishermen praying for safety at sea,” he said.

One of the oldest dedicated to Mazu, goddess of the sea, in the county and Taiwan proper is Magong’s Tianhou Temple. Built in 1604 during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the traditionally styled structure with its ornate pillar, roof and wall carvings was designated in 1983 as a national monument.

“A multitude of gorgeous vistas and historic properties makes the county an ideal tourism destination,” Chen said. “There really are very few places in the world where a visitor can feast their eyes upon the beauty of nature while immersing their minds in a deep vein of cultural heritage all in one day.” 

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw