014.Penghu Islands 01.Islands

2022-12-29

The Taiwan Strait separates Taiwan from Mainland China. The Penghu Islands are located in the middle of the strait.

Erkan village is clustered in a depression that is slightly lower than the surrounding farmland to avoid strong winds.
https://goo.gl/maps/DCbwccr6CYtPpuC68

Full-scale settlement from Mainland China to the Penghu Islands began in the 9th century. In the viewpoint of Mainland China, the areas came under the influence of Chinese culture in the new period. Meanwhile, in the viewpoint of Taiwan, the islands received Chinese culture the earliest. Tin Hau Temple is a Taoist temple where people have devout faith in Greater China. Tin Hau Temple in Magong, the central city of the Penghu Islands, was founded in 1604 and is the oldest in Taiwan even if it is recent in the sense of time in Mainland China.

The first attraction of the island is the landscape. The wind is so strong that it is called "wind island", and it is a locality of the island. Sea bridges connect the main island with surrounding islands around Penghu Bay as the inland sea, forming a U-shaped landscape like a gigantic sand spit. February, when I visited, was a windy period, so I could not stand still to take pictures, except for Magong, where buildings were lined up. The wind took away my body temperature, so I could not stop shivering. The wind is also a blessing. In wind power generation, the Penghu Islands have advanced most in Taiwan. However, the BBC reported that a considerable number of goats died due to the noise of the wind power generation. It seems that ecological facilities are not necessarily compatible with ecological environment.

The second attraction is a traditional village with a nostalgic atmosphere, which I will introduce in the next post. Unfortunately, many houses has been abandoned because it is one of the most depopulated areas in Taiwan. That's why, in 2007, a casino project which aimed at customers from Mainland China came up. I was worried about turning this charming island into a casino island, but the 2009 and 2016 referendums rejected it. The climate and lifestyle of the islands that were protected by referendum are now synchronized with the sustainability-oriented trend. A recent newspaper article mentioned a rapid increase in tourists. It has led to the future! But, the joy was ephemeral, and this time new wave of the political situation began to rise.

Bridges connect the main island with surrounding islands around Penghu Bay as the inland sea, forming a U-shaped.
https://goo.gl/maps/PsF5GYbw9PT1bfndA

See Neian Village. Trees do not grow on the hills around the village due to strong winds.
https://goo.gl/maps/oHfkowFDGiL9YtWM8

Waian is a fishing village on the southern tip of the Yuweng Island. It is interesting to see the concentration of modern building-style houses in the furthest village, even though there are traditional villages along the way. Perhaps it shows the richness of this fishing village. Some call it the Little Greece of Taiwan.
https://goo.gl/maps/QgQ1KQ1XZ3XuVACy8

See the wind power generation facilities in Zhongtun village.
https://goo.gl/maps/fti1WspBazXhZ3MN9

The Taoist temple Tin Hau Temple in Magong, the central city, is the oldest in Taiwan.
https://goo.gl/maps/z88WQwWRdJV7Vc9D8

In Magong, some Japanese colonial architectures are preserved. One of them is the governor's residences, which is now open to the public as the Penghu Reclamation Hall, and still retains a Japanese-style living space.
https://goo.gl/maps/2MSABWtd6pUuYJiP7

Xujia is one of the traditional villages remaining in the Penghu Islands. It's a few kilometers away from Magong, the central city of the Penghu Islands, but when I visited in 2007, quite a few houses were abandoned.
https://goo.gl/maps/eBke4hrEqh88bAFn7

澎湖諸島に残る伝統的集落の一つ、鎮海の中に、１軒、立派な洋館が残る。澎湖諸島ではほとんど見なかったが、中国本土に近い金門島には、洋楼と呼ばれる、同じような洋館がたくさん残っている。
Jhenhai is one of the traditional villages remaining in the Penghu Islands. Among the traditional houses is a residence with a Western atmosphere. I rarely saw them in the Penghu Islands, but on Kinmen Island, which is close to mainland China, many similar buildings called "Yan lou (Western-style house)" remain.
https://goo.gl/maps/HGJTKRbkSmmV36oZ6

See Magong from Xujia village beyond the sea.
https://goo.gl/maps/eBke4hrEqh88bAFn7

Click here for your impressions

reference
台湾ナビ　
 Penghu Info
"潮風と相談　麺の味"(朝日新聞,2007.2.6)
"Wind farm 'kills Taiwanese goats'"(One Minute World News,BBC,2009.5.21)
"風力タービン騒音、台湾でヤギ400匹が不眠で死亡か"(世界のこぼれ話,Reuters,2009.5.22)
"カジノ誘致に住民は「反対」　澎湖県で住民投票"(琉球新報,2009.10.5)
"台湾・澎湖でカジノ建設めぐる住民投票、反対多数で否決"(フォーカス台湾,2016.10.15)
"行政院の計画説明にＢＢＣ記者が切り込んだ！　「なぜそんなに楽観的なのか？」　エネルギー自給率１％　電力不安も…"(産経ニュース,産経新聞,2016.10.23)
"20年に変わったアジア消費　自宅エンタメ開花"(日本経済新聞,2020.12.21)
"東アジア、国内離島リゾートコロナ禍で人気"(日本経済新聞,2021.2.7)
Wikipedia

Please do not use or upload our photos without permission.

この記事を書いた人