Xinwu Century-Old Shihhu Group Introduction
In addition to beachcombing and sea watching, how else can you enjoy a different experience in Xinyu? Come hear the legendary stories of the century-old stone weirs, and you will discover how harmonious the relationship between nature and humanity can be. You'll be amazed to find that what seems like a simple pile of stones actually conceals the wisdom of our ancestors, still astonishing even today a hundred years later. The largest group of stone weirs in Taiwan awaits your exploration. The establishment of the stone weirs in Xinyu can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty when Han pioneers settled in Taiwan, using locally sourced river stones to manually build stone embankments that extend hundreds to even thousands of meters. In an era without transportation equipment, the completion of a single stone weir often required mobilizing the whole village, thus perpetuating the bonds between people. The principle behind stone weir fishing is to use the rising tide to guide fish into the shore, and when the tide recedes, fishermen can capture the trapped fish. Currently, there are 11 stone weirs from the northern coast of Shenzhen in Xinyu to the area around Kanjian; there are two weirs in Shenzhen and nine in Kanjian. The better-preserved ones are the two and three stone weirs in Kanjian, both still functional for fishing. Among them, the third stone weir, with a length of 322 meters, once captured a catch weighing 1,000 catties (600 kilograms). The century-old stone weir group, a "Great Wall at Sea" extending along Taiwan's west coast, not only embodies cultural essence but is also an excellent place to observe coastal ecology. On the stone embankments, you can see intertidal organisms like stone oysters, conchs, shrimp, and crabs; at high tide, you may also see sea anemones blooming like flowers, showcasing a rich and diverse ecological community. Although today’s stone weirs no longer serve as a means of livelihood for fishermen, they remain historical relics that testify to the wisdom of our ancestors. (Photo source: Taoyuan Stone Weir Association)
