Wai'an Introduction
Wai'an Village is located in the southern part of Xiyu Township, bordered to the north by Neian Village. It has a natural barrier that makes it less susceptible to the northeast monsoon, becoming the most populous community in Xiyu Township. Due to its topography, it is suitable for developing fisheries, which most residents depend on for their livelihoods. The residents here mainly practice Taoism, with the Wen Wang Temple being the spiritual center of Wai'an Village, dedicated to the worship of Wang Ye. During the Lantern Festival, Wen Wang Temple becomes the focal point for activities, organizing events like "Qigui" and "Ping'an Bridge" to celebrate. At night, fishermen, grateful for the blessings from the heavens, pray for a bountiful catch in the coming year, and nearly a thousand fishing boats gather at Wai'an Fishing Port to light up fishing lamps in a collective prayer. The bright lights of the fishing lamps burn continuously for three days, illuminating the night sky of Wai'an. The unique sight of "Wai'an Fishing Lights" during the Lantern Festival attracts many visitors. For a view of the Wai'an Fishing Port, one can go to the high Wai'an Sanxian Tower, which overlooks the entire Wai'an Village. The Wai'an Sanxian Tower, also known as Xipu Sanxian Tower, is located on the hill in front of the village, southwest of the Wen Wang Temple. It features three stone towers standing on the edge of a cliff, with a square stone base below and a conical stone tower above, approximately 2 meters high and 1 meter in diameter, serving as a protective and exorcising stone. The main tower is inlaid with a basalt monument. In Wai'an, there is also the "Wai'an Decoy Cannon," rated as one of the top ten historical buildings in Penghu County. During World War II, the Japanese military built a fake cannon made of cement to mislead the American Air Force's bombings, located in a depression of the plateau terrain, connected by trenches to related facilities. The decoy cannon has an octagonal gun mount with double barrels, with a gun mount width of 5.35 meters, barrel length of 6.13 meters, and a barrel spacing of 3.16 meters, achieving the purpose of deceit. It is a rare and unique military facility, not only a testament to World War II but also reflecting the strategic geographical importance of Wai'an. Additionally, near the former Wude Airport in the Pengnan District of Magong, there is another Wude Decoy Cannon, believed to have been built around the same time as the Wai'an Decoy Cannon and Gongbei Decoy Tank, holding significant historical importance.
Wai'an Three Immortals Pagoda
